The lyrics to the Cow and Chicken theme song summarises the entire show in 4 lines! I don't think I have ever watched a show that describes itself as quickly and as accurate as this Cow and Chicken intro song does. Guy Moon, the genius behind the composition, deserves an award for such a simple but memorable piece.
The theme song's lyrics are catchy, sweet to the eardrums of both kids and adults.
Here are the lyrics to the Cow and Chicken theme song to get your nostalgia juice running:
What else is there to say that the theme song lyrics haven't? A lot as it turns out! Let's delve into the details of the amazing Cow and Chicken cartoon show of the '90s.
Quiz: How much Do You Remember about the Cow and Chicken Cartoon Series?
If you missed the original Cow and Chicken Show in the '90s, then don't worry, this will be a detailed article on the adventures of the bizarre siblings.
On the other hand, if you watched the series back then, I bet there are some facts about Cow and Chicken characters that we will explore in this article that you never knew, especially when you look at the characters from an adult's perspective.
Are you those kids whose childhood was dominated by Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, and Nickelodeon? You would rather stay indoors and watch endless hours of cartoons as opposed to playing outside with friends. Well, that was me! J
My mantra was: "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" So a childhood without a good dose of cartoons is damn boring.
Sometimes I think there is more cartoon in my veins than blood! If you were to slice me up, the blood that gushes out would have elements of my love for animated cartoon series that dates back in the 90s when I was a kid.
Cow and Chicken series was my favourite show; it could quench my thirst for cartoons completely. I give my credits to Cartoon Network for having developed such an amazing show.
Anyway, which was your favourite cartoon series back in the days? The classic Cow and Chicken series (1997 - 1999) is my pick.
Let's dive deeper into the time capsule and dig out the Cow and Chicken
All You Need to Know about The Cow and Chicken Cartoon show
As many 90s kids will remember, Cow and Chicken was one of Cartoon Network's first original cartoons. It premiered in 1997 and was directed by David Feiss. Cow and Chicken animated series quickly became a classic even if it wasn't on for that long. The show ran for just about two years, with the final run in 1999. The total of Cow and Chicken episodes were 52 episodes, each running for about half an hour.
The Cow and Chicken animated series follows the surreal adventures of a cow named "Cow" and a chicken called "Chicken."
Cow and Chicken was Cartoon Network's third entry to its legendary Cartoon Cartoons Series. The first was Dexter Laboratory and Johnny Bravo. If you need a brush on your Cartoon Network history, read this article that gives the A-Z of the Cartoon Network Franchise.
Back to Cow and Chicken, the duo has an enemy named Red Guy, who poses as various characters to scam them. The original pilot premiered as an episode of the animated shorts showcase project, What a Cartoon! By Fred Seibert, who was at the helm of Hanna-Barbera studios back then.
Cow and Chicken's origin dates back to 1994 when Cartoon Network was a brand-new channel with no original content except for a pair of Cartoons called The Moxy Show and Space Ghost Coast To Coast. In the beginning, cartoon network did what Boomerang does now, broadcasting classics from the Hanna-Barbera library such as Scooby-Doo, The Jetsons, and The Flintstones.
In 1995 Hanna-Barbera decided to turn the show into a full-episode series after receiving many letters from people asking for more Cow and chicken cartoons.
The amazing Cow and Chicken show was broadcast on Cartoon Network from July 1997 to July 1999. There were reruns of the show later that aired until 2006. The show has three seasons, with a total of fifty-two episodes. There have been attempts and ideas to bring back the show to our screens.
Cow and Chicken: The story
Two unlikely biological siblings are involved in many misadventures. A Cow and Chicken, Seven and 11 years old respectively, are often caught in escapades with their flamboyant enemy, Red Guy. He poses himself with different characters in an attempt to go torture and scam them.
Moreover, Cow and Chiken's Parents were human and were also associated with pigs, sheep, and snails – and did I mention Boneless Chicken?! Thinking of Boneless Chicken often makes me laugh; having no skeleton, the poor thing could only lie helplessly on the ground.
Cow and Chicken live with their parents, who are only seen from the waist down. Flem and Earl are friends to the siblings.
The series draws grotesque and repulsive humour. The storylines depicted are based on traditional childhood worries and people's beliefs. Many of the antics in the show involve the main characters getting physically abused.
Let us take a closer look at the Cow and Chicken cast and characters below:
Cow and Chicken Characters
1. Cow
Cow was Chicken's sister; she was seven years old. In the show, she is depicted as goofy and naive. She is liked by his peers and collects multiple arrays of accomplishments in the series. The Red Guy trains the Cow to the point of becoming a model and masquerades as her intelligent superhero alter-ego.
This superhero alter –ego makes her noteworthy. She is now the "Super Cow" who displays greater intelligence than she has and speaks Spanish.
