Singcord Recordings. ZLP 991. 1976. LP
Back cover illustrations:
1) A line drawing of Charlie in his letterman
sweater smiling and waving his right paw.
2) A photograph of Floyd Robinson smiling and holding
his Les Paul guitar.
Back cover message from Charlie:
CHARLIE THE HAMSTER GOES TO SUNDAY SCHOOL
Charlie The Hamster is quickly becoming a household word in thousands
of homes. His singing and teaching is being accepted by parents and
Sunday School teachers nationwide. The way Charlie the Hamster holds
the attention of of children is great, say many parents and teachers. Charlie
The Hamster and his cousins, Huey and Stanley, say "thank you for letting
us come into your home and sharing our Bible stories and songs with you."
Watch for our future records of "Charlie The Hamster" and keep on
"PRAISING THE LORD." Sincerely, CHARLIE (pawprint)
Note:
The illustrations for this album were made by an uncredited artist, not
C.B. Pritchett. Floyd Robinson did not review the artwork prior to
production. Subsequently, Robinson was extremely unhappy with several
elements: the slingshot in Stanley's back pocket; the back cover "message"
from Charlie which was typeset, not hand scrawled, and composed of stock press
release language, not written in first-person "Hamsterese;" and, most upsettingly,
the photo caption identifying Robinson as "Creator" (not the Inventor) of
Charlie the Hamster.
Review:
It seems that Floyd Robinson combined his love of country music, The Chipmunks,
and Jesus Christ to make Charlie The Hamster. Charlie is less mischievous
than Alvin but still jokes around. Floyd is less angry than David, he patiently
chides Charlie. Charlie and Floyd seem fairly likeable. They often sing together,
occasionally letting Charlie's lil’ cousins Huey and Stanley join in. Here's
some banter from the intro to "Think Jesus": "Charlie, what do you like to
think of most?" "Candy! Ice cream! Popcorn!" "Let me put it this way, Charlie:
WHO do you like to think of most?" "That's easy! Jesus!" Full band (guitar,
bass, drums, organ) backs them up on these songs and the two instrumentals
feature some good picking and strumming, Jew’s harp, and hiccuping.
(Robert Dayton, Rocktober Magazine, 2001)
Track List:
01 - Sunday Morning
02 - Questions and Answers
03 - A New Song To Sing
04 - Praise The Lord (
mp3)
05 - Solomon Built a Temple
06 - Heavenly Harmony
07 - Down, Down, Down, Down, Down
08 - Think Jesus
09 - The Three "R's"
10 - I Sing Because
11 - Sunday School
12 - Charlie Strings
Banter
FLOYD: Charlie, what do you like to do on Sunday morning?
CHARLIE: Sleep?
FLOYD: Aw, Charlie.
CHARLIE: Eat Breakfast?
FLOYD: C'mon Charlie, what then?
CHARLIE: Oh, I know!
Sunday Morning
Up in the morning bright and fair
Brush my teeth and I comb my hair
Put on my new suit with my coat and tie
And brush my shoes 'til they shine, shine, shine
Well, Sunday morning, I don't sleep late
I get up early, 'cause I can't wait
To get myself all ready, then
Then, I'm off to meet my friends
Fetch my Bible night before
Then I walk right out that door
Skippin' along and havin' fun
Come along and join me everyone
Well, Sunday morning, I don't sleep late
I get up early, 'cause I can't wait
To get myself all ready, then
Then, I'm off to meet my friends
I have such fun everytime I go
Learn the things that I should know
Like Matthew, Mark and Luke and John
Acts and Romans and Corinthians
Well, Sunday morning, I don't sleep late
I get up early, 'cause I can't wait
To get myself all ready, then
Then, I'm off to meet my friends
That's right (giggle)
Banter
FLOYD: Charlie, you ready for some questions?
CHARLIE: No! (giggle)
FLOYD: Oh, quit playin'. Answer these questions for the boys and
girls, OK?
Questions and Answers
In the Bible, who was the strongest man?
Samson killed a Lion with his hands
Well, who's the wisest man, do you recall?
Solomon knew more than them all
In the firey furnace, who was thrown, do you know?
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego
Well, who was Moses, what did he do?
He led the people of God like He told him to
Did God love David right from the start?
David was a man from God's own heart
How was Lazarus raised from the dead?
From the words that Jesus said
Where was Jesus crucified?
Golgotha, that's where Jesus died
How long was he dead, what happened then?
Three days, then he arose again
Why did Jesus die, what's the reason, then?
To save everybody in the world from sin
Does Jesus live today, like people say?
Yes, Jesus still lives today
If Jesus loves me, how do I know?
Because the Bible tells me so
When I die, will I be alone?
No, Jesus will come to take me home
Then what's the best lesson learned from all of these things?
That Jesus Christ is still the King!
That's right
Banter
CHARLIE: (scat singing)
FLOYD: Settle down, Charlie!
CHARLIE: I'm sorry.
FLOYD: OK, how 'bout singin' a pretty song for us, OK?
A New Song To Sing
God has given me a new song to sing
A story to tell about the mighty King
A reason to live as never, never before
And every day I live I'll only love him more
(repeat)
Banter
FLOYD: Charlie, let's have your cousins Huey and Stanley to
join us in a song, OK?
CHARLIE: All right, then, all together now--a-one, a-two, a-three, a-four...
Praise The Lord
(
mp3)
We're going to have a party, so welcome everyone
We're going to sing, and shout and pray, oh, boy will we have fun
It's a praise the Lord party, what a time it's going to be
So welcome everybody and sing along with me
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord with me
Now, wasn't that a lot of fun, you see what I mean?
