Category Archives: Government & Politics

Won’t Know Much 

Tune: Wonderful World by Sam Cooke
Lyrics: Jo-Hanna Read

You won’t know much about history,
Only the parts we want you to see!
You won’t know much about lit’rature.
We’re here to make sure that you stay “pure”!

We’ll keep a watch out for ideas “woke”.
Ban most of history with one stroke
What a wonderful world this will be!

You won’t know much about geography.
There’s nothin’ much out there for you to see.
You won’t know much about science books.
Logical thinking is a commie hook.

The hist’ry they’ve been teaching is a joke.
We know the slaves were very happy folk.
What a wonderful world this will be!

You don’t need to be an “A” student.
Don’t try to be.
Ignore ideas that make you sad, baby,
Happy ignorance will make you free!

We’ll teach our chi-il-dren how to be
Straight-laced Americans, white and free.
Don’t let them think about the other folk,
Who disagree with us, they’re all too “woke”!

Just trust that we know what’s best for all.
Nobody else can ever make the call.
What a wonderful world this will be!

Won’t Know Much

There Goes 45 

THERE GOES 45
•	Tune: Here Comes Santa Claus
•	By Jo-Hanna Read

There goes 45, there goes 45,             
We’ve sent him on his way.
Lost the election, 
Tried for exception,  
He’s out of here we say!
Filing lawsuits, leaning on officials, 
Spreading all of his lies.
He lost the election, 
His pathetic reaction 
Is pretend there’s still a fight.

There goes 45, there goes 45, 
He’s trashed so many things.
Packed all the courts with 
Right wing zealots,
Including the Supremes.
Trashed protections for earth’s environment, 
Immigrants, so many wrongs.
Tried to eliminate 
Affordable Care Act, 
While Covid rages on.

There goes 45, there goes 45, 
Doing all he can
To trash our country, 
Put millions in poverty,
Seems to be his plan.
People are dying, our nation is crying, 
The pandemic threat is clear,
Economy hurting, 
Yet he keeps blurting 
That a vaccine is almost here.

Goodbye 45, we’re done with 45, 
You need to move your rear
Out of the White House, 
Off of the premises
The people’s voice is clear.
Stop your whining, stop your tweeting, 
Get your ass in gear.
Start the transition, 
Stop your pissin’,
A new administration is here.

AND ABOUT TIME!

Stop This Nomination

(Tune: “There is a Tavern in the Town”)
Lyrics by Vicki Ryder © for the Raging Grannies

There was a time in days of old [days of old]
When justice mattered, so we’re told [so we’re told]
(But now the) corporations own our Supreme Court,
(So say good)bye to women’s freedom to abort.

We won’t be saved by Roe v Wade [Roe v Wade]
Not even if we’re force-a-bully laid [we’re afraid]
A-nd) you can bet that our health care Safety Nets
Will be stolen from us if they’ve not been yet.

Environmental regs will go away [go away]
And the First Amendment will become passé [Oy vey!]
(And there will) be more guns to threaten our loved ones
Now the Court’s been purchased by the N-R-A.

We used to think that we could just appeal [just appeal]
To a court where we could get a good fair deal [an honest deal]
(But now we’re) fighting for our lives, and if we’re to survive,
(We‘ve got to) stop this nomination — STOP IT NOW!
It’s a gross abomination — STOP IT NOW!
For the future of our nation – STOP IT NOW!

Do Not Despair

Tune: Old McDonald Had a Farm
By: Laurie Rostholder

The Brits and Obama wiretapped me
That’s what 45 says.
A Muslim English conspiracy
Against the future prez.
With a tweet tweet here,
And a tweet tweet there,
Twittering bullshit everywhere.
The Brits and Obama wiretapped me,
That’s what 45 says.

Pruitt says it’s not CO2,
Making our planet warm.
And the EPA must go,
As it does corporate profits harm.
Islands shrinking here,
Glaciers melting there,
Climate chaos everywhere.
Pruitt says it’s not CO2,
Making our planet warm.

Breitbart Bannon wants the system to blow.
He’s tired of everyone.
A war with China would be a great show.
That’s his idea of fun.
Neo Nazis here.
White supremacists there.
Racist hate mongers everywhere.
Breitbart Bannon wants the system to blow.
He’s tired of everyone.

The Ryan Death Plan shrinks Medicaid,
And makes old people pay more.
The rich will get the greatest care,
While millions are shown the door.
With more death here.
Bankruptcies there.
Crappy health care everywhere.
The Ryan Death Plan shrinks medicaid,
And makes old people pay more.

Rick Perry is the chosen head,
Of a department he once called Oops.
To think he’s in charge of nuclear waste,
Should give us all the poops.
With no more progress on energy that lasts.
Innovative research a thing of the past.
Rick Perry is the chosen head ,
Of a department he once called Oops.

And here’s one that we shouldn’t  forget,
Our friend named Vladimir.
This happy guy seems far away,
But he’s really very near.
Creating distraction without working hard.
Drinking vodka to our discord.
And here’s one that we shouldn’t forget.
Our friend named Vladimir.

There’s so much more to sing about.
And commitments we must make.
To prevent our country going to hell.
And keep each other safe.
Undocumented, Queer, Black, Trans, and Brown,
Muslims, Jews, Women, all our old and young.
We stand up for what’s so unfair.
And we will not despair.

Resist!   Resist!  Resist!  Resist!

Our Budget

  • tune: The Farmer in the Dell
    lyrics: Marlies Parent, Greater Westerly, RI

Our Budget’s in the ditch,
Now isn’t that a bitch?
Hi Ho, we’re broke, you know,
‘Cause we don’t tax the rich.

They watch their profits soar,
Then stash it all off shore,
But hi ho, our debts just grow,
The wolf is at our door.

Those bastards don’t play fair,
We’ll Occupy their lair.
And hi ho, we shall not go
Until they pay their share.

New Year’s Vision

  • tune: Deck the Halls

Tax the rich; don’t starve the poor, Fa la la la la la la la la
Let’s end homelessness for sure, Fa la la…etc
Raise the wages, increase welfare, Fa la la etc….
Share the wealth and cut the warfare, Fa la la etc….

Let’s pass healthcare legislation, Fa la la la la la la la la
That will cover all the nation, Fa la la, etc…
Clean up all the air and water, Fa la la etc…
Let’s take no more steers to slaughter, Fa la la etc….

Join the grannies, fight by golly, Fa la la la la la la la la
End all this nuclear folly, Fa la la, etc..
Build a world where children thrive, Fa la la etc..
Do it while you’re still alive, Fa la la etc…

Little Taxes

tune: Little Boxes by Malvina Reynolds

Little taxes, little taxes –
They’re little, but they’re adding up,
And they’re always adding more of them
And we pay them every day.

Let’s stop adding TO sales tax!
Let’s now have an income tax
On the rich folks who like sales tax
So they’re incomes aren’t taxed.

Let’s vote for the income tax
On TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND GRAND
And cut back the sales tax
And the property tax too!!

REPEAT THE WHOLE THING!!!!

Jingle Bombs

  • tune: Jingle Bells

Jingle Bombs!
Jingle Bombs!
Jingle all the way,
Disobey the USA!
We’ll blow you all away, HEY!

Let’s make war!
Let’s make war!
Let’s invade Iraq,
Take the money from the poor,
We need it to attack!

Who needs health care?
Screw the homeless,
Take their rights away!
If we can get Iraqi oil,
It’s worth the price we pay!

Jingle bombs!
Jingle bombs!
Jingle all the way,
Disobey the USA!
We’ll blow you all way, HEY!!

I’m Being Followed by Tom Ridge

          • tune: Moonshadow
  •  Chorus:
    I’m being followed by Tom Ridge, Tom Ridge, Tom Ridge
    He’s bugging my phone and hiding in my fridge
    Tom Ridge, Tom Ridge

If I give money to the poor
They can’t wear turbans, that’s for sure
If I give money to the poor
They better be-e-e-e-e-e-e,
Wearing a baseball cap.

And If my records all get banned
Set on fire and tossed in sand
And if my records all get banned
You can download them for free-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e
Or get them cheap on ebay.

And if I say I’m for peace
I’d better get down on my knees
And if I say I’m for peace Please-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e
Contact the thought police

                  • CHORUS

Did it take long to find me?
I’m on the no-flight list.
Did it take long to find me?
And Where the Hell is bin Laden?

                    • CHORUS

Tom Ridge, Tom Ridge,Tom Ridge, Tom Ridge,Tom Ridge, Tom Ridge

How Much Is that Yahoo in the Congress?

  • tune: How Much is the Doggy in the Window?
    by: Granny Claudia, Spokane, WA

How much is that yahoo in the Congress?
The one with the pork in the pail.
How much is that yahoo in the Congress?
I do think the BEEP BEEP’S for sale.

  • We think that they should vote for our needs –
    Soc’l Security and health care and such.
    With pockets so well lined by big business
    It looks like they have a free lunch.

We need lots of help for our seniors
And pills for the sick, old and poor
But drug company lobbies and their payouts
Turned Congress into big BEEP.

  • We need school funding for our children
    But Iraq all our money sucks up
    Our people are the last thing that they think of
    If you leave it to them, they’ll BEEP BEEP.

The moral of the story is quite simple,
Although we don’t want to sound crude
Vote again and again for the same ones
And we’ll keep getting royally screwed.!!

High Crimes and Misdemeanors

  •  tune: Everybody Loves a Lover
     by: Marcy Matasick

Lie to Congress, and the people,
Kidnap, torture, scorn our Constitution.
Secret prisons ‘round the world.
In a word: High crimes and misdemeanors!!

  • Thumb your nose at all the nations.
    Break each law and treaty ever signed.
    And spy on everybody.
    That’s why, it’s impeachment time!!

backup vocals: High crimes and misdemeanors!!

Most corrupt leaders our nation ever knew
Every day, it becomes clearer that it’s you!
Gee, you think you are above the law, never to fall.
Now we must haul you away to prison!!!

  • We, the elders of our people
    Call for justice: Listen to our wisdom!!
    Criminals must be removed.
    Prosecute high crimes and misdemeanors!

We demand a world of safety,
Peace and freedom for our grandkids’ sake –
Restore our Constitution!!
Our security’s at stake.

