The Garbage Man

The Garbage Man

Song Information Singers: Dan Castellaneta Julie Kavner Nancy Cartwright Yeardley Smith Hank Azaria Harry Shearer Tress MacNeille Pamela Hayden Marcia Wallace U2 Characters: Full cast, plus guests U2 and Oscar the Grouch Length: 1:47 (TV version) 2:01 (album version) Writer(s): Alf Clausen (music) Ian Maxtone-Graham (lyrics) Album: Go Simpsonic with the Simpsons Appearance(s): "Trash of the Titans"

The Garbage Man is a song that appeared in "Trash of the Titans". It is sung by Homer, U2, some garbagemen and various residents of Springfield. The song showcases all of the "crazy promises" that Homer made during his campaign to be elected Garbage Commissioner.

Lyrics

TV version

Homer:

Oh, the garbage man can, Marge. The garbage man can.

Who can take your trash out?

Stomp it down for you?

Shake the plastic bag

And do the twisty thingy, too?

The garbage man.

Garbage men:

Oh, the garbage man can.

Homer & garbage men:

The garbage man can

And he does it with a smile

And never judges you.

Marge:

Who can take this diaper?

Garbage man:

I don't mind at all.

Chief Wiggum:

Who can clean me up

Before the big Policeman's ball?

The garbage maaaaaaaaaaan.

Garbage men:

Yes the Garbage Man can

U2:

The sanitation folks

Are jolly friendly blokes,

Curtious and easy going.

They'll mop up when you're overflowing.

Bono:

And tell you when your arse is showing.

Apu:

Who can?

Sideshow Mel:

Who can?

Flanders:

Who can?

Oscar the Grouch:

Who can?

Everyone:

The Garbage Man can

Bart and Lisa:

'Cause he's Homer Simpson, man!

Everyone:

He cleans the world...for...YOU!

Everyone: YAYYYY!

Demo Version

The demo version featured on Go Simpsonic with the Simpsons is somewhat longer than the aired version as it contains a deleted verse that was to be sung by Milhouse.

Singer #1 (as Homer):

Who can take your trash out?

Stomp it down for you?

Shake the plastic bag

And do the twisty thingy, too?

The garbage man.

Singer #1 and Other Singers:

Oh, the garbage man can.

The garbage man can

And he does it with a smile

And never judges you.

Singer #2 (as Marge):

Who can take this diaper?

Singer #3 (as a Garbage Man):

I don't mind at all.

Singer #4 (as Chief Wiggum):

Who can clean me up

Before the big policeman's ball?

The garbage man.

Other Singers:

Yes, the garbage man can.

The sanitation folks

Are jolly friendly blokes,

Curtious and easy going.

They mop up when you're overflowing.

Singer #5 (as Bono):

And tell you when your arse is showing.

Singer #6 (as Milhouse):

Who can take my daddy

And my mommy, too?

Make 'em get along

Like moms and dads are s'posed to do?

The garbage man!

I hope the garbage man can.

Singer #1 (as Homer):

The garbage man can't.

But he's got a giant stack

Of buried comics for you!

All Singers:

The garbage man can!

Singers #7 (as Lisa) and #8 (as Bart):

'Cause he's Homer Simpson, man!

All Singers:

He cleans the world...for...you!

Behind the Laughter

• The song is a parody of "The Candy Man" from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
• The music was written by Alf Clausen and the lyrics by Ian Maxtone-Graham.
• Both the original version and a demo version of the song can be heard as the twentieth and fifty-first tracks, respectively, on the album Go Simpsonic with the Simpsons.
• Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street makes a cameo in this song, which is appropriate considering his fondness for trash and his living in a garbage can.
• The woman seen working at the backstage of U2 is a reference to the film THX 1138.