Category Archives: War & Peace

Military Style Chant (Call and Response)

I don’t know but I’ve been told
– Recruiters getting’ way too bold
Hear closely what recruiters say
– They will trick you anyway
We hear they fib, we hear they lie
– They don’t’ tell you, you might die!
There’s a quota they must fill
– They send you off, you get killed
If you listen to their lies

You can kiss your ****(life) goodbye
– If you get sent to Iraq
You, my dear, might not come back
– Don’t count on those benefits.
They’ll leave you flat if you get sick.

Call: Sound off!
Response: Sound off!

Call: Sound off!
Response: Sound off!

All: Sound off – one, two, three, four…….NO WAR!!

Let There be Peace on Earth

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me
Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be
With one creator, family all are we
Let us walk with each other in perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me, let this be the moment now
With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow
To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

Last Night I had the Strangest Dream

  • Ed McCurdy

Last night I had the strangest dream
I ever dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war

I dreamed I saw a mighty room
The room was filled with women and men
And the paper they were signing said
They’d never fight again

And when the papers all were signed
And a million copies made
They all joined hands and bowed their heads
And grateful prayers were prayed

And the people in the streets below
Were dancing round and round
And guns and swords and uniforms
Were scattered on the ground

Last night I had the strangest dream
I’d never dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war

  • Sponsored by: Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society, The 25th Anniversary International Raging Grannies, Physicians For Global Survival, Victoria Peace Coalition, The Council of Canadians-Victoria, Canadian Department of Peace Initiative

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!!

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!

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

Don’t Bomb Iraq

Tune: ‘Silent Night’

Don’t bomb Iraq,
Let’s not attack.
Don’t take over their soil,
Cause we need their oil.
We don’t want women and children killed
Cause the gas tanks on our SUVs must be filled.
Don’t bomb Iraq to pieces,
Don’t bomb Iraq for peace.

Don’t bomb Iraq.
Let’s not attack
All will be calm,
If we don’t drop a bomb.
Spend more of our money on schools and health
We’ll be much safer if we share our wealth
Don’t bomb Iraq to pieces.
Don’t bomb Iraq for peace.

Peace-Making

  • tune: Sweet Betsy from Pike
    Author: Simcoe-Grey Grans

We sing of our world being damaged by war
The smart bombs that ain’t just so smart anymore
Collateral damage is one great big hoax
When the People who die are just simply plain folks

We know selling arms makes a pretty good buck
You can smuggle them out in the back of a truck
Or a plane, or by train, they criss-cross the earth
Of machine guns and landmines, there’s simply no dearth

The leaders are busy all taking their stands
The people are saying, ‘no blood in our lands.
We want to build houses, plant fields and trees.’
And grannies are saying, ‘Love, justice and peace.’

Gonna Study Peace, Not War

  • tune: Down by the Riverside

Gonna outlaw those cluster bombs
Down by the riverside (3 x)
Gonna disarm those DU bombs
Down by the riverside
And study war no more

  • CHORUS: SING (2x)
    I ain’t gonna study war no more
    I ain’t gonna study war no more
    Gonna study peace not war

Gonna call off all wars right now
Give all the planet hope (3 x)

Gonna trade tears for shouts of joy
Smiles from the girls and boys (3 x)

Gonna lay down those walls of fear
Panic from lots of stress
Makes such a total mess
No need to hide and guess
Gonna lay down those walls of fear
Learn how to make a friend
And study peace not war.

Trident

  • tune: Georgia on My Mind
    Georgie Kunkel

Trident, Trident, our death machine.
We adore our Trident nuclear submarine.
La la, la la, la la.
Bangor, Bangor, that place is fun,
When the Navy let’s us see
Its great big gun.
La la, la la,
La la la la,
La la la la la la,
La la, la la la,
La, la, la la la la,
La la, la la,
La la la la,
La la la la la la,
La la, la la la

This Baloney

  • tune: Battle Hymn of the Republic

This baloney docks at Bangor,
It docks at King’s Bay, too.
This baloney floats around the world
To launch bombs on me and you.