  • [ending:]
    High crimes and misdemeanors!
    Impeach and prosecute them!
    Convict, remove from office NOW!!!!!

Helping the Arms Trade Grow

  • tune: Way Down Upon the Swanee River

WHAT shall we do without the Commies?
SPUR-ring us on?
HOW shall we sell our GUNS and bombies,
NOW that the OLD foe is gone?

THERE’S still MON-ey TO be made
From WAR technology,
IF we can just convince the leaders
WE need it to stay free.
Kazoo:

Food and shelter such a boring way,
To spend our dough,
Thank goodness we’ve still got
The Mideast helping the
Arms trade grow!

Goodbye, Boehner

    • tune: Goodnight, Ladies

Who needs mammograms this year?
Planned parenthood, we hear,
Misuses funds we hold so dear,
The wars on women rage.

  • Chorus:
    Warily we roll along, roll along, roll along,
    Warily we roll along, the wars of women rage!!!

Parenthood must NOT be planned,
Contraception must be banned,
Have more kids, we understand,
The wars on women rage!

  • Chorus

Pregnant once again this year?
How far along, does it appear?
Let’s probe your womb to make it clear!
The wars on women rage!

  • Chorus

Goodbye, Boehner,
Goodbye, Cantor,
Goodbye, Mittens(?)
We’re going to leave you now!

Glory, Glory Profiteering

  • tune: Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the Chairmen of the Board,
They are trampling our benefits And outsourcing abroad.
They have cooked the books of Enron and committed massive fraud!
Their greed is marching on

  • Chorus:
    Glory, Glory profiteering,
    Glory, Glory profiteering,
    Glory, Glory profiteering,
    Their greed is marching on.

They are marching into Bagdad, No-bid contracts in their hands,
They envision Super Walmarts, Rising from the desert sands,
They’ll bring Big Macs into Bagdad and into Afghanistan.
Their greed is marching on!

  • Chorus

Big Pharma owns my senator, They bought him fair and square,
They gave him fifty thousand for his vote on Medicare,
Then they traded him to Bechtel for two reps from Delaware,
Their greed is marching on!

  • Chorus

So when it seems your Congressman Just really doesn’t care,
It’s because he’s only dancing with the one who brought him there,
He will privatize your water and he’ll privatize your air!
His greed is marching on!

  • Rousing chorus!!!!!

Get Out the Voters

  • tune: Roll Out the Barrel
    lyrics: Triangle Raging Grannies

Get out the voters!
That’s the American way,
Get out the voters!
That’s how we all have our say.
We won’t be silenced
By fat cats and big money hacks;
We want equality for everyone
So get out and vote today!

Go to the polls now!
Our issues are all on the line.
Go to the polls now!
For women, things are-n’t so fine.
Our health care choices
Cannot be made just by men.
Protect Planned Parenthood and reproductive rights!
And go vote to preserve them again.

Some try to stop us
With de-vious anti-vote plans
Like voter ID,
But we know that they’re just a sham!
All of our people
Must have equal access to vote,
So let’s all go get out the voters,
And bring democracy back to our land!!!

Get Out and Vote

  • tune: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
     lyrics: Peggy Dempsey & Vicki Ryder(Rochester, NY)

Last night some new thoughts did surround me
When thinking of heroies of old,
What they fought for does really astound me,
They were so brave and so bold.

The men said that women weren’t able
To think or to make up their minds
So men would make all the decisions
And leave all the women behind

  • REFRAIN:
    Rise up, sing out
    On matters that matter to you and me!
    Sign up! Get out and vote
    And we’ll make a difference, you’ll see!

Some brave women in our communities
Refused to be quiet and meek
They struggled to gain opportunities
To work and to vote and to speak.

Our Susan B. Anth’ny and others,
They spoke and they marched and they wrote,
Saying women must be treated fairly
And they must be allowed to vote!

  • REFRAIN

Now many long years have transpired
Since brave women won us a voice
They worked and they struggled together,
So we’d have a vote and a choice.

  • REFRAIN

Georgie, Georgie

  • tune: Bicycle Built for Two

Georgie, Georgie give us your answer true,
We’re half crazy over the things you do,
The way you spend our money – it isn’t even funny.
You ignore the poor and go to war
Do you have even the smallest clue?

  • Georgie, Georgie give us your answer true,
    We’re half crazy over the things you do,
    The country’s in a pickle, you’re spending every nickel
    On the war! And what’ it for?
    Would you tell if you really knew?

Georgie, Georgie give us your answer true,
We’re half crazy over the things you do,
Our soldiers die each day-a – while you in Texas play-a
Will you confess? Iraq’s a mess!
We’ll applaud if you really do!

  • Georgie, Georgie give us your answer true,
    We’re half crazy over the things you do,
    You cut funding to our schools – and say big business rules,
    Your cronies schmooze – our children lose –
    But you still favor the very few!

Georgie, Georgie give us your answer true,
We’re half crazy over the things you do,
All people need good health care – the poor do not get their share,
We think it’s wrong – and we’ll sing this song,
We’ll rage on till the moon is blue

George Bush

  • tune: ‘Glory, Glory, Hallelujah’

George Bush is not a moron, he is just a psychopath,
And he’s out to wreak destruction on the people of the Bath.
With guns and tanks and missiles he will demonstrate his wrath
‘Til he gets Saddam Hussein.

  • CHORUS:
    Gory, gory Hallelujah
    You won’t like what’s coming to ya!
    Day and night we will pursue ya!
    ‘Til we get Saddam Hussein

Ashford, Bush and Cheney and Wolfowitz and Perle
Will not be happy ‘til they see the stars and stripes unfurled
Over every little corner of the populated world
And they get Saddam Hussein.

  • CHORUS

And when they’ve finished subjugating all the human race
They will turn their minds to conquering the whole of outer space
Where they expect to meet their maker and tell him face to face!
We got Saddam Hussein!!

  • CHORUS

Gaggle to Amend

  • tune: ‘Side by Side’

Oh, we’re a gaggle of grannies,
Urging you off of your fannies,
We’re raising our voice,
We want a new choice,
We must amend!!

  • With all the power they’re wielding,
    Plus their greed unyielding,
    Are they really folks?
    What a cruel hoax,
    We must amend!!

They give themselves big bonuses,
And millions to the PACS,
Our votes are now so compromised,
We want our democracy back!

  • Soooooo join this gaggle of grannies,(Dance!!!)
    Get up off of your fannies,
    We’re telling you now,
    We’re angry and how!
    We must amend!

We really mean it! We must amend!
We mean precisely! We must amend!
We will say it very nicely! We must amend!
Read our lips: (silently mouth) We must amend!

FBI Is All Over Town

  • tune: Santa Claus is Coming to Town
    from: Raging Grannies, Freedom, Peninsula Branch

You’d better watch out,
You’d better comply,
You’d better not doubt,
I’m telling you why.
The FBI is all over town

They’re making a list,
Checking it twice.
Going to find out,
Each habit and vice,
The FBI is all over town.

  • They know with whom you’re sleeping,
    And every move you make,
    They know if you’ve been bad or good,
    So be good for the nation state!

You’d better not speak,
They’re tapping the phone,
They’re working all week,
With a microphone,
The FBI is all over town!

Stand and Deliver

  • tune: Sweet Betsy from Pike
     by Carolyn Hale

Come all you great leaders at Olympia’s heart—
Don’t fail the needy, please do your part.
We hear you support us, but wait in the cold.
Funded programs are coming, we’ve been told and told.

The counselors are caring, but they need real pay,
And time to help clients, not just wave “g’day.”
If we can fund stadiums, fund care programs, too!
Let caring increase! We are talking to you!

There a proven care program call PACT to consider.
Set’s stand up together and show: NOW DELIVER!
Come all you great leaders at Olympia’s heart!
Yes, hear our plea and please do your part.
Singin’ too rah di oo rah li oo rah li ay.
Sing’ too rah lioo rah li oo rah li ay!

Medicare

  • tune: Yesterday
    Ming Chen

Medicare doesn’t cover all my aches and pains,
Still my supplemental’s quite a strain.
Oh, I still need my Medicare.
Medicaid: it’s a safety net for working poor.
Cut it back and show them to the door.
Society is gonna pay.

  • Chorus:
    I said, let’s try change, they said no, they wouldn’t play.
    I feel something’s wrong, how I long for single paaaay-er.

Yesterday nurses had the time to really care.
Now they haven’t got the time to spare.
Oh, I believe in yesterday.
Yesterday, doctors ordered needed pills and tests.
Now insurance bureaucrats know best.
There’s got to be a better way.

  •  Chorus

Managed care lets big business make a lot of dough.
Single payer is the way to go!
We can improve on yesterday.
Yesterday, health care was a simpler game to play.
Now Congress wants to take away
My health care plan from yesterday.

A Prayer for Medicare

  • tune: Hole in the Bucket

Patient:
There a pain in my stomach, dear doctor, dear doctor,
There’s a pain in my stomach and I’ve got a cough.
Can I get an appointment, if you’re not too busy
Attending conventions or out playing golf?

Doctor:
I wish I could help you, but you’ve got no money,
And I can’t afford treating patients like you.
There’s a hole in my pocket, my life style is slipping.
I used to have three cars—now I only have two.

Patient:
But if you won’t treat me I might get pneumonia,
Iliitis, bronchitis or something much worse.
And hospitals say they can’t take more patients.
They can’t find the money for one extra nurse.

Doctor:
Then phone up Bill Clinton, dear patient, dear patient,
Newt Gingrich and all of those nice GOPs.
You can’t expect doctors to care about patients.
We might lose our money and catch some disease.

Patient:
But what do we do if we cannot afford you?
What do we do if we start to feel ill?
Doctor: We could sell you our CD, we call it “Dear Doctor.”
It comes with advice and a free headache pill.

WTO Affair

  • tune: My Sweet Little Alice Blue Gown
  • by Kay Thode

In my sweet little Alice Blue gown,
I tripped blithely down into the town.
There were cops everywhere,
A WTO affair,
And on every street corner,
Protesters were there.

They were calling for a living wage,
And to rewrite each WTO page.
They don’t want modified food,
Or forests that are nude
Here or anywhere else on earth.

