Song Lyrics to Like Animals, Written by Leslie Bricusse, Performed by Rex Harrison in Doctor Dolittle
Doctor Dolittle: I … I do not understand the human race,
That has so little love
For creatures with a different face.
Treating animals like people
Is no madness or disgrace.
I do not understand the human race.
Why do we treat animals like animals ?
How can people be so inhumane ?
Cows and chickens work to feed us.
Dogs and horses show they need us.
And though cats don’t always heed us,
Their affection is plain.
What do we do? We neglect them!
We do nothing to protect them!
We reject them … don’t expect them
To complain!
We ignore them or we beat them!
When we’re hungry, then we eat them!
It’s appalling how we treat them!
It’s insane!
Like … animals!
We humiliate and murder and confine them!
We create their wretched status,
Then we use it to malign them!
I mean,
Why should we say “treat him like a dog”?
Why should we say “working like a horse”?
Why should we say “eating like a hog”?
When what we mean is “eating like a man”!
Don’t we? of course!
A man of ill-repute is called a weasel or a rat.
A woman you dislike becomes a vixen or a cat.
A family that is blessed with healthy
Reproductive habits
Occasions the remark “well you know them …
They breed like rabbits!”
“He’s as stubborn as a mule!”
“He’s as stupid as an ox!”
“He’s as slimy as a snake!”
“He’s as crafty as a fox!”
Remarks like that really get my goat!
Why can’t we say “noble as a frog”?
Why don’t we say “healthy as a hen”?
True we say”devoted as a dog” –
But what we should say is “chic as a giraffe!”
“Pretty as a pig!” eh?
That’ll be the big day,
Won’t it? But when? … But when? … But when?
When will we stop treating them like animals?
Is the human race entirely mad?
Women see a baby goatskin …
Or a lambskin or a stoat skin
And to them it’s just a coat skin!
Oh, it’s terribly sad!
When you dress in suede or leather,
Or some fancy fur or feather,
Do you stop and wonder whether,
For a fad,
You have killed some beast or other?
That you’re wearing someone’s brother?
Or perhaps it’s someone’s mother
In which you’re clad!
Like animals! Like animals! Like animals!
It’s true we do not live in a zoo…
But man is an animal, too!
So why can’t you …
Like me …
Like animals? … Animals!