Flopsy

the Christmas Pup

lyrics and music by David Avshalomov

Mixed chorus with piano

(optional bass and drums)

[SHORTER VERSION]

2011 Raven Music

A novelty about adopting a pet for Christmas. This is an old-fashioned, corny but
sincere family message for tough economic times, with a subtext about
responsible ownership. Fun to sing, moderate difficulty, and a sure-fire audience
pleaser.

Acoustic bass and drums may be added (optionally). Drums should be

light set only; mostly brushes except with a very large chorus, no
prominent fills or solos, just keep time and mark the hits.

Duration 445

GENDER: The choir may vote each year whether Flopsy is a girl or a boy pup.
The printed lyrics are for a boy; simply substitute she, her/hers for a girl, and on
the next-to-last verse, substitute:

(Where a slightly shorter version is needed, an optional cut is marked from bar 97 to 115.)
 Flopsy (the Christmas Pup)
Doggerel lyrics and music: David Avshalomov
Moderato
A Tempo

q = 100 rit.

q = 100


SA
mp Did you ev - er want a pup - py?

TB

rm ot E
ce op



p

Us
Piano

L
etc.

an oc


5

rfo P P
mp


Did you ev - er have a time when a


Pe for M

mp
h
Did you ev - er love a pup py?

or ot A

mp
mp p

q = 90
A Tempo

9

molto rit.

f

world? mp
pup py was the on - ly thing you want - ed in the whole wide Then we'll

f
N

mf

poco
p

2011 Raven Music

2

Ritenuto A Tempo
dark mp

12
q = 86





sing this Christ -mas tail just for you. It was a tough year, a real- ly



dark mp

rm ot E

ce op

Us

L
an oc

mf
16

rfo P P
ruff year. Dad said: Mom Said:"How canwe
mf
3
3
"We'll have to cut back a - gain; more Christ - mas thrift."

Pe for M

or ot A

mp

Poco Piu Mosso

warm

20

q = 96

give the kids a spe- cial gift?" Well, The one and on - ly thing the child - ren want- ed in the world was a

warm


N

mf

 q = 76 q = 96
3
A Tempo

Ritenuto

24

p

Sopranos

mf
pup - py Just a pup - py. Canwe get a puppy? Can we, please! Please please please please


p Tenors

mf

e
rm ot E
ce op
p mf

Us

L
an oc
Allegretto

29 Altos
q = 120


rfo P P
mp

PLEEEEZE!
And Mom lookedat Dad, and they said: see.

"We'll

Basses

Pe for M

mp
h




or ot A

sf mf


p



S

L. V,

34 ALL

mf
Then onChrist -mas morn- ing

the door - bell rang

The

mf

mf
L. V, sempre f
4 Ritenuto
q = 80

37

3




kids ran down to

see, and there, in a bas- ket with a red Christ - mas cap, was a
3

rm ot E

ce op
mf

Us

L
an oc
q = 110

bright A Tempo

poco rit.

41

rfo P P in hushed awe Sopranos


pup py, a real pup py! mf Dad - dy,can we keep him? Mom - my, canwe please?

pp

Pe for M

Tenors

h




or ot A

mf



pp


S

Ritenuto A Tempo
q = 92
q = 80

Altos mp

45 3 3 3

Well,(wink, wink) OH KAY. What shall we call him? Look at those ears! I

3 3 3

Basses Tenors mp

N

Well,(wink, wink) OH - KAY.

p

mp




 5
Light Swing With bright energy


49 f
q = 136



mf
think we bet- ter call him Flop - sy! Flop - sy the

With bright energy


f

Basses
f mf add Tenors

y
Ba-doom boom bmmm bmm Flop - sy the

e
mp

rm ot E

ce op


Light Swing

Us
(Opt. add light drum set,

brushes only with small chorus)

an oc
(Opt. Bass pizz., 8va
where written too low) (Piano single bass lines
tacet if Bass plays)
Swing both dotted
rfo P P

53

rhythms and offbeats.