WTO Rap

  • by Kay Thode

The World Trade Organization
Supersedes the laws of all the nations.
Trade is the answer, profit is the king.
To heck with human right, they don’t mean a thing.

Unelected corporate bosses make all the rules.
Guess they take us all for a bunch of fools.
No more labor standard, down with environment.
Child labor is much cheaper, sweatshops charge less rent.
Patent all the seeds, make the farmers pay,
Bioengineering is the order of the day.

Now the time has come to stop this corporate plan.
We want trade that’s fair, not this free trade scam.
Put a stop to this train of devastation
Before it wrecks the planet and our entire nation.
Replace the corporate rulers with people we elect.
Make rules that serve all people, not just the select.

Chant: WTO SIMPLY HAS TO GO! (three times)

BEGONE!

Roll Out the (Pork) Barrel

  • tune: Roll Out the Barrel
    Canadian Grannies

Roll out the barrel, roll out the barrel of pork!
Contractors welcome! Grab yourselves a giant fork!
Billions are waiting, Pentagon-given to you!
Come feed off the people’s money, in the land of the red, white and blue!

What’s in this barrel, what’s in this barrel of pork?
Fattening Pentagon contracts, enough to make a pig hoarke! Bleugh!
Who reaps the profits? And who pays the cost of this crime?
Corporations raking in billions, while the rest of us don’t have a dime!

Let’s stop this barrel, let’s stop this barrel of pork!
No more military handouts! Plus that big drain with a cork!
Roll up your shirtsleeves! We’ve got a big job to do.
Cutting wasteful pork is hard work, and the job needs you!

A “Newt” Deal

  • tune: Away in a Manger
    by Kay Thode

Away in DC, no crib for a bed,
All the poor and the homeless lay down their cold heads.
The stars in the Congress look down where they lay
And say: Get a job and get out of our way.

The cattle are lowing, the farmers are glad,
Because price supports are sure to be had.
I love thee, Jesse Helms, look down from on high.
Subsidize our tobacco ‘til doomsday is night.

A “Newt” Deal

Jingle Bells (on corporate welfare)

  • by Kay Thode

Jingle bells, ring a ding,
We are catching on,
How this corporate welfare works
It’s not a pleasant song.

Chorus: Oh, jingle bells, ring a ding,
We are catching on,
How this corporate welfare works,
It’s not a pleasant song.

Repeat

Dashing through the world
On a corporate welfare sleigh,
Profit, profit, is their song,
They’re laughing all the way.
We’ve got a thought or two,
About your dirty schemes,
About the garbage, land and sea
What free trade really means.

Chorus

They export jobs afar,
To pay a cheaper wage,
The union guy is unemployed
And we are in a rage.
We subsidize the firm
We give them tax breaks too,
The third world countries protest,
But can’t afford to sue.

Chorus.

Gaggle Against FTAA (Free Trade of the Americas)

  • tune: Side by Side
    The Raging Grannies Songbook, 1993, adapted by Kay Thode

Oh, we’re a gaggle of Grannies,
Urging you off of your fannies,
We’re raising our voice,
We want a new choice,
No FTAA.

With their world wide domination,
They’ll do the planet in,
We have got to stop them,
We must not let them win.

So join this gaggle of grannies,
Get up off of your fannies,
We’re telling you now,
We’re angry and how,
No FTAA.
We really mean it, No FTAA,
We mean precisely, No FTAA,
We’ll say it very nicely, No FTAA
READ OUR LIPS: (mouth No FTAA)

Hang Down Your Head

  • tune: Tom Dooley

Chorus:
Hang down your head, George W.
Hang down your head in shame.
Hang down your head, George W.
We are killing in your name.

When you look in the mirror,
What do you see?
Do you believe the things you say?
Are you blinded by your greed?

Chorus, ending: We are dying in your name.

The whole world is against you,
But you don’t seem to care.
You say the cause is worth it.
What’s a few lives here or there?

Chorus, ending: We are killing in your name.

Santa Bush

tune: Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
by Monica Zucker

There’ll be a tax cut, we’ve got a surplus,
But who’s gonna get it—surely not us!
Santa Bush is coming to town.

He says the big cash will trickle on down—
That voodoo bunk of Reagan renown.
Santa Bush is coming to town.

Won’t spend on education,
Won’t spend it for our health.
He’ll spend it on a missile shield
And subsidize big wealth.

You better not cry, you better not pout.
“Compassion” is in, society’s out.
Santa Bush is coming
Santa Bush is coming
Santa Bush is coming to town!

Unimpeachable

  • tune: Unforgettable

(Duet by “Bush” and “Cheney”)

Unimpeachable, that’s what I am.
Unimpeachable, don’t give a damn!
There’s no way that you can get to me.
What you think don’t mean a heck to me.

Never before has someone been more
Unimpeachable, I’m glad to say.
And furthermore (and furthermore)
That’s how I’ll stay (that’s how I’ll stay).
Here’s why darlings, I’m invincible.
All you slobs are so convincible,
To think that I am unimpeachable, too!

(All except “Bush” and Cheney”)

That’s why it’s indefensible,
When they’re so reprehensible,
That Congress thinks they’re
Unimpeachable, too.

Santa Bush 2007

  • tune: Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
    by Monica Zucker

We had some tax cuts, and now we’re in debt.
Who’ll get more tax cuts?—yes, the jet set.
Santa Bush is coming to town.

He’s got donor lists, he’s checking ’em twice.
He’s gonna find out we’re naughty–they’re nice.
Santa Bush is coming to town.

Won’t spend on education,
Won’t spend it for our health.
He’ll spend it on Iraqi war
And subsidize big wealth.

You better not cry, you better not pout,
War “surge” in, social needs out.
Santa Bush is coming,
Santa Bush is coming,
Santa Bush is coming to town!

Let’s Impeach the President

  • tune: Michael Row the Boat Ashore
    by Hinda Kipnis

Let’s impeach the President, Hallelujah!
Repeat

He betrayed the people’s trust, What’s it to ya?
Repeat

Bush’s lies took us to War, We can’t sue ya!
Repeat

All must know how mad we are, Hallelujah
Repeat

We must save the Republic. Hallelujah!
Repeat

Let’s impeach the President, Hallelujah!
Repeat

Gaggle to Impeach

  • tune: Side by Side
    by Laurie Rostholder

Oh, we’re a gaggle of Grannies
Urging you off of your fannies
We’re raising our voice—
We want a new choice:
IMPEACH THEM NOW!

They’ve lied about nuclear weapons
And Al Qaeda connections.
Now more of us see
This war’s about greed.
IMPEACH THEM NOW!

Their crimes are more outrageous
Than all of Clinton’s trysts.
A blue dress versus pages,
And lies and spin and twists.

So, join this gaggle of grannies.
Get up off of your fannies
We’re telling you now
We’re angry and how!
IMPEACH THEM NOW!
We really mean it! IMPEACH THEM NOW!
We mean precisely! IMPEACH THEM NOW!
We will say it very nicely! IMPEACH THEM NOW!
Read our lips: (mouth) IMPEACH THEM NOW!

Farewell to Karl Rove

  • tune: Show Me the Way to Go Home

Show him the way to go home,
For he’s tired of his White House chore.
He had some excitement—
Near indictment—
So he’d like to leave before.

Wherever Karl may rove
In TV pundit cove,
You will always hear us singing this song:
Show him the way to go—
Show him the way to go—
Show him the way to go home

Free Speech

  • tune: ‘My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean’)
    by Ann Smith

‘Twas in the 2000 election,
It seems very clear to us all now,
The thing that we lost was our voice.
We’re told by most all of our leaders
That we should not dare criticize,
They say that our Nancy Pelosi
Should retract and apologize.

  • Chorus:
    Bring back, bring back,
    Oh bring back my Free Speech to me, to me,
    Bring back, bring back,
    Oh bring back my Free Speech to me.

It’s really the whole truth that hurts the.
All Nancy did was to state fact.
Now Nancy’s persona-non-grata
To Bush and the Patriot Act.
Our soldiers are fighting and dying
For freedoms they thought that we had.
But truth and free speech are now victims
Of policies cruel and bad!

  • Chorus:
    Speak out, speak out,
    Bring back Free Speech to us, one and all
    Speak out, speak out
    Bring back Free Speech to us all.

DIVEST

  • TUNE: Away In a Manger

Divest fossil funds and divest fossil stocks,
Invest in our future and walk what you talk.
We burn fossil fuels now at great global harm,
It’s time to invest in a planet less warm.
Divest universities, cities, and schools.
Divest temples, churches invested in fuel.
Our fossil fuels mostly must stay in the ground.
Our future is priceless, let’s keep it around

What Are We Afraid Of?

    • by: Canadian Grannies
      tune: Charlie Is My Darlin’
      • CHORUS
        What are we afraid of, afraid of, afraid of?
        What are we afraid of?
        It’s NOT the terrorists!

When hospitals are closing down
Though ER’s all are full
And home care nursing’s down the drain
They’re no more plugs to pull, SO~

  • CHORUS

When governments cut services
And then use all our cries
To give them an excuse to day
They “have to privatize.” SO~

  • CHORUS

When money is the raison d’etre
How can we hope for care
That does not all the corners cut
To leave us hanging there? SO ~

  • CHORUS

When greed and profit rule the land
What chance is there that we
Will keep our social safety net
Our health and dignity, SO~

  • CHORUS

Just getting sick is bad enough
Without more worry too
‘Bout “how to pay” and “who can help”
“What am I going to do?” SO~

  • LAST CHORUS:
    What are YOU afraid of, afraid of, afraid of
    What are YOU afraid of?
    IS it the terrorists?

Imprisoned in Guantanamo

  • Tune: (Sixteen Tons)
    By Laurie Rostholder

I was picked up by the US a decade ago,
I’ll never get out, that’s the one thing I know,
Imprisoned and tortured for all these years,
Starving to death the least of my fears.

No charges have ever been brought against me,
Stuck in this hell hole cause I’m Yemeni,
Separated from comrades, can’t read the Koran,
Haven’t seen my attorney, no trial in the plan.

I’ll know I’ll never see my family,
No longer even dream about being free,
Hunger strike is my only choice,
The moment I got here, I lost my voice.

Being force fed, it’s incredible pain,
Treatment like this, it isn’t sane,
Does anyone care what’s happening to me,
Who is going to take responsibility,

I was picked up by the US a decade ago,
I’ll never get out, that’s the one thing I know,
Imprisoned and tortured for all these years,
Starving to death the least of my fears.

Cuba

  • tune:My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean

American governments all fail
To give the boot to Fidel,
‘Cos the Cubans are proud, brave and fearless
And tell Uncle Sam “Go to Hell!”

  • CHORUS: Cu-ba, Cu-ba—that brave little country across the strait!
    Cu-ba, Cu-ba—let Cubans decide their own fate!

Let’s show our support for the Cubans
Against US government might
And imperialistic ambitions. (pause)
For once let us do what is right!

  • CHORUS

Just let Cubans get on with their business,
Let them engage in fair trade,
It’s been too long for this nonsense,
So lift the immoral blockage.

  • CHORUS

Congress Wants Our Social Security

  • tune: Whatever Lola Wants
    by Corinne Willinger

Whatever Congress wants, Congress gets,
They want to grab our Social Security.
Obama hears their call for its downfall,
He goes along with their dishonesty.(atrocity?)
Their scheme is to end our pension,
And now they use the debt to shorten its dimension.

  • What government can do, to me and you,
    Is diminish our Social Security.
    What all the people need, we must have,
    We must keep all our Social Security.
    Tell those we voted for – we-must make sure
    They’ll never be in Congress anymore.
    We know the way they’re behaving
    Will kill this program worth saving.
    Let all the people know the status quo
    Means we must keep our Social Security.

Cheney/Rove/Reichert Rally

  • tune: Yankee Doodle

Richard Cheney/Rove/Reichert came to Seattle/Bellevue,
To help elect Dave Reichert/Rob McKenna,
And promote a right wing agenda,
But we will subvert it.

We don’t want privatization,
Of our pensions or health care,
Union busting, prison torture,
Or polluted air.

Go back to your
Oil rich buddies,
Stay out of our city fair,
We want global peace and justice,
Not your unholy(?) fare.

Bring the Billions Home

  • tune: 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

They Tell us there’s no money
for jobs or health care plans,
But there’s always lots of money
for war in far off lands,
We spend it all for war,
not for schools or homes, that’s true,
So do it today, the Granny way
and Bring the Billions Home!

We spend three trillion dollars
to send out kids to war,
Not all our kids, ya know, but just
the brown, the black, the poor,
They had no hope that they’d get jobs
in the good ‘ol USA,
So do it today, the Granny way
and Bring the Billions Home!

It always seems to be the rich
who profit from our wars,
They don’t care if we live or die
as long as they make more,
They keep our wages low, but watch
their own climb through the roof,
So do it today, the Granny way
and Bring the Billions Home!

We think that corporations
must truly love the poor,
In fact, they love poor folks so much
they keep creatin’ more,
They slash our pay and benefits
and send our jobs off shore,
So do it today, the Granny way
and Bring the Billions Home!

We stand here in (Seattle)
and sing our simple song,
We want to see our taxes kept
at home where they belong,
It’s time to tell Obama
we won’t take it anymore!
So do it today, the Granny way
and Bring the Billions Home!

Bomb Iraq

tune: She’ll be Comin’ Round the Mountain

If the GOP is hurtin’, bomb Iraq!
If the GOP is hurtin’, bomb Iraq!
If the GOP is hurtin’
And November looks uncertain,
If the GOP is hurtin’, bomb Iraq!

If your equities are falling, bomb Iraq!
If your equities are falling, bomb Iraq!
If your equities are falling,
And your losses are appalling,
If your equities are falling, bomb Iraq!

If the GDP is shrinking, bomb Iraq!
If the GDP is shrinking, bomb Iraq!
If the GDP is shrinking,
And W’s back to drinking,
If the GDP is shrinking, bomb Iraq!

If the pundits call you ‘moron’, bomb Iraq!
If the pundits call you ‘moron’, bomb Iraq!
If the pundits call you ‘moron’,
Then it’s time to get your war on,
If the pundits call you ‘moron’, bomb Iraq!

Are they checking Halliburton? Bomb Iraq!
Are they checking Halliburton? Bomb Iraq!
If they’re checking Halliburton,
And for Cheney jail looks certain,
If they’re checking Halliburton, bomb Iraq!!

Another Four Years?

tune: 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

Another four years of Georgie’s lies?
It makes us raging mad!
His State of the Union was just a charade –
We know that we’ve been had!

  • He sends our kids to die in war –
    But what has he achieved?
    He says he’s fighting terrorists,
    But we won’t be deceived!

Another four years of Georgie’s lies?
It makes us want to scream!
We’ve already seen what he can do
To kill the American dream.

  • More of us are out of work
    And more of us are poor.
    With no Head Start and no health care,
    We’re tired of this manure!

Another four years of Georgie’s lies?
He must think we’re daft!
He’s killing Social Security –
And giving us all the shaft!

  • He’s taking away our liberties,
    And trashing the Bill of Rights,
    And spying on our neighbors –
    We think that really bites!

So, we won’t take another four years!
Of Georgie, the lying hack!
We’re here today to tell the world
“We’re taking our country back!”

Oh, North Korea

  • tune: Bye Bye Black Bird
    (From the perspective of fish)
    By Laurie Rostholder

Are you aiming missiles at me,
Cause they’ll be landing in the sea..
Oh North Korea.
Kim Jung Un is not much fun,
Likes his fish // overdone_
Oh North Korea.

Leaders in the States respond with war drums,
They are not considering the outcomes.
If you want good fish to eat,
You had best turn down the heat
Or it’s farm fish, yum, yum. Yuck.

Do you want your fish uncooked,
Without that mushroom-clouded look?
Oh North Korea.
Sushi you will get no more
And nothing wild in the store.
Oh North Korea.

US military’s playing war games,
Provoking North Korea is an endgame.
Why won’t they consider me
Poor little fishy in the sea?
I’m not to blame!

Imprisoned in Guantanamo

  • Tune: You Load Sixteen Tons
    By Laurie Rostholder

I was picked up by the US a decade ago,
I’ll never get out that’s the one thing I know,
Imprisoned and tortured for all these years,
Starving to death the least of my fears.

No charges have ever been brought against me,
Stuck in this hell hole cause I’m Yemeni,
Separated from comrades, can’t read the Koran,
Haven’t seen my lawyer, no trial in the plan.

I’ll know I’ll never see my family,
No longer even dream about being free.
Hunger strike is my only choice,
The moment I got here, I lost my voice.

Being force fed, it’s incredible pain.
Treatment like this it isn’t sane.
Does anyone care what’s happening to me?
Who is going to take responsibility?

I was picked up by the US a decade ago,
I’ll never get out that’s the one thing I know
Imprisoned and tortured for all these years,
Starving to death the least of my fears.

It’s Time for an Income Tax

  • tune: Old MacDonald
    By Laurie Rostholder

Sales taxes are not fair,
It’s time for an income tax.
Sometimes it’s hard to afford underwear.
It’s time for an income tax.
With a share for us,
And enough for the state,
This is a problem that cannot wait.
Now is the time for an income tax.//
Let’s make the system fair.

We need more money for the state budget.
It’s time for an income tax.
There’s very little room for us to nudge it. //
It’s time for an income tax.
With services suffering,
And our schools in trouble,
Before the whole system turns to rubble,
Now is the time for an income tax.
Let’s make the system fair!

Little Voices

  • tune: Little Boxes, by Malvina Reynolds

Little voices on the Hill say
they all want an Iraq attack.
Little Voices on the Hill speak
and they all sound much the same.
There’s a Democrat, a Republican,
a liberal, a conservative,
and they all want an Iraq attack
and they all sound much the same.

But the people who elect them
we don’t want an Iraq attack,
so we call our representatives,
but they vote for it just the same.
There’s a yellow one, and a yellow one,
and a yellow one, and a yellow one,
and they all are spineless sycophants
and they all vote much the same.

It’s a Grand Old Flag

  • from George M. Cohan

It’s a grand old flag,
It’s a high flying flag!
If you bum it,
It lives through the fire.
Demonstrations of hate
Cannot desecrate–
Free speech
Just makes it fly higher.

Our hearts beat true
For the red, white and blue
When we honor
Its liberty.
Lest freedom ‘s ringing
Be forgot
Keep your eye on
What makes us free!

Impeachable Crew

tune: Embraceable You

Impeach them, this most impeachable crew.
Can’t teach them-who knows what next They might do?
They’ve destroyed the rule of law,
Made war on a lie, Funded Halliburton
But left soldiers to die.

For spying, for lying, We must hold them due.
Who’s being surveilled now Could it be you? Do not accept these horrors–
Let’s impeach ’em,
let’s impeach ’em, do
Our most impeachable crew!

I Loved My Civil Rights

  • tune I Like N.Y. in June

I loved my Civil Rights
How about you?
I lost my Civil Rights
And you did, too.
First came the Patriot,
Military Commision Acts,
Lies and spies, wire-tapping”
Police Brutality, too.

We need our civil Rights
What can we do?
Contact a lawyer through
Your ACLU,
Write to your Legislators
Tell them they need to
Restore our Civil Rights ’cause
I need them and
SO DOYOUl

Hit The Road Bush

  • with honor and respect to Mr. Ray Charles
  • by Diane Thompson
  • tune: Hit the Road Jack

Hit the Road Bush and don’tcha come back
No more, no more, no more, no more,
Hit the Road Bush and don’tcha come back
Nomore

That’s what we say!

0le Georgie, Ole Georgie, oh you treat us so mean,
You’re the meanest old Shrub that I ever have seen,
I know if we ALL say so
You’ll have to pack your things and go (that’s right!)

Now Bushie, listen Bushie, don’t you treat us this-a way
We know we’ll be rid of YOU some day,
You tell deadly lies and our soldiers die,
You’re wreckin’ the environment and you ain’t no good
I know if we ALL say so
You’ll have to pack your things and go (that’s right)
Well …

Uh, whud we say? .

What part of GO don you get?
Yes, we mean that …
Aw now Bushie GOr
How many lies do you think we’ll buy!?

Follow the Money

Follow the money
To see why this war wasn’t banned.
Follow the money
And then we will all understand.
Follow the money;
It leads to the White House front door.
After they have bombed Iraqis
Halliburton will get more!

First they’ll destroy them;
That’s what their missiles are for.
Level the country
Until they can’t take any more.
Then they’ll rebuild it
With contracts and big bucks galore.
Corporations get the money –
That’s who profits from this war!

Bush, Blair, and Cheney
They’re rotten right down to the core.
“To hell with the people —
Morality’s simply a bore.”
We tried to stop them
And all those who profit from war.
We will fol-low the money.
Let ‘s buy peace forever more!

Fair Share

  • tune: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean

The sta-ate can’t balance it’s budget.
More cuts will hurt you and hurt me.
lt’s time to reform our tax system
And vote for e-qua-a-li-ty.

  • Chorus:
    Be fair, be fair.
    The better off should pay their fa-ir share
    Be fair, be fair.
    The better off should pay their fair share.

Our sales tax is so-o regressive.
B & O is unfair too.
The property tax is a burden.
Let’s vote for a tax that is new!
YELL: STATE INCOME TAX!

  • Chorus

Who calls the rich more deserving-
A myth that belongs in the trash.
We ask you, our friends, to consider
With no workers how would we last?

  • Chorus

So think of your welfare and listen
And put on some hats just like these.
It’s time to reform our tax system
And VOTE more equality!
YELL: STATE INCOME TAX! STATE INCOME TAX! STATE INCOME TAX!

Embargo

  • tune: Matilda
  • Chorus:
    Embargo, embargo, embargo
    The weather’s sunny but we can’t go Cuba!

Lost our pride at Bay of Pigs,
We get mad and flip our wigs.
Embargo, we keep our money
And punish Cuba!
No car parts, no school books, no light bulbs,
We keep our money and punish Cuba!

  • Chorus

But our friends in foreign lands
Don’t appreciate our plans.
Still we hold out; it may seem funny
But we’re punishing Cuba!
No gringos, no Game Boy, no Wal-mart,
I tell you, honey, they’re suffering in Cuba!

  • No voice mail,
    No Big Mac,
    No Enron!?
    Let’s take OUR money
    And all go Cuba!
  • Chorus: 2X

Cast Your Vote

  • tune: If You’re Happy and You Know It

If you want to save your country,
CAST YOUR VOTE!
It’s a democratic nation,
CAST YOUR VOTE!
Health & education – a just and peaceful nation,
If you want to save our county
CAST YOUR VOTE!
We’re pinning our hopes on you,
CAST YOUR VOTE!
The way to have a choice – get out and use your voice,
We’re pinning our hope on you,
CAST YOUR VOTE!

CHANT:
VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!
Governments come and Governments go,
the poor and hungary are counting on – you!
CHANT: VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!

Castros

  • tune: Day-O

Castros … oho .. Castros
How can you be such stubborn men?
How can you be such stubborn men?
For FIFTY-nine YEARS we’ve HAD an blockade
How can you be such stubborn men?
STILL you reFUSE to see THINGS our WAY.
How can you be such stubborn men?
COME on CAStros, DON’T you want our MONey?
How can you be such stubborn men?
COME on CAStros, DON’T you want some FREE trade?
How can you be such stubborn men?
30 years, 40 years, 50 years more. Ugh!
How can you be such stubborn men?
30 years, 40 years, 50 years more. Ugh!
How can you be such stubborn men?
Cas-Tros … oho .. Castros
How can you be such stubborn men?
How can you be such stubborn men?

CAPitaLISM is REAlly COOL.
How can you be such stubborn men?
You can GET really RICH and SHUT DOWN your SCHOOLS.
How can you be such stubborn men?
WHAt’s the big DEAL about HEALTH and eduCAtion?
How can you be such stubborn men?
You can MAKE more MONey with a CAPitalist NAtion.
How can you be such stubborn men?
Castros … oho .. Castros
How can you be such stubborn men?
How can you be such stubborn men?
Castros …oho… Castros (sowly)
How can you be such stubborn men?

Bring ‘Em Home, Georgie

  • tune: Bill Bailey

Just bring the troops home, Georgie,
Just bring ’em home,
We cry the whole night long.
We’ve overstayed our welcome
They want us out,
Just like they did Sad-daaam.
*We know why you did it, Georgie,
That war for oil,
And we know that you were wrong.
We know you’re to blame, Georgie
You and your gang,
So Georgie, won’t you bring ’em home.

(kazoo first 6 lines)

We know why you did it, Georgie,
That war for oil,
And we know that you were wrong.
We know you’re to blame, Georgie,
You and your gang,
So Georgie, won’t you bring ‘ern
Georg i e , won ‘ t you bring ‘ern
Georgie won’t you bring ’em ho- ooome!

(lots of noise)

Bring Back Our Tax Dollars

  • by Jane Hare and Vicki Ryder
  • Tune: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean

Our taxes fly over the ocean,
To fund the Afghanistan war,
But our taxes are urgently needed,
Right here for the jobless and poor.

  • Chorus:
    Oh bring back those taxes and spend them here,
    Bring ‘em back, yes bring ‘em back,
    And then how we Grannies will cheer!

Our bridges and highways are crumbling,
Our teachers and schools need support,
The money that’s now spent on killing,
Should be used to wage peace and not war.

  • Chorus

We should be supporting our students,
Who struggle to pay for their loans,
And we should be supporting our families,
While the banks just foreclose on their homes.

  • Chorus

We’ve worked mighty hard for the money,
That we pay every year to the Feds,
And we don’t want it paying for warfare,
When we all could have healthcare instead.

  • Chorus

Santa Bush

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune: Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

There’ll be a tax cut, we’ve got a surplus,
But who’s gonna get it—surely not us!
Santa Bush is coming to town.

He says the big cash will trickle on down—
That voodoo bunk of Reagan renown.
Santa Bush is coming to town.

Won’t spend on education,
Won’t spend it for our health.
He’ll spend it on a missile shield
And subsidize big wealth.

You better not cry, you better not pout.
“Compassion” is in, society’s out.
Santa Bush is coming
Santa Bush is coming
Santa Bush is coming to town!

Yes We Can

  • tune: She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain

We can move our country forward,
Yes we can!
[repeat]

When we all work together
That will determine whether
We can really move it forward.
Yes it will!

We need universal health care, yes we do!
[repeat]

Let’s keep telling our new leaders
In voices clear and constant
We need universal health care
Yes we do!

We must stop the warfare in the Middle East
Yes we can!
[repeat]

Wars breed more fear and hatred
They never solve a problem
We must learn to wage peace
Yes we must!

Let’s rebuild our infrastructure.
Yes we can!
[repeat]

Let’s put people back to work now,
Rebuild our roads and bridges
We can do it if we want to.
Yes we can!

Yankee Doodle

  • by the West Seattle Peace Group
  • additional verses by Kay Thode
  • tune: Yankee Doodle Dandy

Yankee Doodle wants to know
Everything you’re doing:
The books you check out, what you buy,
The web sites you are using.

Yankee Doodle calls it terror
Depending on conditions,
Like the color of your skin
And political positions.

  • Chorus:
    Yankee Doodle, stay on top.
    Yankee Doodle, righteous.
    The laws do not apply to us
    ‘Cause we’re by far the mightiest.

Yankee Doodle hates dissent,
Says that’s not patriotic.
We say if you crush dissent
Your reign is quite despotic.

Yankee Doodle’s henchman Ashcroft
Hates us for our freedoms.
As for First Amendment rights,
He doesn’t think we need ’em.

  • Chorus
    Yankee Doodle wants to rule
    The world and thinks he’ll try it.
    The only think he needs for that
    Is We the People quiet.

additional verses

Yankee Doodle’s Patriot Act
Got no votes from the braver.
The others went along with it
For fear of losing favor.

  • Chorus:
    Yankee Doodle, got your way,
    Yankee Doodle, clever,
    Lied and wreak great havoc, but
    We’ll end your reign forever.

Yankee Doodle terrified
The so-called liberal voices.
Congress folks need more backbone
And to make better choices.

  • Chorus:
    Yankee Doodle’s Patriot Act
    Passed without being read first.
    Now it’s time to repeal it–
    Make sure that it’s reversed

We’re Watching, Obama

  • by Jo-Hanna Read
  • tune “She Loves You”, Beatles

We’re watching, O-ba-ma,
We’re waiting, O-ba-ma,
We’re hoping O-ba-a-ma.

Although we wanted you,
We weren’t sure you could win,
Until John lost his mind
And selected Pa-a-lin.

Now we’re watching,
And you know that can’t be bad.
We’re waiting,
And we hope you make us glad.

So now you’ve got the job
You’ve got to move with haste
There’s so much you must do
To clean up Bush’s waste.

Because we’re watching,
And you know that can’t be bad.
We’re hoping,
And you know you should be glad.

It was a mighty fight
To get you to this place.
Now get your ass in gear
And put some change in place.

Because we’re watching, O-ba-ma,
And we’re waiting, O-ba-ma,
With the hope we have,
Just don’t let us down.

Welfare Clock

  • by Kay Thode
  • Rap

The clock is tickin’ day by day,
Thanks to “reform” welfare’s going away.
Who cares if you’re hungry
Or can’t pay the rent?
Jobs are the answer
Said the President…Clinton, that is.
Now five years are up
On the welfare clock.
There’ll be more homeless
Sleeping on the block.
It’s time to pay moms
Who take care of their kids.
Raise the grants!
Lift the lid!

Voting Song

  • by Karen Schneider-Chen et al
  • tune: Addams Family Theme
  •  Chorus:
    Get out and vote! (snap, snap)
    Get out and vote! (snap, snap)
    Get out and vote! Get out and vote!
    Get out and vote! (snap, snap)

It’s time to take a stand
On issues in the land.
Don’t bury your head in sand–
Get off your duff and vote!

  • Chorus

Young and old alike
Claim our hard fought fight.
Exercise that right:
Get off your duff and vote!

  • Chorus

Don’t gripe if you have not
Marked the ballot spot
To register your thought.
Get off your duff and vote!

  • Chorus

Vote by absentee.
Keep this country free.
Join you and you and me:
Get off your duff and vote!

  • Chorus (twice)

Voter’s Lament

  • by Kay Thode
  • tune: St. James Infirmary

Oh, I went to the poll booth
And what did I see
But a ballot so peculiar
That it puzzled me.
I punched out the holes
As best as I could,
Cause I didn’t want Bush,
I knew where I stood…Democratic.

When the votes were all counted,
Al Gore he had won,
But the new president
Is George Bush’s son…How can that be?

So this is what we gotta do,
To stop that man from carrying through
His plan to wreck the environment,
And end the right to choose,
And give us all the blues…Real Blues.

We’ve gotta get together and unite,
Black, brown and yellow, red and white;
Work like H to prevent
George from carrying out his intent…Together, united!

Torture Song

  • tune: Where Have All the Flowers Gone

Torture was the “in thing” then,
No habeas corpus,
Waterboarding, shocks and sha-ame
Rendition, too.
Where has our democracy gone?
Smashed by our last president.
Why don’t we end all this?
We must indict them all!

Torture is still in the news,
Cheney says it worked for us.
Waterboarding, shocks, and sha-ame,
Rendition too.
Where has our democracy gone?
Smashed by our last president!
Why don’t we end all this?
We must indict them all

Three Raging Grannies

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune: Three Little Maids from School

To be sung by three sopranos very delicately.

Three Raging Grannies singing gently
Try not to act too temperament’ly
But we know a hundred percently
Nothing is going well.

War is the base of much bereaving,
Rights are gone, our jobs are leaving,
Homes are lost—we’re disbelieving
They’ll ever end this spell.

First two wars so devastating
Invasion labeled liberating
Then Katrina inundating–
Many more tales to tell

Let’s hope the new administration
Finds ways to use negotiation,
Ends our despair and deep frustration
Let peace and freedom swell!

Three Raging Grans sing very sweetly.
We’ll sock it to ’em oh so neatly.
We should impeach them all completely!
Everything’s gone to (cover mouth, deep bow).

Theocracy

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune: I’ve Got Rhythm

Got religion!
True religion!
We’ve got our man—
Who can ask for anything more!

Don’t love neighbors.
Don’t heal sick folks.
Don’t help poor folks—
Don’t ask for anything more!

  • Stem cell research!
    Free abortions!
    Same sex marriage!
    We abhor!

Wars don’t shock us.
Facts don’t block us.
We’ve got our man—
We’re through the door!
Who can ask for anything more?
Who can ask for anything more!

The System

  • tune: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean

The bosses get millions in bonus.
The workers get minimum wage.
It’s time for a different system—
Let’s write a bra-and new page.

They’ve downsized the wages, not profits.
They’re managing all of our health.
It’s time for a new distribution—
Give workers their share of the wealth!

They’ve sent our jobs out of the country.
They’ve sent our jobs over the sea.
It’s time that we made a commotion.
Oh, get rid of free trade for me.

Clean up the air and the water.
Give kids something useful to do.
Fix up the roads and the bridges.
Don’t cut jobs for all but a few.

Make weapons of war—you’ll get riches.
Teach kids in our schools—you will not.
It’s a very perverse kind of system,
Which certainly needs to be fought.

Someone to Watch Over Me

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune of same name

Mr. Ashcroft, do you think I’m a spy?
I know that I
Cannot see why
Someone should watch over me.

Must there always be surveillance and taps?
Is it perhaps
You think we’re saps
To let you watch over us?

Although you pose as such a hero,
In my book you’re zero–
Police state, not securi-t-y.

Take your Patriot Act and bury it now,
Better learn how
Not to allow
Your spies to watch over me.

School of the Assassins

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune: My Country ‘Tis of Thee

(lower voices)
Bring rebels to their knees.
We need some expertise:
Call SOA!
Send our best men to learn
To torture, shock, and burn
Those who-o fo-or freedom yearn–
The-ey must obey!

(higher voices)
Let not this shame resound
To all the world around–
End SOA!
Too many now have died.
Regain our pilgrims’ pride.
From e’e-vry-y mountain side
Le-et freedom ring!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

  • by Jo-Hanna Read
  • (a la Aretha Franklin) 
  • Solo with background group, which sings chorus and parts in ( )

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Listen up, AIG.

We gave you (oo oo)
So much money (oo oo)
And then you did (oo oo)
Something funny. (oo oo)
All we’re asking (all we’re askin’)
Is a little respect. (just a little bit)
No more bonuses (just a little bit)
Just a little respect. (oh, yeah)
From you.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Listen up, Dick Cheney.

We thought we got you (oo oo)
Out of our hair (oo oo)
Then we turn on the TV (oo oo)
And see you there. (oo oo)
There’s no way we’ll give you (no way)
Any respect. (no way)
Never, never, (no way)
We got no respect (no way)
For you.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Obama, we hope you see.

We’ve given you (oo oo)
All of our hope (oo oo)
And all we’re askin’ (oo oo)
Is do your work right (oo oo)
Give us some jobs (oh, yes)
And some self respect (just a little bit)
Oh, yeah (just a little bit)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
No more war economy

Oh (sock it to me, sock it to me,
sock it to me)
A little respect (sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me)
Whoa, babe (just a little bit)
Just a little respect (just a little bit)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
OH YEAH!

Qatar WTO

  • by Kay Thode
  • tune: When Johnny Comes Marching Home

WTO has met again, this time Qatar.
The Persian Gulf’s an unlikely place—it’s quite bizarre.
They don’t want protesters to have their say.
They chose a site that is far, far away,
But they got our message: We demand fair trade!

Third World countries are put on the spot—what else is new?
They want more markets and balance of power, wouldn’t you?
Agriculture and textiles were pulled from the talks;
Those critical matters would be deadlocked.
So much for free trade: Do it our way or not!

The message from Brussels and Washington is liberalize,
While we in the West protect our own and subsidize.
Dirty water, poverty, pricey drugs
Should no longer be sanctioned and swept under rugs.
Give us fair trade, union made! Share in the common lot.

Prisons

  • by Kay Thode
  • tune: Home On the Range

Prisons, prisons, more jails,
The answer to our system’s travails,
Where seldom is heard,
An encouraging word,
And the skies are not seen all day.

We lock up our poor,
And then they’re no more,
And we’ll feel so much better this way,
We’re building more cells,
Stuffing folks in these hells,
And big bucks get made that way.

Oh, give me a home,
Where drug agents don’t roam,
And no one is jailed for drug use,
Where the billions are spent,
For good drug treatment,
And addicts are free from abuse.

On Top of the White House

  • by Hinda Kipnis
  • tune: On Top of Old Smoky

On top in the White House,
All covered with dough,
Struts our strong leader
Keeping us in the know.

“No” to Kyoto—
Global warming ain’t so.
Outlawing land mines?
A compassionate “no, no.”

No Child Left Behind,
Bright future in store.
Wal-Mart’s awaiting,
And the Army needs more.

No problems with health care
Drug companies can’t fix.
Just don’t lose your job,
And NEVER get sick.

Our right-wing leader,
With orders from God!
Have faith in our war hawk—
(speak) Honest lies are his job.

On top in the White House,
It’s time for his nap.
With month-long vacations,
Being President’s a snap!

Medicare Battle Hymn

  • from E-vine
  • tune: Battle Hymn of the Republic

Mine eyes have seen the wonders of a single payer plan
In nineteen sixty-five the Congress said, now, yes we can
They passed a single payer plan, they called it Medicare
And we’re so glad it’s there.

Chorus:
The lobbyists will try to fool ya
THEY-Y–will think up lies to scare ya
They work for corporations who are surely not your friends
So don’t believe their spin.
We’ve got to stand together and to fight for what is fair
to educate the public and to make them all aware
that what we need is public FI-nance linked to private care
You’ll be so glad it’s there!

Chorus

Look Around You

  • Shirley Morrison and Kay Thode
  • tune: Clementine

Look around you, see the people
Who are working everyday
For the kind of world we all want,
Where healthy children laugh and play
A world with no more nuclear arms,
Guns are banned and want is rare,
Where all races live together,
Everyone has good health care.

  • Equal rights and equal wages,
    Social justice on the earth,
    No pollution on the planet,
    A new world will come to birth.
    Look around you see the people
    Who are working everyday
    For a world of peace and plenty
    Where the grandkids laugh and play.
     

Lobby Days Are Here Again

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune: Happy Days Are Here Again

Corporations rule the day!
Energy and Medicare, they say,
Must be written the big business way.
Corporations rule the day!

You don’t have to go-o to college
To gain legisla-a-tive knowledge.

Corporations must say when
Law enhance their profits. Only then
They spread cash in each congression’l den.
Lobby days are here again!

Libya

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune: Lydia the Tattooed Lady

Libya, oh Libya!
Now we have bombed Libya!
Gadhafi is mean and cruel.
He’s got a face that we abhor so,
And his actions even more so.

Libya, oh Libya!
Libya, the height of misrule!
But the bombing is clearly an act of war,
Obama was acting illeg’ly by far,
Although he’s a constitutional star.
We can learn a lot from Libya!

La, la, la
La, la, la

Oh, Libya’s a small war,
Not what you can call war,
But it will set a precedent.
‘Cause win or lose
One guy can choose–
And that’s any future president!

La, la, la
La, la, la

Liberation Rap

  • by Kay Thode
  • spoken

Wanna liberate a country?
Well I’ll tell you what to do:
Bomb the lights and the water
And spread DU.
(Depleted Uranium, that is.)
Loot all the treasure and
When that’s done.
Set up military bases
For the long run.

Wanna liberrate another
When one’s under our control?
Say it has WMD–
We’re on a roll.
Maybe we’ll pick Syria,
Maybe Iran.
Or is it North Korea
That fits our plan?

Wherever there’s a region
That we want to control,
We’ll send our troops and bombers
To achieve our goal.
No one else has our power
And the U.N. is done,
So we’ll soon control the whole world
Everywhere beneath the sun.

 

Katrina Rap

  • by Ann Smith

Our government moves at a very slow pace.
They didn’t understand New Orleans was a race.
To save people, save lives, and pretend to care
For the needy, the poor, and the black who live there.
If this was a test, they utterly failed.
This negligent lot should be charged and jailed.
The next storm is coming—who knows where or when.
With Washington’s record—will they be ready then?

It’s a Sad Old Flag

  • by Sunny Armer. New York Metro Grannies
  • tune: It’s a Grand Old Flag

It’s a sad old flag,
And it looks like a rag
When exploited for selling a war.
Though when young I was taught
Our flag can’t be bought,
Corporations are running the store.

My heart will beat true
For the red, white, and blue
When it stands up for human rights.
When patriotism’s used for fraud
It extinguishes freedom’s light.

It’s a sad old flag,
And it looks like a rag
When exploited for selling a war.
Though when young I was taught
Our flag can’t be bought,
Corporations are running the store.

When in this land
Burning flags can be banned,
Burning books will be ordered soon.
The First Amendment is our right
To sing new words to this old tune.

It Ain’t Necessarily So

  • Lyrics by Salt Spring Raging Grannies of Canada to Tune by George Gershwin
  • Note: The full title of this song is “All Purpose Comprehensive Rant about Everything That Is Wrong with the Whole World.” Seattle Grannies may make up verses for occasions.

CHORUS
It ain’t necessarily so,
It ain’t necessarily so.
The corporate media
Would like to mislead ya,
It ain’t necessarily so,

(Environment)

Salt Spring’s not gone to the dogs.
Trees are just unemployed logs.
We mustn’t get madder
Just ‘cause Taxada
Is trashing our watershed bogs.

Don’t worry about greenhouse gas–
The doom and gloom won’t come to pass.
Remember the looting
We get from polluting
All goes to the governing class.

CHORUS

(Food)

Genetically modified food
Is certified legally good.
Ignore all the rumors—
Just be good consumers.
Don’t ask all those questions—it’s rude.

Hormone-laced beef is just swell.
Just look at our own NHL.
No need for inspection
Of bovine injection—
Don’t you want to be macho as well?

(Big Business)

We always promote human rights.
We worry, and can’t sleep at nights.
But sooner or later
The gangster dictators
Who buy our arms must see the light.

Our banks are the best ever seen.
The profits they make aren’t obscene.
We like the adoption
Of enormous stock options
For CEOs fleeing the scene.

Drug company profits are small.
They’re lobbying hardly at all.
When they hear generics
They go into hysterics
For fear that the share prices will fall.

Africa’s dying of AIDS,
But drug barons got to get paid.
They say they feel saddened,
But they hold the patent.
Take aspirin and sit in the shade.

Free trade’s the best way to go.
Only subversives say no.
We’ll follow the factories
South and drink daiquiris.
Viva Low Wage Mexico!

CHORUS

(Schools)

Our school rooms are all well-supplied.
Whoever denies it has lied.
They depend for kids’ readers
On corporate leaders
Who peddle their Pepsi inside.

(Health)

Health care is our most sacred trust.
We’ll give you some time to adjust.
In a matter of urgency
Camp in Emergency
And sit till you’re gathering dust.

CHORUS

(WTO)

Quebec’s got a Big Business Fair.
It’ll be just like Tienamin Square
They admit it’s a pity
To barb-wire the city,
But people might try to get there.

(Defenses)

Women should man submarines,
‘Cause women are fighting machines.
If the ship isn’t celibate
The brass won’t think well of it
Unless there are separate latrines.

CHORUS

(Finally)

We sing ‘cause we don’t want to curse.
We’re alive, and we don’t need a hearse.
But if there’s a screw-up
We plan to wake you up
Or everything’s sure to get worse.

Iraq Smart Bombs

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune: Ta Ra Ra Boom de Ay

Heard the war news on TV?
We must bomb Iraq, says he.
Target only military,
With our pinpoint accuracy.
Iraq go boom de ay!
Smart bombs don’t go astray.
Some folks get in the way,
But that’s the price you pay.
We must have a new regime!
No more weapons is our theme.
Mideast power is our scheme.
Easy pickin’s is our dream.
We love Iraqis, so
Saddam has got to go.
He is our only foe.
Who’ll rule then? WE DON’T KNOW!

As before we bombed Iraq.
Claimed our smart bombs were on track.
Propaganda herds the pack.
That won’t bring the children back.
Iraq go boom de ay.
Smart bombs will win the day–
Or that’s the game we play.
Iraq go BOOM!

Impeachment in the Wind

  • Caroline Canafax, Carol McRoberts, Kay Thode, Alix Van Zant
  • tune: Blowin’ in the Wind

How many kids will die in Iraq
Before the troops come home?
How many bombs will you drop everywhere
Before the world brings you down?
How many rich people rake it in
Before we all revolt?
How many kids have to go without food
Before we respond to their needs?
How many times can you screw things up
Before you are impeached?
The answer my friend is impeaching him,
The answer is getting rid of Bush.

If I Only Had a Brain

  • by Lisa Kaufman, Bellingham Grannies

I would stop invadin’ nations,
Quit helpin’ corporations,
My policies I’d change.
I would fight discrimination
As a worthy occupation, (breath)
If I only had a brain.

I would talk to really smart guys,
My enemies and allies,
Perhaps my mind would change.
I would try to make decisions
Based on logic and reason, (pause)
If I only had a brain.

Oh, I — would tell ya why
Iraq caused such a fuss.
I guess you know by now the weapons were a bluff.
But there’s the terrorists…and other stuff…

I would not be just a nuffin’,
My head all full of stuffin’,
My country full of shame.
I would think about humanity
(Slower) And re-store some sanity, (breath)
If I only had a brain!

 

Hokus Pokus

  • tune: Hokey Pokey

You know the right wing’s in.
Let’s get the right wing out.
Put good people in
To shake things all about.
We’ll stop the hokus pokus,
Find help for those in need—
That’s what it’s all about!

We’ll put some health care in,
Take the missiles out,
Fund housing and our schools,
And shake things all about.
We’ll stop the hokus pokus
With jobs and equal pay—
That’s what it’s all about!

They say new fashions are in
And our hairstyles are out.
We Grannies don’t care
Their wisdom we doubt.
Let’s change to comfy clothing
And throw the high heels out.
That’s what it’s all about!

Let’s stop the hokus pokus,
Let’s readjust our focus!
That’s what it’s all about!

Grow GDP

  • tune: Three Blind Mice

Grow GDP
Grow GDP.
SEE the economy grow
IT’S the only show.

CONSIDer what GDP REPresents,
FRACKing and O-il spills WE lament,
TRASH and WASTE of enVIronment.
Enough is enough!
(speak loudly:) ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

FREE market growth,
FREE market growth,
The ONE-percenter’s oath,
The ONE- percenter’s oath.

Could ONE percenters Solve our trouble?
EVEN that BUSTED-HOUSing bubble?
NINEY –nine STUCK in a TERRIBLE muddle.
Enough is enough!
(speak:) ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Grow GDP,
Grow GDP,
SEE the economy grow
IT’S the only show.

GROWTH’s the MANtra we hear ev’ry day,
SUNG to us ev-er-y THIS and THAT way;
BUT there are LI-MITS TO
GROWTH we say,

Enough is enough!
(speak:) ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!

Groped by the TSA

  • by Laurie Rostholder

We were groped by the TSA, honey, honey,
We were groped by the TSA, dear dear,
We were groped by the TSA
First the front and then the rear
Do you feel more secure?

No dynamite in our underwear, honey honey,
No explosives in our shoes, dear dear,
Just some metal in our knees
Makes that buzzer go whee whee,
Do you feel more secure?

Touched our boobs, both of them, honey honey,
Groped our crotches up both legs, dear dear,
Doesn’t really feel that great
As good lovers they don’t rate
Do you feel more secure?

Got felt up by the TSA, honey honey,
Did not like it very much, dear dear,
Maybe they could improve their touch,
Take a class in Swedish massage.
Do you feel more secure?

Grandma’s Fate

  • by Jeanne Lorimer
  • tune: I’ve Been Working on the Railroad

Will they pull the plug on Grandma?
Will they pull the plug one day?
That is just what I’ve been hearing,
If Obama has his way!

If that is what you believe, dear
I’ve something here for sale:
(Speak)  The Brooklyn Bridge, The Eiffel Tower and Buckinham Palace, too!

So, my friend, I need to ask you
To listen to the TRUTH:
Grandma’s really safe
As safe as she can be.
The choice is up to her, you see!

(Speak) WE ALL HAVE A CHOICE!

Gaggle Against WTO

  • tune, Side by Side

Oh, we’re a gaggle of Grannies,
Urging you off of your fannies,
We’re raising our voice
We want a new choice—
NO WTO!

With the starving wages they’re paying
To workers sweating and slaving,
The owners all thrive,
Can workers survive?
NO WTO!

With world wide domination,
They’ll do the planet in.
We have got to stop them—
We must not let them win.

Sooo, join this gaggle of Grannies.
Get up off of your fannies!
We’re telling you now,
We’re angry and how!
NO WTO!

We really mean it—NO WTO!

We mean precisely—NO WTO!

We will say it very nicely—NO WTO!

READ OUR LIPS! (mouth silently, No WTO!)

Gaggle Against Cuts

  • by Laurie Rostholder
  • tune: Side by Side

Oh, we’re a gaggle of Grannies,
Urging you off of your fannies,
We’re raising our voice
We want a new choice—
NO MORE CUTS!

With all the money they’re spending,
On tax giveaways unending
They’re hurting the poor
Of that we are sure—
NO MORE CUTS!

Stop cutting service programs-
It’s patently unfair.
Fund needed human services
SHOW THAT YOU REALLY CARE!

Soooo, join this gaggle of Grannies.
Get up off of your fannies!
We’re telling you now,
We’re angry and how!
NO MORE CUTS!

We really mean it—NO MORE CUTS!

We mean precisely—NO MORE CUTS!

We will say it very nicely—NO MORE CUTS!

READ OUR LIPS! (mouth silently, No more cuts!)

Gaggle Against Caps

  • The Raging Grannies Songbook, 1993, adapted by Kay Thode
  • tune: Side by Side

Oh, we’re a gaggle of Grannies,
Urging you off of your fannies,
We’re raising our voice, we want a new choice,
REMOVE WELFARE CAPS.

With all the money they’re spending
On military hardware unending,
Behaving like saps,
With their welfare caps,
REMOVE THOSE CAPS.

Although it’s a tradition
To blame welfare for our debt,
That lie is just a fiction,
Reclaim our safety net.

Sooo, join this gaggle of Grannies,
Get up off of your fannies,
We’re telling you now, we’re angry and how,
REMOVE WELFARE CAPS.
We really mean it, REMOVE THOSE CAPS.
We mean precisely, REMOVE THOSE CAPS.
We’ll say it very nicely, REMOVE THOSE CAPS
READ OUR LIPS: (Mouth) REMOVE THOSE CAPS

Fidel

  • Gail MacDonald, Bellingham Raging Grannies
  • tune: Banana Boat Song

FI-DEL, OHO FI-DEL!
How can you be such a stubborn man?
How can you be such a stubborn man?
FOR FORTY-TWO YEARS WE’VE HAD A BOCKADE.
How can you be such a stubborn man?
STILL YOU REFUSE TO SEE THINGS OUR WAY!
How can you be such a stubborn man?
COME ON FIDEL, DON’T YOU WANT OUR MONEY?
How can you be such a stubborn man?
COME ON FIDEL, DON’T YOU WANT SOME FREE TRADE?
How can you be such a stubborn man?
TEN YEARS, 20 YEARS, 30 YEARS MORE. UGH!
How can you be such a stubborn man?
TEN YEARS, 20 YEARS, 30 YEARS MORE. UGH!
How can you be such a stubborn man?
FI-DEL, OHO FI-DEL!
How can you be such a stubborn man?
How can you be such a stubborn man?

CAPITALISM IS REALLY COOL!
How can you be such a stubborn man?
YOU CAN GET REALLY RICH AND SHUT DOWN YOUR SCHOOLS.
How can you be such a stubborn man?
WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT HEALTH AND EDUCATION?
How can you be such a stubborn man?
YOU CAN MAKE MORE MONEY WITH A CAPITALIST NATION!
How can you be such a stubborn man?
FI-DEL, OHO FI-DEL!
How can you be such a stubborn man?
How can you be such a stubborn man?
(slowly) FI-DEL, OHO FI-DEL!
(slowly) How can you be such a stubborn man?

Eighty-Seven Billion

  • by the Tacoma Raging Grannies
  • tune: Sixteen Tons

Eighty-seven billion and what do we get?
A lot more trouble and deeper in debt.
Dubya, don’t you ask us cuz the answer will be
We won’t sell our souls to the GOP!

We’re the Raging Grannies, now listen up!
You’re making a mess and we’ve had enough!
We’re gathering steam, it’s time for change,
So rent a U-Haul and start packing you thangs!

Now there’s an election in two thousand four.
It’s our chance to boot them out the door.
We’ve got the power and we’ve got the will,
So get out and vote the bums off the hill!

Repeat first verse

Don’t Make War on the “Axis”!

    • by Monica Zucker
    • tune: Do Nothing ‘Til You Hear from Me

Do nothing ‘til you hear from me!
Don’t go! The stoplight is on red!
Become a master of foreign affairs-
Or are they over your head?
Do nothing ‘til you can cool down!
Don’t just go bullying through.
Negotiation is an hon’rable move.
Yes, peace is red, white and blue.
Without a war
Peace and justice could win out.
Without those bombs
Can you even doubt
We’d still have clout?

Do nothing till you hear from me!
Use strength in ways that do not kill.
Wait till we all enlist for permanent war–
And we never will!

Dolphin Song

  • tune: Three Little Fishies

Out in the ocean in a nice warm sea,
Swam a school of dolphins, as happy as can be.
Then along came the Navy, with a military plan
To train those wild, free dolphins
To serve as spies for man.

Boop, boop, dittum, datum, wattum, choo,
Boop, boop, dittum, datum, wattum, choo,
Boop, boop, dittum, your luck is overdrawn,
Cuz you’ve been kidnapped and now you are a pawn.

You’re going to live in pens
To keep you from the cold,
Except for two hour sessions
When you do what you’re told.
The Navy and the Army have got a lot of cheek,
If they think nobody’s watching,
Then they’re up the creek.

Boop, boop, dittum, datum, wattum, choo,
Boop, boop, dittum, datum, wattum, choo,
Boop, boop, dittum, we’ve got to stop the plan,
No more dolphins captured,
Becoming slaves for man.

Diversity, Humanity

  • by: Monica Zucker
  • tune: Finiculi,, Finicula)

Some think the air belongs to corporations
And not to us,
AND NOT TO US!
Some think it well to merge all information
By thoughtless clones,
In solemn tones.

But we, we’d like to hear more human voices,
And honest fun,
And creation,
While they, they want to limit all our choices
To selling cars,
And pushing wars.

Harken! Harken!
We need real debate!
The Commission
Must not abdicate!
Diversity, humanity, diversity, humanity!
Communicate with us! Diversity, humanity!

Democracy, Hypocrisy

  • by: Ann Smith
  • tune: Edelweiss

Democracy, hypocrisy—
How terribly muddled their meaning.
Truth and right, lies and fright—
What is the message we’re sending?

Freedom so precious
Must strengthen and grow,
Strengthen and grow forever.

Freedom’s plight:
Does might make right?
Make truth and justice the answer.
(Repeat last two verses)

 

 

Cuba Cha Cha Cha

  • from the Vancouver Raging Grannies
  • tune: La Cucuracha

Let’s move the cargo
Stop the embargo
Let the Cubans have their way
They’ve earned their freedom
No need to bleed ’em –
U.S.A. should go away
CHA CHA CHA

It’s such a cheap shot
To force a boycott
On countries far too small to play!
It’s time to call a halt –
Stop this unjust assault!
U.S.A should go away
CHA CHA CHA

Let’s move the cargo
Stop the embargo
Let the Cubans have their way
They’ve earned their freedom
No need to bleed ‘em –
U.S.A. should go away
CHA CHA CHA

Corporations Are Persons Now!

  • tune: Bicycle Built for Two

Brib’ry, Bri’bry, NOW is the law of the land.
Cor-por-a-tions can DO-OO what once was banned.
The SuPREMES have set a precedent
Now WAL-mart can be president.
’Cause BUS’NESS has rights
And TO their delight
Cor-por-a-tions are persons now!

Fair campaigning NOW is a thing of the past.
Those with money OWN the elections at last!
The BUY all the TV ad times,
And RUN their SU-per-PAC slime.
(speak:) To hell with the truth!
Cor-por-a-tions are persons now!

Capitol Ship

  • by: Monica Zucker
  • tune: A Capital Ship

A capitol team for America’s dream
Is the powerful George Bush crew.
No disbelief dismays our Chief
Or troubles the chosen few.
The man at the wheel has nerves of steel–
He laughed as he dodged the dra- a- aft.
But when gale winds blow he’s gone below—
He’s in Crawford—his cow has calfed.

Chorus:
So blow ye winds, heigh ho!
A-bombing we will go!
Ignore those groups
Who’d bring home troops.
Cover up with a media show-o-o.
Let’s feed the rich once more,
And starve out all the poor.
Entitlements lost—
Can’t pay their cost—
More bombs and pork for sure.

They bombed Iraq without a fact,
And Congress fell on its knees.
The Patriot Act means decks are stacked
So George can do as he please.
Katrina meant that the President
Didn’t care if we lived or di-i-ied.
SeCURity isn’t social, you see.
Our safety is denied

Chorus

 

Campaign Time

  • tune: Summertime

Campaign time
And the country’s in trouble.
Poor getting poorer
Rich doing just fine.

Bankster’s greed
Brought the system to its knees
Children go hungry.
And the homeless die!

Bailed out those banks
Too big to fail.
They’re even bigger now
No banksters in jail.

Talk is cheap
And job promises fly by.
Change stays the same
Hope’s on the fly.

Campaign Finance Reform

  • tune: Red RiverValley

CorpoRAtions have FREE speech like PEOple.
They have RIGHTS just like YOU and like ME.
GenuFLECT to the COR porate POWer.
The SupREME court has RULED, don’t you SEE.

CorpoRAtions will BUY off our CONgress,
The STATES and the WHOLE country, too.
Corp’rate TRILLions now equal union MILLions.
Corp’rate RULE is the LAW for ME and you.

Now FOLKS we can FEEL reassured
Who CARES if deMOCracy is gone?
We’ll be RULED by the NEO-cons from WALmart,
Goldman SACHS, AIG, and Exxon.

Shout: DON’T FORGET BANK OF AMERICA!

AND THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX!

Sooooooooooooooooooooo————–

GenuFLECT to CORporate POWer.
The SupREME court has RULED, don’t you see?
CorpoRAtions are VERY special PEEEEEE puuuuul…

Spoken: CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM, IS IT HISTORY??

Bush Barrel Polka 2007

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune: Beer Barrel Polka

Throw out the baby—
And then the bathwater too!
Who needs Bin Laden
When our own fascists will do?
Our Constitution
Need some revision because
Now’s the time to give up freedom
And seek safety’s flaws!

When you hear that rumble at the door
It’s the NSA or FBI.
Don’t call your lawyer or implore
To know the charge or reason why.
 
Down with due process!
Why would you ever need that?
You’re safe and comfy—
Liberty’s only old hat.
Just give up freedom.
Card us and search us, too.
Now’s the time to call the Army—
Secret justice for you!

In Iraq we must begin a surge
To prove there’s still a chance to win.
And now it seems we need a purge
Cause they let some Democrats in.

Should we impeach them
For lying and spying and war?
Torture, rendition—
Is that what we’re fighting for?
Shame on our nation!
Must this be done in our name?
Tell the world that we reject it—
We know who’s to blame.

 

Blues from the Right

  • tune: Blues in the Night

No one ever told me
When I started voting
No one ever told me, Hon.
They’ll give you some sweet talk
And tell you some big lies
But if they ever get power.
The far right’s a two face-a neocon thing
That leads you to sing
The blues from the right.

Neocons come callin’
Corporate tax fallin– whooie
(No one ever told me)
Hope for justice fizzles
While they’re making missiles–whooie
(No one ever told me)
Ahooie, ahooi – I learned for myself
The wealthy get wealth
The people get the blues.

Detroit to New Orleans, Seattle to Boston
Whatever the city or town
There’s nothing but job cuts
Poor schooling, poor health care
Wherever I look around
For since it began the neocon plan
Means blues from the right