Oh it threatens all life constantly,
And costs a bunch of our mon-ey.
We all should RESIST TRIDENT!
(SHOUT) RESIST TRIDENT!!

School of the Americas

  • tune: School Days
    Kay Thode

School days, school days,
Murderous and cruel days.
We’re paying taxes to train those guys,
Who torture and murder in the guise
Of protecting democracy.
Oh, what a cruel irony!
So join the campaign to shut it down,
And free those who were put in jail.

Now the Cold War Is Over

  • tune: After the Ball Is Over
    The Raging Grannies Songbook, 1993, adapted by Kay Thode

Now the cold war is over,
We should have peace at last.
Why are we spending billions
On weapons as in the past?
Have we channeled our military budget
To give us jobs and health?
Are we still squandering money
On missiles which take so much wealth?

It’s up to the folks of our country,
People like you and me,
To express our concern and outrage
Against such a wrong policy.
We surely can stop this nonsense.
We must say what se stand for:
A world that is peaceful and friendly
And free from the horrors of war.

Gaggle to Save the World

  • tune: Side by Side

Oh, we’re a gaggle of Grannies
Urging you off of your fannies
We’re telling you now,
We’re showing you how
To save the world.

Oh, we’re a gaggle of grandmas,
And not just here for the heehaws.
There’s work to be done,
And it’s not always fun,
To save the world.

Oh, we’re a gaggle of Grannies.
We’ll search in the nooks and the crannies
To find ways for peace,
For suffering to cease,
Save the world!

Gaggle Against SOA (School 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 want a new choice,
No SOA.

Though it’s helping freedom they’re claiming
Their purpose really is maiming,
Our taxes must not
Be used for this plot
NO SOA.

To change this situation,
We’ve got to close this school,
End all the brutal violence,
And the military rule.

Soooo, join this gaggle of Grannies,
Get up off of your fannies,
We’re telling you now,
We’re angry and how, NO SOA.
We really mean it, NO SOA
We mean precisely NO SOA
Read our lips: (mouth: NO SOA)

Circle Chant

  • Linda Hirschhorn, Rise Up Singing

Circle round for Freedom, Circle round for peace,
For all of us imprisoned, circle for release.
Circle for the planet, circle for each soul,
For the future of our unborn, keep the circle whole.

Missile Shield

  • tune: She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain
    by Monica Zucker

Oh, we’ve got to have a missile shield defense,
Even though it makes no early sense.
They tell us the idea
Is we spooked by North Korea
And the way to peace must be through violence.

Oh, we’ll ruin our nation’s whole economy
While we subsidize the weapons industry.
Many billions are exploded
While society’s eroded
And all our friends in Europe disagree.

So we scrap our treaties and we start anew.
“Rogue states” can think of other things to do.
Proliferation, terror
And as many threats as there are,
While those non-existent missiles get right through.

But the president will blindly bull his way.
It won’t change his mind to reason or to pray.
He can see it doesn’t wo-ork
He’s not being just a je-erk–
His campaign backers now demand their pay!

Bring Back Our Tax Dollars

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

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:
Bring back, bring back,
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.

REPEAT 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.

REPEAT 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.

REPEAT CHORUS

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?

Guantanomo

  • by Jo-Hanna Read
    tune: All of Me

Guantanamo, You’ve taken all of me,
Now I see, I’ll be here forever.
Take my pride, You’ve made me lose it.
Take my soul, You just abuse it.
In a cage I’m left with only rage,
How can I even go on living?
You tore apart my soul and my heart
And left me in Guantanamo!!!

Time has passed, Like in a looking glass,
All my hope, has faded completely.
Eleven years, And I’m still counting.
I protest, And you force feed me.
In a cage I’m left with only rage
How can I even go on living?
You tore apart my soul and my heart
And left me in Guantanamo!!