(Altos)

add Sopranos

Christ -mas pup He's so cute ya got-ta pick him up Got him at the pound,so

Pe for M
Ba-doo ba add Tenors

(Basses)
(Basses)
h

Christ -mas pup Ba-doo-ba He's so cute ya got-ta pick him up Ba-doo -ba Got him at thepound, so







or ot A

57

he's an orph- an, Scratch those ears and feel the en - dor phins whad -da you think o' that?

6 61




Flop - sy's a Christ - mas joy

(Basses)


(Basses)



Fla - ba dah - bah dop Flop - sy's a Christ - mas joy Flah- dah - ba

e
rm ot E
mp

ce op

(Bass, drums tace this bar)

Us

L
an oc

64 (Altos) add Sopranos


rfo P P
Lots more fun than an - y ol' toy Fla -dah bah Tears up thewrap - ping an'

(Basses) add Tenors

Pe for M

h
Lots more fun than an - y ol' toy Fla -dah - ba Tears up thewrap - ping an'



or ot A

67







chews the rib - bon,

Got - ta be the bes' gift ev - er giv - en whad -da you think o' that?



N

71 stern

Altos

f

Mom said: "Ex - tra work's not
stern

Basses


f

Dad

said: "Pups cost a lot to feed."

p

e
rm ot E
ce op
sf p

Us

L
an oc
rfo P P

75 ALL WOMEN
f


what I need." Su - zy
Pe for M

Jim - my said: "I'll save al- low - ance and help pay."

f

h

Tenors



or ot A

p



S

78



said: 'I'll walk and feed 'im ev - ry day!" All we want is Flop - sy the


N

mp




(Piano play this lick with Bass)
8

81

3




(Altos)
Christ - mas DOG keeps you warm er than a big Yule log. Flah -dah -ba -da

(Basses) (Basses)

3 3

y

Flah -dah -ba -da keeps you warm er than a big Yule log. Flah -dah -ba -da

rm ot E

ce op

Us

L
an oc
Sopranos or SOLO

Jumps
84 on the tree and knocks it
ov - er,
that's why the name is Flop - sy, not Rover.

rfo P P
f



p

hmm hmm

Pe for M

add Tenors

h

p
hmm hmm

or ot A

p








S

88


(Altos)

3

3



Flop - sy the Christ - mas MUTT, da - ba dah -ba - da he's so cute when he


3


3

N

(Basses)
da - ba -dah -ba - da he's so cute when he

mp





 Altos or SOLO 9

91 3 (Altos) 3
I don't care if he is a mutt; I love 'im an - y way, so what?

f


(sop.)
p
licks his tush ba dah -ba -da hmm hmm

(paw)
3(Basses) add Tenors

3



p

y

licks his tush ba -dah -ba -da hmm hmm

e
rm ot E

ce op

Us
p

an oc

rfo P P

96

f

Pe for M

whad -da you think o' that?

Men

h

f whad -da you think o' that? f Bil - ly did - dn't want toys or DV D's, just


or ot A

sf
3 p
3



S

100 ALL WOMEN

f Su - zy did - n't want a doll that cries and wets, theyjust

f

N

want -ed a pooch that scratch -es fleas

p



10

104

want-ed a pup - py to be their pet! Flop - sy the

mp

Fla -dah - bah dopt,

e
rm ot E
ce op

Us

L
an oc

107 3 3

(Altos)

3

3
rfo P P

Christ - mas POOCH, da -ba dah -ba -da warms your tum - my like Hol i- day hooch. da -ba dah -ba -da

3 3
3 3

Pe for M

h
da - ba -dah -ba -da da -ba -dah -ba -da

or ot A

110

p
oo



N

f
wig - gles his tush when he sees you com- in' licks your face 'til your heart is hum - min'

(wag - gles) (tail)

