I want a hug when we say hello. I want a hug when it's time to go. I want a hug
cause I want you to know I'm awfully fond of you. I want a hug, what a
wonderful feeling. I want a hug to feel you squeeze. I want a hug, it certainly seems
like the natural thing to do. Well this song is about hugging, one of my favorite
pastimes. All you have to do to sing this song is when I sing I want a hug, you
sing right back, I want a hug, like this. I want a hug, I want a hug when we say
hello. I want a hug, I want a hug when it's time to go. I want a hug, I want a
hug cause I want you to know I'm awfully fond of you. Give it a try. I want a hug,
what a wonderful feeling. I want a hug to feel you squeeze. I want a hug, it
certainly seems like the natural thing to do. I wrote this song, oh gosh, over 10
years ago and it told the true story of a social
worker who was fired from his job for hugging.
A lot of people sang the song and took it around the country and around the
world and a lot of a lot of people would sing the song for little children. They'd
sing it for kids in nursery school and elementary school and child care but
but they would never sing the verses they just sing the chorus because the
verses have words like sexual sublimation and electroshock therapy.
Now I don't think kids have a problem with these words I mean either they
understand them or they don't you know and if they understand them then they
already know them and if they don't understand them then there's no harm
done but I know that if you're a teacher or a child care worker and if
your kids go home and start singing words like sexual sublimation and
electroshock therapy that it's not real good for your job security so I
understand why people would just sing the chorus over and over again I want a
hug I want a hug I want a hug I want a hug but I really thought that was kind
of cruel and unusual punishment to those little kids because when you're when
you're a young person you you don't have a lot of autonomy you don't have a lot
of freedom to just up and up and go and keep your own schedule you can't say
this is really boring I'm gonna take the bus across town and play video games you
know you're stuck there so I thought the least I could do for these young ones
was to write some verses that adults would feel comfortable singing to them
so that's what I did and here they are
when I was a little bitty baby child my mama used to hold me tight
my daddy used to come and pick me up when I got scared at night the years of
past I've grown so fast and mostly I feel strong but timid or bold I'm never
too old to sing this cozy song here we go I want a hug when we say hello I want
a hug when it's time to go I want a hug because I want you to know I'm awfully
fond of you sounds good I want a hug what a wonderful feel and want a hug to
feel you squeeze and want a hug it certainly seems like the natural thing
to do now have you noticed that for the first time in history we have ourselves
a hugging president of the United States of America
and by extraordinary coincidence for the first time in history we also have
the first hugging vice president of the United States of America and when those
two wild and crazy guys get together in one place watch out some folks don't
like hugging they think they're too tough I bet they'd be a whole lot
friendlier if they were just hugged enough when you hug the ones who love
you an amazing thing you learn when you give a hug you just can't help but get
one in return I want a hug when we say hello I want a hug when it's time to go
I want a hug because I want you to know I'm awfully fond of you all right I want
a hug what a wonderful feel and want a hug to feel you squeeze and want a hug
it certainly seems like the natural thing to do now there's nothing nicer
than a good hug and nothing worse than a hug that you don't want
but I think the solution to the problem of unwanted hugs is not to eliminate
hugging entirely I think that would be an unfortunate overreaction I think what
we need to do is make sure everyone regardless of their age or circumstance
is completely in charge of the hugs that they get because I think all of us
instinctively know the difference between a good hug and a bad hug we just
have to make sure everyone is fully empowered to determine that the hugs
that they get are the good kind
sometimes grown-ups are grouchy and they put the blame on you sometimes you make
just a little mistake though you did the best you could do sometimes love is
everywhere and it's a beautiful day and every time is the perfect time to open
your arms and say I want a hug when we say hello I want a hug when it's time to
go I want a hug because I want you to know I'm awfully fond of you last time I
want a hug what a wonderful feeling want a hug to feel you squeeze and want
a hug it certainly seems like the natural thing to do
thank you good singing