We Don’t Want Your Drones Anywhere

  • Tune: Over There, Over There
    By Laurie Rostholder

Over here, over there,
We don’t want your damn drones anywhere.
With the weapons they carry,
The people they bury,
We don’t want your drones anywhere.

From the air, comes despair,
With no way to protect or prepare.
Is this our style,
No due process or trial,
We’ve lost our sense of what is fair.

Causing hate, won’t abate,
There’s no way that we can compensate.
For the death and terror,
And constant fear,
Brought by our United States.

Over here, over there,
We don’t want your damn drones anywhere.
With the weapons they carry,
The people they bury,
(Speak) We don’t want your drones anywhere!

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.

US Air Force Song

  • tune: Wild Blue Yonder

F-35
It is a nuclear weapon
Costs so high; and climbing higher
F-35
Four hundred billion dollars
Contracted with; Lockheed Martin
F-35
Their PAC gave thousands to our
Leahy and Welch: Over the years
The noise, Severe; You Cannot hear
And neither can victims of the Air Force
If you please
We don’t need nuclear weapons
In our state; Yankee’s enough
It’s our guard
And we are all good neighbors
Putting up; With all this stuff
We’re concerned
For all the health and safety
Of the folks; in and around
For quality of life we’ll fight
Burlington as a first strike site
________________________________________

Don’t Make War

  • tune: Jingle Bells

Don’t make war!
Don’t make war!
Don’t invade Iraq!
Use the money for the poor, not weapons to attack!

    •  Don’t’ drop bombs!
      Don’t drop bombs!
      Inspections are the way
      Let’s spread peace around the world
      Now blow them all away.

We need healthcare!
We need homes,
Our liberties have to stay
We don’t want a war for oil
It’s not worth the price we pay.

Come Together

  • tune: Come Together

GRANNIES                                 CHILDREN
Come together                        Come together
All ya children                          All ya Grannies
Come together                        Come together

  • (All)Let’s sing our peace!

(Repeat)
Let’s get started                         Let’s get started
Work for justice                          Make things fair
Let’s get started                         Let’s get started

  • (All)Let’s sing our peace!

(Repeat)
Stop your fighting                         Stop your fighting
Talk it over                                      Use your words
Stop your fighting                         Stop your fighting

  • (All)Let’s sing our peace!

(Repeat)
Are you listening?                           Are you listening?
It’s important                                   So important(we’re important)
Are you listening?                           Are you listening?

  • (All)Let’s sing our peace!

(Repeat)
Come on and join us                          Come on and join us
Raise the rafters                                 Make it loud
Come on and join us                          Come on and join us

  • (All)Let’s sing our peace!

(Repeat)

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!!

Billions and Billions

  • tune: I Got Rhythm
    by Jeanne Lorimer)

We spend billions
Lotsa billions,
We spend billions
To fight these ‘fabulous’ wars.

None for jobs here
None for health care,
Education
Low as it can go.

Corporations making billions
While the poor guys,
Go off to fight in these wars.

(Slowly with ZEAL)
So, let’s show them
We mean business,
We want peace NOW!
Let’s bring those billions back home!!
(Give it your all!)
YEAH!!!!! Let’s bring those billions back home!!!!!

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.

We Don’t Want Your Drones!

  • By Laurie Rostholder
  • tune: “Over There”

Over here, over there,
We don’t want your damn drones anywhere.
With the weapons they carry,
The people they bury,
We don’t want your drones anywhere.

From the air, comes despair,
With no way to protect or prepare.
Is this our new style,
No due process or trial,
We’ve lost our sense of what is fair.

Causing hate, won’t abate,
There’s no way that we can compensate.
For the death and terror,
And constant fear,
Caused by our United States.

Over here, over there,
We don’t want your damn drones anywhere.
With the weapons they carry,
The people they bury,
(Speak) We don’t want your drones anywhere!