You can have a lot of fun if you praise Him as you sing
It keeps gettin' better and better, believe me, yessiree
So join in everybody and praise the Lord with me
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord with me
It's a praise the Lord party, have you ever been?
If not, I guarantee you that you'll come back again
With all of the fun and singing, what a time there's going tol be
So join in everybody, and praise the Lord with me
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord with me
Praise the Lord
Banter:
FLOYD: Charlie, do you know who the wisest man in the whole
world was?
CHARLIE: Sure, Charlie the Hamster!
FLOYD: Oh, Charlie, it was Solomon, and here's somethin' else about Solomon...
Solomon Built a Temple
Solomon built a temple up on the sod
Built this mighty temple to the Glory of God
With boards of cedar, planks of fir, and olive wood we're told
Solomon built the temple with silver and with gold
With candlesticks and lamps and vessels all of solid gold
And treasures made of silver, what a sight there to behold
Solomon built a temple up on the sod
Built this mighty temple to the Glory of God
Solomon built a temple up on the sod
Built this mighty temple to the Glory of God
With angels trees and flowers carved on the doors and walls
It was so mighty that it took seven years to build it all
With candlesticks and lamps and vessels all of solid gold
And treasures made of silver, what a sight there to behold
Solomon built a temple up on the sod
Built this mighty temple to the Glory of God
Banter
FLOYD: Ladies and gentlemen, here's Charlie the Hamster and
his band with "Heavenly Harmony."
Heavenly Harmony
Heavenly harmony
We're singin' heavenly harmony
(repeat, repeatedly)
Banter
FLOYD: Charlie, have you studied your Sunday school lesson?
CHARLIE: I think so.
FLOYD: Well, we'll know after this song.
Down, Down, Down, Down, Down
Jesus walked on the water as the waves went up and down
Jesus spoke to the waves and then--
The stormy sea calmed down
Down, down, down, down
Down, down, down, down
Jesus walked on the water as the waves went up and down
Peter took his eyes off of Jesus then--
He started going down
Down, down, down, down
Down, down, down, down
David said to Goliath, "you better quit foolin' 'round"
He hit him with a rock and then--
The great big giant went down
Down, down, down, down
Down, down, down, down
Noah built his ark on an island
Though the water was nowhere around
God kept his promise to Noah then--
The rain started pourin' down
Down, down, down, down
Down, down, down, down
Samson pushed on the pillars with the people all around
Then he gave a mighty shove--
The stones started falling down
Down, down, down, down
Down, down, down, down
Joshua fought the battle of Jerico, he didn't make a sound
Then, all at once with a mighty shout--
The walls started tumblin' down
Down, down, down, down
Down, down, down, down
Banter
FLOYD: Charlie, what do you like to think about most?
CHARLIE: Candy, ice cream, popcorn...
FLOYD: Let me put it this way, Charlie, who do you like to think about
most?
CHARLIE: That's easy--Jesus!
FLOYD: Right
Think Jesus
When you're down and feelin' low, and you've got no place
to go
Just think Jesus
When there's a cloud up in the sky, you don't care if you live or die
Just think Jesus
And pretty soon, you'll start to feelin' better, yes you will (that's
right)
If you'll just think Jesus
When there's a bount of feed (?) at time, when there's a moutain you can't
climb
Just think Jesus
When there's a heartache that won't ease, you'll find the answer on your
knees
Just think Jesus
And pretty soon, you'll start to feelin' better, yes you will (that's
right)
If you'll just think Jesus
When you're down and feelin' low, and you've got no place to go
Just think Jesus
When there's clouds up in the sky, you don't care if you live or die
Just think Jesus
And pretty soon, you'll start to feelin' better, yes you will (that's
right)
If you just think Jesus
Think Jesus
Banter
FLOYD: Charlie, have you of heard of the three "R's"
CHARLIE: No.
FLOYD: Reading, 'riting, 'rithmetic.
CHARLIE: (laughter)
The Three "R's"
Learn to read so you will know
Where in the bible you should go
To find the answer for your needs
That's why you should learn to read
Learn to write so you can tell
What you learned and to say it well
Helping others day and night
By reading the good things that you write
Learning arithmetic is good
Figuring things the way you should
Two, three, four, five, six and seven
All good children go to heaven
Learn the three R's you will see
To live your life in harmony
Learn them fast and learn them quick
Reading, writing, arithmetic
Banter
FLOYD: Why do you like to sing, Charlie?
CHARLIE: I sing because I'm happy!
I Sing Because
I like to sing, I like to shout, to tell the world what it's
all about
I want the whole wide world to know that Jesus loves you so
I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free
I sing because I've got the love of Jesus here in me
I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I know
Jesus is inside of me everywhere I go
Stand up for Jesus, 'cause you're proud, shout it long and shout it loud
Jesus Christ is still the king, that's why I will always sing
I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free
I sing because I've got the love of Jesus here in me
I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I know
Jesus is inside of me everywhere I go
Banter
FLOYD: Hey, Charlie, what do you do on Sunday morning in Sunday
school?
CHARLIE: Have fun!
Sunday School
Sunday school, Sunday school, how I love Sunday school
Yes, I do
We study and learn, we play and have fun
Yes, I do
We learn about things that are good and true
And learn about things that we should not do
Sunday school, Sunday school, how I love Sunday school
Yes, I do
It brings such joy to girls and to boys
Yes, it's true
All the week long, I just sing this song
How I love Sunday School
(repeat all)
Charlie Strings
(instrumental)
