♬ I Enjoy Being a Gorilla ♬

According to New Scientist, wild gorillas compose happy songs that they hum during meals. The “singing,” which occurs most often in dominant silverback males, seems to express contentment with the food. But that’s not all! Using an ultra-telepathic audio transcronograph, scientists were actually able to learn most of the words the gorillas were singing! Here’s a partial transcript:

Oh, I like leaves, leaves are good, make my tummy feel like it should.
Tangy, chewy, leafy goodness, (unintelligible) like it shouldness.
Save the stems, pick my teeth, then (unintelligible) into a wreath
Love to (extended series of unintelligible syllables) and croutons
Yeah, I’m the (unintelligible) silverback, with the ladies I’ve got the knack
See that female there, she’s a winner, think we’ll (unintelligible) after dinner

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SD Safari Park 15, by Oddernod, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

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25 thoughts on “♬ I Enjoy Being a Gorilla ♬

  1. Lurkingduck February 28, 2016 / 12:12 pm

    Croutons?!! ?

  2. debg February 28, 2016 / 12:20 pm

    I’m reminded of that sexy gorilla from a few years back–can’t recall his name, but he had loads of hoomin lady followers.

    NOMTOM, you make me LOL every single day.

  3. Kay Fabe February 28, 2016 / 1:05 pm

    “Think we’ll (unintelligible) after dinner.”

    Take a brisk walk? Play scrabble? Enjoy a nice after-dinner sherry?

  4. Ricky's Mom February 28, 2016 / 1:06 pm

    Humming while eating is pretty common in humans, too. Not surprising, considering we’re primates.

  5. Faye February 28, 2016 / 1:54 pm

    You males are all alike.

    • Starfish February 28, 2016 / 2:30 pm

      I’ll cop to it. I do enjoy a tune with lunch, even if I have to provide it myself.

      • allein February 28, 2016 / 6:51 pm

        A tune with your tuna?

        • Starfish February 28, 2016 / 11:03 pm

          It never hurts to be attuned.

  6. Gigi_the cat lady February 28, 2016 / 2:11 pm

    I could use that ultra-telepathic audio transcronograph today, my cats seem to be plotting something, they keep “talking” to each other, you know those under their breath sounds that only they can understand and they fall silent when I come near.
    If you don’t hear from me again, it was nice knowing you. 😉

  7. Emmberrann February 28, 2016 / 2:45 pm

    My late mother used to say that she always knew when something she had cooked for her small children was a success, we would all hum while we ate. She called it the “Berkowitz song.” My brothers and I were not picky eaters, and enjoyed almost everything.
    One time we were at a cousin’s house for lunch. We ate so well that our less enthusiastic cousin threw up after watching us hum through dessert.

  8. Kristin February 28, 2016 / 3:24 pm

    This makes me love gorillas even more. My cat also hums when he is eating something he particularly likes.

  9. birdcage February 28, 2016 / 3:37 pm

    My parrot often makes a humming sound when he’s eating. It sounds like he’s saying, “Mmmmmm!” as if he’s really enjoying the food I’ve provided. Makes me feel good.

  10. cheshirekittehkat February 28, 2016 / 5:15 pm

    My dog also mumbles when she eats:
    sounds like “Om, nom, nom, om”…. (or something like that)….;;

  11. Not That Mike The Other Mike February 28, 2016 / 5:21 pm

    Speaking of animals who talk while they eat, Andrew Y. sent in this video of a kitten who says “om nom nom” although I suspect it means “please move that camera away from my food dish.”




    • Gigi_the cat lady February 28, 2016 / 8:04 pm

      Kitty wants all the bowls 😀

      Reminds me of this impatient kitten




      • Smartypants February 28, 2016 / 8:10 pm

        LOL, he’s so bossy!

      • Lurkingduck February 29, 2016 / 4:45 pm

        I heard kitty say “no” when the guy first tried to take the food away.

  12. amyliz February 28, 2016 / 5:29 pm

    Just remember, Lover Boy, just because you treat a female to dinner, it doesn’t mean she owes you anything!

  13. Raymond February 28, 2016 / 7:53 pm

    Let’s also remember talkative Teddy the porcupine, chatting about corn with the woman NTMTOM named “his nemesis, Velma Snackgrabber.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGz8jcbJjRw (I’ve forgotten how to make the video show up in the comment.)

    • debg February 28, 2016 / 9:11 pm

      I could swear that at one point Teddy actually says “It’s mine!” My students used to love him.

    • Michelle P February 29, 2016 / 4:39 pm

      Am I the only one who thinks Velma’s voice sounds like Ellen DeGeneres?

  14. ^oo^ February 29, 2016 / 1:58 am

    Food! Glorious Food!

    • murkle46 February 29, 2016 / 7:38 am

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