California Newts		      Copyright 2000 Maggie McKnight & Suzanne Lapidus
    [Every year this particular species of amphibians in Tilden Park (in Berkeley, 
    California) make the news by stopping traffic . . . for months!  The regional 
    park service closes a certain South Park Drive from fall to spring so the newts 
    can migrate, breed, and migrate back home.]

Drove down to the park today as always,
Took my dog so we could go out hiking.
Tried to make the turn down to the trailhead,
But a sign said ?this road's closed to cars ?til spring.?

Because the newts are crossing the road  (oh yeah)
The newts are crossing the road  (that's right that's what I said)
The newts are crossing the road  (where are they going?)
The newts are crossing the road.

What's a newt, you ask, and where's it going?
They're brown and orange, have four legs, and a tail.
They like to live on land and also water,  (they're called amphibians!)
And sometimes you can find them on the trail.

That's why the newts are crossing the road  (oh yeah)
The newts are crossing the road  (that's why the road is closed)
The newts are crossing the road  (don't try to stop them)
The newts are crossing the road.

Summer's when the newts do all their resting,*
They wake and then they start to walk real slow.
They go back to the place where they were born so they can lay their eggs,
And once again in spring they're on the road.

And now the newts are crossing the road  (I said)
The newts are crossing the road  (they've got something to do)
The newts are crossing the road  (don't try to stop them)
The newts are crossing the road.

I'm grateful for the people who protect you,
And keep you safe while walking near and far.
?Cause every creature large and small, we all belong here on this earth,
But some don't stand a chance where there are cars.

And now the newts are crossing the road  (oh yeah)
The newts are crossing the road  (they've got something to do)
Those newts are crossing the road  (don't try to stop the newts)
The newts are crossing the road.

Oh yeah the newts are crossing the road  (we really like the newts)
The newts are crossing the road  (we must protect the newts)
The newts are crossing the road.
Newts are crossing the road.

   *After we recorded this, we discovered that newts don't hibernate in the 
   winter, as we had thought, but in the summer (called estivating).  So we 
   changed the lyric to match reality.