Sing a song for Gremlin and Shaggy

By Daithi Jane Houlihan Borges

The Hail to Gremlin and Shaggy Song (say aloud phonetically at a good clip)
It goes like a camp song that The Houlihan Family Singers sing. So say this aloud- it's fun.

"SHY-KNEE I-KNEE I-KNEE I-KNEE ish me quook me kwIum me kwIum (These
lines sung in unison)
SHY-KNEE I-KNEE I-KNEE I-KNEE ish me quook me kwIum me kwIum
Oh Nicodaymo Oh SHY-KNEE I-KNEE Oompah
Oh Nicodaymo Oh SHY-KNEE I-KNEE
Oompah Oompah Oompah Oompah (This line 1/2 the group carries the repeated low percussion Oompahs)
Killy Killy Killy Killy Wash Wash Wash Wash Key-ya Key-ya Cow-wha
(These lines the other 1/2 of group sings these)
Killy Killy Killy Killy Wash Wash Wash Wash Key-ya Key-ya Cow-wha
Oh hail to our Indian dogs -Oh hail to Gremlin and Shaggy."(This line
-Oompahs stop- whole group sings w/vigor in unison)

This song is passed down in our family through oral tradition. It is about two dogs I never even knew! I love that it is a family heritage song. I love the rhythm, the fake language, the camp feel, the German Oompahs, the regal-ish Nicodaymo Latin reference and the association of these dogs as close to nature, regal Indian dogs being hailed to all eternity. I am very sure we will teach this song to Shawn & Kate's little girl, along with a Norwegian bounce the baby on the knee song, Irish American favorite tunes and family fave camp songs. We will pass this family song on because these dogs were part of our family and therefore should be revered as part of our family history.

So that's our family dog song written either by my Grandpa or Dad preserved for posterity and shared in Tesla's Love.

Editor's Note: Daithi says she grew up singing a FAMILY DOG SONG about these two dogs she only knew from stories, photos and home movies. Her family song sung about these animals is really cute, she says. In Winchester. Conn., there is a field marker to Gremlin.