Comet (song)

"Comet" is a well-known humorous children's song in parts of North America and other English-speaking countries. It describes the deleterious effects of consuming Comet cleanser—a powdered cleansing product. The most prominent and often-occurring effect in the song is that it turns one's teeth green. Among other effects alleged by this song are an unappealing taste and, unsurprisingly, a tendency to vomit.

Although this song, like many in its genre, has widely variable lyrics, a common version contains the following words:

Comet - it makes your teeth [or "lips"] turn green!;

Comet - it tastes like gasoline [or "kerosene" in Australia; or "Listerine", in the variation where your lips turn green]!;

Comet - it makes you vomit;

So buy [or "eat" or "get"] some Comet, and vomit, today!

Alternately (rural Oregon circa 1972):

Comet - it makes your heart turn blue,

Comet - it tastes like Elmer's Glue,

Comet - it makes you vomit,

So try Comet, and Vomit, Today!

The melody of the song is the "Colonel Bogey March" whistled in the movie 'Bridge Over the River Kwai'.

In popular culture

• Bart Simpson sings a version about his sister in the Simpsons episode "Stark Raving Dad"

• Byron, one of the Pike triplets, sings a variation in Baby-sitters on Board!, The Baby Sitters Club Super Special #1.

See also

• Hitler Has Only Got One Ball, another schoolyard song set to the "Colonel Bogey March" melody

References