In nineteen thirty-who at a zoo in Los Angeles

a polar bear named Larry performed for the crowd,

they'd cheer aloud

He'd go slipping and sliding, jumping and diving

The people would laugh. They took his photograph.

Larry was born at the zoo

He never knew as he grew older

anything colder

than Los Angeles

which is warmer than Alaska

where Larry's parents were born.



CHORUS:

Larry the polar bear

He'd never harm a hair on a child's head

He'd do tricks for them

at the Los Angeles zoo,

as he'd been taught to by his keeper Fran.



Fran would teach him new tricks

A funny pose

scratching his nose

He knew there'd be a fish at the end,

Fran was his friend.



One day she said "Larry, you'll be in the movies

with real movie stars and a few simple tricks

and lots of fish

to be filmed on location in Alaska."



and so they rehearsed for Larry's big scene,

He's supposed to be mean

and growl at a woman who was rescued by a man who scared him away

It was stupid

but fun to do.

The director would frown

and jump up and down

kind of like the chimps at the zoo.



CHORUS



At last came the day of the trip

They put Larry in a crate

twelve foot by eight

and he sailed aboard a steamship

The journey was long

and boring

Fran would visit

she'd talk to him

and bring him his favorite fish

then the noise and the rumbling stopped

and they lowered him down

set the crate on the frozen ground

and opened it



Fran said "Larry, we're here

It's time for your tricks."

And Larry appeared



He looked out at the gray Bering Sea

He squinted and puzzled

put his nose to the wind

and the scent of the seal made him tremble

He smelled the fox in its lair

and the weasel and hare

felt lichen and snow 'neath his paws,

and he looked at the tundra and ice,

looked at the loon in the sky and he ran



slowly at first

kind of lumbering

he ran

gathering speed

gathering memories from within

old and dim

growing stronger

to run and to swim,

to dive and to float,

the cold at his throat

But warm inside

'neath the fur and hide

Ocean and ice all around him

He ran

He ran

He ran

and he swam away