Context

This line is from the song "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts," written by Harold Elton Box, Desmond Cox, and Lewis Ilda (1944).

You probably first heard this goofy and slightly annoying song while watching The Lion King, but this is a real and actual tune that a bunch of guys wrote back in 1944. So, what is it about? Well, they're talking about a British coconut shy. Basically, it's just a carnival game that folks play to win prizes. The singer is telling us all about the time he went to the fair and heard the guy running the coconut shy booth yelling to get people to play his game. So essentially, "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts!" is his version of "Step right up!" His version is a whole lot funnier, though.

If you're laughing, it's cool, because the song isn't meant to be serious. It's a novelty song, so you're supposed to chuckle at the singer or the characters in it. These types of songs were popular from the '20s through the '60s, but we still dig this stuff today. Remember "What Does the Fox Say?" We rest our case.

Where you've heard it

If you ever see someone with a lovely bunch of coconuts and you do not immediately burst into this song, we're pretty sure you'll be arrested.

Additional Notable References:

• Scar the evil lion from The Lion King actually likes this song, which says a whole lot about it (and him).
• Nicholas Cage creates a distraction by yelling that he's got a lovely bunch of coconuts in National Treasure 2.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Hey, there's nothing wrong with being proud of your coconuts. Shout it for the world to hear! You might be a little annoying, but never pretentious.