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Littletwelvetoes

Little Twelvetoes is a song from Multiplication Rock.

Multiplication Rock[]

A martian (Little Twelvetoes) visits a country boy and teaches him about the multiplication of 12 and briefly discusses the still-uncommon duodecimal system.

Lyrics[]

Now, if man had been born with six fingers on each hand, he'd also have twelve toes, or so the theory goes. Well, with twelve digits -- I mean fingers -- he probably would've invented two more digits when he invented his number system. Then, if he'd saved the zero for the end, he could count and multiply by twelves just as easily as you and I do by tens.

Now, if man had been born with six fingers on each hand, he'd probably count: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, X, Σ, 10. "X" (des) and "Σ" (el) being two entirely new signs meaning ten and eleven. Single digits. And his twelve, "do", would've been written 10. Get it? That'd be swell, to multiply by 12.

Hey Little Twelvetoes, I hope you're well

Must be some far-flung planet where you dwell

If we were together, you could be my cousin

Down here we'd call them a dozen

Hey Little Twelvetoezzzzzzzz, please come back home.

Now, if man had been born with six fingers on each hand, his children would too. And when they played hide-and-go-seek, they'd count by sixes fast. (Six, doe, doe-six, two-doe, two-doe-six, three-doe, three-doe-six, four-doe) And when they studied piano, they'd do their six-finger exercises. And when they went to school, they'd learn the golden rule and how to multiply by twelve easy: just put down X, Σ, and 10. But me, I have to learn it the hard way.

Lemme see now...

1 times 12 is 12

2 times 12 is 24

3 times 12 is 36

4 times 12 is 48

5 times 12 is 60

6 times 12 is 72

7 times 12 is 84

8 times 12 is 96

9 times 12 is 108

10 times 12 is 120

11 times 12 is 132

and 12 times 12 is 144. WOW!

Hey Little Twelvetoes, I hope you're thrivin’

Some of us ten-toed folks are still survivin’

If you help me with my twelves, I'll help you with your tens

And we could all be friends

Little Twelvetoezzzzzzzz, please come back home.

Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks Cover[]

On the Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks album, it is sung by Chavez on track 10.

Trivia[]

  • This song uses the William Addison Dwiggins version of the "dek" and "el" numerals of the duodecimal system.
  • On Disney+, the pinball scene hasn't been altered or slowed.
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