 11

114


Sopranos legato

f mp

whad -da you think o' that? o' that? Basses

Curls right up and


mp

f whad -da you think o' that? o' that? p

wa -wa- wa we want Flop - sy, we want

e
rm ot E
ce op

(Bass, drums tacet here)

Us

L
an oc

119 rhythmic as before

rfo P P
mf
sleeps on the so - fa; gon - na be a lap dog like he s'posed - ta Chas- es a ball where


p

p

Pe for M

h
p

Flop - sy, ruff, ruff, ruff, ruff, Oo

or ot A

123

p
e - ver you toss it; makes you wish that he'd just lost it Oo

p
Digs a hole in Mom ma's gard en;


f

N

p

ruff, ruff, ruff, ruff, oo


12128





p
ruff, ruff, ruff, ruff,
whines and wig- gles and begs her pard on.



Car -pet got wet
mf and he acts a - shamed;


p Basses

y
ruff, ruff, ruff, ruff,

rm ot E
ce op

Us

L
p

an oc

f
132

rfo P P
Ev -en if it was - n't him, he'll get blamed.Does some- thing cute with eyes that shine, TAKE A VID -E - O,

f
Pe for M

or ot A

137





PUT IT ON LINE! all we want, all we want, all we want is





N

 13
bah bop bop bop bah

140 3


WOMEN 3


f Flah -ba dah -ba -da We want
Flah ba -dah - bah dah -bop

a -

MEN brassy
f

y
f_d_lah ba -dah -bah dah bop a - dopt, a- dopt, a - dopt.

bop, bah - ba dop, bah - ba

rm ot E

ce op

Us

L
an oc
(brassy flare
bah - ba dop - sy

vibrato)
143



rfo P P
Flop - - - sy! Flop Flop Flop Flah bah - ba dop seh Flah


dopt, a dopt,
- dopt.

a



Pe for M

h
3 3
bah - bah - dah - bah, Flah

dop, bah - ba dah -ba - da bah -bah -da

or ot A

Finger to lips. Precise diction,

146 this verse only.

bah -ba dop- sy is the dog for me!
pp Flop - sy the Christ - mas ca nine,





N

dog for me!

(+ Drums) f
pp


(+ Bass)
14

150

Write downthe num -ber for the neu - ter and spay line. When he's old er we'll have him tut - ored;

e
rm ot E
ce op

Us

an oc

154

rfo P P
pp

give 'im his shots, and get him neut - ered, WHAT ARE YOU GON - NA DO?

Pe for M

or ot A

Slower, Andante
S

Back-beat

molto rit.

157

q =102 3 3



ff
Flop - sy the Christ -masHOUND, da -ba dah -ba -da

3
3

Optional: Second player sidle down to

N

the piano during the previous verse and

play the top descant in octaves, standing. ff


3 3 3

mf ff 3 f
3

3 (Drums big back beats, splash cymbal)
3 3



(Bass play quarter notes on 2 and 3)
 15

160






You don't haveto spend a lot of mon ey, a-

Be thebest friend that you ev - er found.

e
rm ot E

ce op

Us

(Bass, drums tacet here)

L

3 3

an oc


rfo P P

A tempo

165

q = 136

Pe for M

mf
dopt a pet andmakeyour life sun-ny. Whad - da you think of that?

h

3


Flah-ba-da bop - da-bop

or ot A

f


mf


S

(+ Bass, drums/brushes on snare, sock backbeat) (drums continue)

170

(Alto 2 ossia)

I love Flop - sy!

3

N

3 3
Flah -ba -da bop - da -bop Flah -ba -da bop - da -bop Flah -ba -da bop - da -bop - da

16
Mild "bark" tone--

Normal tone, velvet

with pitch!

173

ruff! ruff! Awww

y
bop. ruff! ruff! (opt.)
Awww

e
rm ot E
Fast

ce op

R.H.

L.H. 3

Us
3
f

L

(Bass may cue low vocal bass D, arco)

an oc


p
rfo P P
(drums, fadala-bomp)
Pe for M
h
or ot A
N S