I got the idea for Underwater Vet from my young friend, Tanami. During our interview, I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up and she said an ‘Underwater Vet’.
As soon as she said those two words, strange pictures and sounds floated through my brain and I knew that it would become a song. I’d never heard anyone say that they wanted to be an underwater vet before. My father was a vet, but not an underwater vet, he was an above-ground vet who treated large farm animals like horses, pigs, cattle, sheep and the occasional alpaca.
Tanami’s parents are both visual artists who make strange and beautiful art and their home is full of interesting objects and places where you can make things: a sewing machine in the corner, coloured pencils on a table in the living room, giant cardboard sculptures in the backyard.
When I asked Tanami what kind of music she listens to she said ‘relaxing music’ and that she also likes to listen to audio books. So, I made an underwater section in this song that is more like a ‘sound story’ than a song. See if you can hear it.
Tanami
My favourite music is relaxing music
I like sloths, drawing and listening to stories.
I don’t like smelly cheese or people being mean.
Q. What was good and what was bad about lockdown?
A. Well, I think that the things that are good about lockdown, I did not have to wake up early. Not good was not seeing my friends.
Credits
Written by Lucky Jim.
Arranged by Lucky Jim and His Imaginary Friends
Lucky Jim – Acoustic guitar, percussion, lead vocals
Imaginary Friends
Dan Kempers – Drums
Simon Milman – Electric Bass
Matthew Lustri – Electric guitar
Ben Foster – Keys
Special guests
Craig Greening – Special effects
Tony Hunter and Matthew Nightingale – Hand claps
The Scullin Gang, featuring Josie, Beau, Banjo, Liam, George – Backing vocals
UNDERWATER VET (extended version)
CHORUS
Underwater Vet
Don’t wanna be a doctor
Don’t wanna be a nurse
Don’t wanna be a writer
Always writing verse
I’ll tell you what I’ll be
I'll tell you when you're set
I’ll be an Underwater Vet
I’ll take care of the Octopus
(repeat)
Cause I am an animal doctorpus
(repeat)
I’ll look after the tiger shark
(repeat)
He is a pussy cat - scared of the dark
(repeat)
I’ll put a bandaid on the whale
(repeat)
If there's an accident with her tail
(repeat)
I will teach the old dogfish
(repeat)
I will teach the dogfish tricks
(repeat)
And if the catfish loses a fin
(repeat)
I'll glue the fin back on again
(repeat)
What about the sea anemones?
(repeat)
They have many many enemies
(repeat)
I'll look after the tiny Krill
(repeat)
I'll treat them with a tiny pill
(repeat)
What if the seahorse pulls up lame?
(repeat)
they can make an insurance claim
(repeat)
What if the pufferfish loses its puff
(repeat)
without any puff he's not tough enough
(repeat)
What if the brain coral loses it's mind?
(repeat)
That's another thing that I have to find
(repeat)
If you a have a goldfish pet
(repeat)
I will be your underwater vet
(repeat)
CHORUS
Don’t wanna be a doctor
Don’t wanna be a nurse
Don’t wanna be a writer
Always writing verse
I’ll tell you what I’ll be
I'll tell you when you're set
I’ll be an Underwater Vet
