Wednesday, April 23, 2008

THE SINGING CPA

Regular visitors to TWTP know that I am a frustrated Weird Al" Yankovic – or more appropriate for my generation Alan Sherman (My Son the Nut, My Son the Folk Singer – HELLO MUDDAH, HELLO FADDAH) – from my Tax Season Carols.

Clients are also aware of my dabbling in this art from the greeting messages I leave on my answering machine during the season.

For example –

* Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly.
I got a pile of 1040s up to my thigh (or eye as the season progresses).
Can’t rest during tax season time!

* I gets weary,
and sick of taxes.
I’m tired of 1040s,
but feared of extensions.
So, like Ole Man River, I keep on rolling along!

* The sun comes up – I work on taxes.
The coffee cup – I work on taxes.
There are so many 1040s still waiting to be done.
Can’t wait till there is only one!
(Actually I am at my desk working on 1040s before the sun comes up!)

It appears that I am not alone in my dabbling. I received an email of introduction on April 6th from Steven Zelin, who is known as “the Singing CPA”. What surprised me most was that the email was sent on April 6th – when most tax professionals are just beginning to start pulling their hair out. I was truly surprised that he had the time to do anything other than 1040s on April 6th.

Steve writes and performs funny songs about taxes and accounting, most to the tune of popular favorites.

There is, for example, TAX BUSTERS, obviously to the tune of GHOSTBUSTERS:

If there’s something strange on your tax return
Who you gonna call – Tax Busters!

Don’t be afraid of no tax
.”

Actually I had been toying with a similar ditty – but I had not gotten past “We ain’t ‘fraid of no IRS”.

He also has TAX DEDUCTIBLE – to the tune of the Nat King Cole classic:

Tax deductible.
That’s what you are.
Tax deductible.
Just like my car
.”

And then there is:

Young man, there’s no need to pay tax.
I said, young man, let me tell you the facts.
I said, young man, if your accounting is lax
There’s no need to go to prison
.”

He is singing not about going to the YMCA but to his CPA!

And perhaps my favorite – THE ACCOUNTANT, to the tune of Kenny Rogers’ THE GAMBLER:

You gotta know when to debit, know when to credit,
Know when to shred it, and know where to sign.
You never break any rules; you just bend them with your tools.
And keep your figures focused on the bottom line
.”

It appears that for the past 5 years, Steven Zelin has entertained New Yorkers who mail their tax returns at the last minute at the main James A. Farley Post Office. Those who rush to make the midnight deadline can hear his live act.

You can check out Steve at his website at
www.stevenzelin.com or listen to samples of his parodies at cdbaby.com/cd/zelin3.

TTFN

No comments: