TREES! - Je m'appelle Jumping Jaques
Protagonist Jumping Jacques introduces himself in the musical "TREES!"
Community volunteer high-school math tutor. Author of children’s books, poetry, song lyrics, plays (NHÀ), musicals, book series “The Math Tutor’s Friend”
Story behind the song
The protagonist, Jumping Jacques, is a Canadian footloose blue spruce tree who sports a red beret and wears red boots in the musical "TREES!" He introduces himself with this song.
Lyrics
JE M'APPELLE JUMPING JACQUES
(speak)
Eh? May i introduce myself
I am not a creature off-the-shelf
Je m'appelle Jumping Jacques.
(sing)
I trust that you are not in shock
Oh, i show love - humility as well
So let us pause to talk a spell.
Eh! Eh! I'm Jumping Jacques, if i may
I am as staunch as horloge de parquet
Jumping Jacques, alors c'est moi
Et mes amis je suis à toi
I jump and skip and also dance,
It helps pursuit in the odd romance.
His manner is so genuine
Oh, Jacques' admired by everyone
As handsome a tree as you can find
He sports a jaunty red beret, a jaunty red beret
It's jumping jacques, hip-hip hooray
I am not fastened to the ground
I skip and leap and spring and bound
I also hop and bounce and vault
But have not yet tried the somersault
By some miracle, you can see
I am foot-loose and fancy free
Among the forests, lakes and streams
I change not color - i am evergreen
My runners are good forester boots
To help me follow great pursuits
I wear, of course, a red beret
Was it one of you who spoke? Eh?
Repeat Chorus
I give to you a mild rebuke;
Do not call my beret a toque [pronounced "tyook"]
To me the dance is everything
My dance of choice is la bastringue.
I am a spruce and somewhat blue,
I am constant for my heart is true.
A racial slur does not bother me.
For the culprit is full of stupidity
I'm in kerfuffle from time to time.
But a spat or argument is not a crime.
I help keep the forest well and strong
And that is why here i belong.
His manner is so genuine
Oh, Jacques' admired by everyone
As handsome a tree as you can find
Both virtue and modesty intertwined
He sports a jaunty red beret, a jaunty red beret
It's Jumping Jacques, hip-hip hooray!
I look after each forest friend
Against all dangers, i defend
I am the soul of etiquette
Employing daintily my serviette.
My humility is indisputable
That i'm admired, irrefutable
Like a famous roman of bygone days,
I have no trumpeter to recite my praise.
His manner is so genuine
Oh, jacques' admired by everyone
As handsome a tree as you can find
He sports a jaunty red beret, a jaunty red beret
It's Jumping Jacques, hip-hip hooray!
Hip-hip hooray!