Later on, it emerges that the Red Guy had been exploiting Cow for his benefits and pleasure.
Cow owns three dolls that he much adores: Crabs the Warthog, Manure the Bear, and Piles the Beaver. Cow was voiced by Charlie Adler.
2. Chicken
Cow's eleven-year-old brother proves to be mean to his sister as well as the entire family. Besides, Chicken is more intelligent than most characters in the show and possesses a powerful conscience, which he usually uses in times of danger. He is also sarcastic.
He can lay eggs despite being a male. He loves ice skating and is afraid of flying. Chicken is the only character in the show who know that the Super Cow and Cow are the same person.
Charlie Adler voiced Chicken.
3. The Red Guy
Image Courtesy: Fandom
He harms and tortures Cow and Chicken by masquerading as different people with different occupations. He mostly presents himself as a guy with bare posterior with no pants. Sometimes he is known for disguising himself under different personas to continue scamming Cow and Chicken. Charlie Adler voiced the Red Guy.
4. Flem
Flem is one of Chicken's best friends. He is sent by his peers to perform most tasks since they consider him fat and ugly. He and his father wear glasses.Flem is named after one of David's Feiss's friends in middle school who was not good looking but very loyal.
Howard Morris voiced Flem.
5. Mom
Image Courtesy: Candi Milo
Cow and Chicken's mother. Just like his husband, only his legs and waist are shown in the entire show. A white dress with red polka -dots, a yellow apron, and red flats are her identity.
She is known for giving her children rules that apply only to a specific situation but can also be used elsewhere. She is also known for the sensitivity she depicts in the series.
6. Earl
Earl is tall and skinny and is identified by a red baseball cap and braces. He is Chicken's best friend. Dan Castellaneta voiced Earl. In the show, Earl lives with Flem and his dad.
7. Dad
Voiced by Dee Bradley Barker and is Cow and Chicken's father. We only see his legs and waist in the entire show and are identified by green pants and brown loafers. He seems not to be aware of some things and sometimes make weird utterances. Besides this, he is known to make funny comments like comparing himself to a woman.
He is also used to telling funny stories to his kids. He once woke Cow and Chicken, only to say to them how they met with their mother.
Nominations and Awards
- The Annie Award for Best Animated short subject in 1996,
- Annie Award for the Best Individual Achievement in 1997
- Annie Award for the Most Outstanding Individual Achievement for producing in an Animated Television Production.
Reasons Why I Can't Help But remember The Cow And Chicken.
The theme song; I talked about this in the opening of this article, but I will just repeat it. The Cow and Chicken opening theme song is a nostalgia trigger that made me fall in love with this show.
"Momma had a chicken; Momma had a cow. Dad was proud; he didn't care how" are the words that still cross my mind whenever I look back at the days of the Cow and Chicken Cartoon Show. These were the four lines of that magically inspired kids back in the days and signified the start of an hour or so of total enjoyment. And true to the words, the Cow and Chicken show was a fun-filled show.
Cow and Chicken's parents were another pair that made the show to be fun to watch as they try to handle the chaos emanating from the adventures of the duo.
Strangely, you could only see their Parents from the waist down. The suspense even made the show epic!
The names of the Cow and Chicken episodes also bring about nostalgia pangs. Tongue Sandwich, Squirt the Daisies, Grizzly Beaver Safari, and Horn Envy always prepared me for a good show ahead. The entire series was stacked with unforgettable memories.
How Cow would always be seen rubbing her udders, and the Chicken spent more time near Cow's butt! Quite memorable scenes. How the Chicken always dragged his sister, particularly during her short-lived modelling career, are some of the memorable moments that my mind can recollect.
A little about the Cow and Chicken Controversies
Like any other show, Cow and Chicken also had a fair amount of controversies surrounding it.
Some parents believed that the show offered extreme cartoon slapstick violence and absurd sophisticated humour.
Similarly, some argued that the show had some fairly adult cultural and literary preferences.
The Cartoon network had received a letter of complaint from a parent who said that the episode contained liberal visual and verbal innuendo about the titular biker group being lesbians. The episode depicted lesbianism when Mom answers to Dad that the Buffalo Gals are after her and not him. The episode aired only once and was later on replaced.
The show was received lots of criticism, with many saying it promoted drug abuse, sex among children, and violence. Despite the many critics and majority of parents not allowing their children to watch the show, the series, against all the odds, was loved and bagged several awards.
Parting Shot
The Cow and Chicken Cartoon was among the most adored animated cartoon series for kids in the mid to late '90s.
The pandemic has given us a chance to binge on this old classic retro shows of the '90s and 2000s. Thanks to YouTube, you can catch up with the Cow and Chicken episodes online.
What show should we review next? Stay tuned! The next retro-review will be a game-changer!
Let's keep it retro…
