Jumbo the Elephant
Although not especially concerned with animal rights in his writing, this is one of a number of Leon's songs which approach the issue sympathetically. In this instance, the song tells the tale of Jumbo, toiling in the 'concrete jungle' and treated as something of a local celebrity, thanks to the mayor using him as a showthing. In the end, tired of being ridden on, made to dance and perform tricks, Jumbo turns on the mayor and sits down on him - crushing him to death. As such, the text reads metaphorically as the master getting his comeuppance from the oppressed, and does not necessarily constitute a literal reference to animal abuse.
In this song Leon displays some of his ever-inventive use of words, finding multiple rhymes for the near-impossible 'elephant'. We might also note that his description of the urban 'jingle-jangle-jungle' appears to stem from a phrase he'd been playing with for a while; the 1966 songbook, Songs For City Squares and Sceptical Circles, mentions "the jangle of the jingle jungle".
The song has remained one of his more popular, and he has returned to it on more than one occasion.
In this song Leon displays some of his ever-inventive use of words, finding multiple rhymes for the near-impossible 'elephant'. We might also note that his description of the urban 'jingle-jangle-jungle' appears to stem from a phrase he'd been playing with for a while; the 1966 songbook, Songs For City Squares and Sceptical Circles, mentions "the jangle of the jingle jungle".
The song has remained one of his more popular, and he has returned to it on more than one occasion.
"After I'd written this song, I came across the following news item in The Times: 'When Mary, a young African elephant, arrived in England her new owners were expecting a mild, manageable creature who would delight circus audiences, a High Court judge was told yesterday. But Mary turned out to be unpredictable, bad-tempered and refused to do her tricks...' I can well see how disconcerting it must be for elephant-trainers when the young African elephants they manage do unpredictable things and refuse to do their tricks." - LR (Look Here (songbook), 1968)
“Of course, the song’s not really about elephants. Or maybe it is.” - LR (sleevenotes to The World Turned Upside Down (CD box set), p15)
“Of course, the song’s not really about elephants. Or maybe it is.” - LR (sleevenotes to The World Turned Upside Down (CD box set), p15)
Recordings
Version 1 (1968) Live recording
Version 2 (1975) Studio recording
Version 3 (2004)
Version 2 (1975) Studio recording
Version 3 (2004)