Lyrics & Music by: Bob Dorough
Performed by: Bob Dorough
Now, if man
Had been born with six fingers on each hand,
He'd also have twelve toes,
Or so the theory goes ...
Well, with twelve digits, I mean fingers,
He probably would've invented two more
digits
When he invented his number system.
Then, if he'd saved the zero for the end,
He could count and multiply by 12's,
Just as easily as you and I do by 10's.
Now, if man
Had been born with six fingers on each hand,
He'd probably count: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, dek,
el, do.
Dek and el being two entirely new signs
meaning 10 and 11-single digits.
And his 12, do, would've been written:
one-zero.
Get it?
That'd be swell, to multiply by 12.
Hey, Little Twlvetoes, I hope you're well.
must be some far-flung planet where you
dwell.
If we were together you could be my cousin.
Down here we call'em "a dozen."
Hey, Little Twlvetoes, please come back
home ...
Now, if man
Had been born with six fingers on each hand,
His children would have'em too,
And when they played hide-and-go-seek,
they'd count by sixes, fast.
And when they studied piano, they'd do their
six-finger exercises,
And when they went to school,
They'd learn the Golden Rule,
And how to multiply by 12 easily:
Just put down the zero.
But me-I have to learn it the hard way.
Let me see now ...
1 x 12 is 12, 2 x 12 is 24, 3 x 12 is 36, 4 x 12 is 48,
5 x 12 is 60,
6 x 12 is 72, 7 X 12 is 84, 8 x 12 is 96, 9 x 12 is
108, 10 x 12 is 120,
11 X 12 is 132, and 12 x 12 is 144.
Wow!
Hey Little Twvetoes, I hope you're thrivin',
Some of us ten-toed folks are still survivin'.
If you help me with my 12's,
I'll help you With your 10's,
And we could all be friends.
Little Twelvetoes, please come back home