Guns and Bombs

Author: Nora Freeman, NYC Metro Raging Grannies
Tune: This Old Man

Guns and bombs, nukes and tanks,
Mean lots of money in the bank
For KBR and Boeing too,
Who foots the bill? It’s me and you!

Back in 1991,
The Iron Curtain came crashing down.
No more big bad enemy,
No need for nukes and tanks you see.

All that cash, ours to spend,
Was known as the peace dividend.
We’d use it for schools and healthcare,
To be fair, the wealth to share.

Environmental cleanup too,
That bill was long overdue,
But it was just a dream because
America must have its wars.

War on terror, war on drugs,
The whole world thinks that we are thugs,
Let’s stop all this insanity
And make the dream reality.

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.

Korea

  • tune: “Maria” from West Side Story

Korea, they’re making nuke bombs in Korea,
But that’s alright, you see,
It’s Iraq that frightens me
Not Korea.
Saddam’s got the oil we are needing,
We have troops on standby there just waiting,
Oh. Saddam,
The most horrible man in all the world,
Saddam H.

Osama, Osama bin Laden’s a threat too,
But he’s gone underground,
AI Qaeda can’t be found, you see.
Strike Saddam.
Bomb Iraq and control all the oil,
Show our might and take over their soil,
G. W., the most powerful man in all the world
G.W.

Iraq Sanctions

  • tune: Where Have All the Flowers Gone

What good have the sanctions done?
Children are starving.
Saddam reigns upon his throne,
Children are dead.
Infrastructure all is gone,
Clean water there is none.
When will this ever end?
When will this ever end?

We must all unite to lift
These senseless sanctions.
We must spread the word about
What has been done.
Let us never stop until
There is no more slaughter.
We must see that it ends.
We must see that it ends.

Imagine

Imagine there’s no heaven, it’s easy if you try.
No hell below us, above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Mm, mm, mm, mm,mm.

Imagine there’s no countries, it isn’t hard to do
Nothin’ to kill or die for & no religions too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us & the whole world will live as one
Mm, mm, mm, mm, mm.

Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger nor folk with empty hands
Imagine all the people sharing all the world
You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us & the whole world will live as one.

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

If We Cannot Find Osama, Bomb Iraq

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

If we cannot find Osama, bomb Iraq.
If the markets hurt your Mama, bomb Iraq.
If the terrorists are Saudi
And the bank takes back your Audi
And the TV shows are bawdy, Bomb Iraq.

With corporate scandals growin’, bomb Iraq.
And your ties to them are showin’, bomb Iraq.
If the smoking gun ain’t smokin’
We don’t care, and we’re not j okin’.
That Saddam will soon be croakin’, Bomb Iraq.

Even if we have no allies, bomb Iraq.
From the sand dunes to the valleys, bomb Iraq.
So to hell with those inspections;
I Let’s look tough for the elections,
Close your mind and take directions, Bomb Iraq.

While the globe is slowly warming, bomb Iraq.
Yay! the clouds of war are storming, bomb Iraq.
If the ozone hole is growing,
Some things we prefer not knowing.
(Though our ignorance is showing), Bomb Iraq .

So here’s one for dear old daddy, bomb Iraq,
From his favorite little laddy, bomb Iraq.
Saying no would look like treason.
It’s the Hussein hunting season.
Even if we have no reason, Bomb Iraq.

Glory of War

  • tune: Glory of Love

You’ve got to show // your power,
Prove // your power,
And if they fight back, abuse // your power,
That’s the story of , that’s the glory of war!

You’ve got to take // the cities,
Shake // the cities,
Go and pillage and rape // the cities,
That’s the story of, that’s the glory of war.

And you don’t think about civilians,
It’s just the cost of war.
And if they lose a few, there’s millions.
They won’t miss a few more.

You’ve got to (kick) bomb a little,
(Kick) kill a little,
Shock and awe the other side a little,
That’s the story of, that’s the glory of,
That’s the story of, that’s the glory of,
That’s the story of , that’s the glory of WAR!

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!

Georgie, Porgie

  • tune: “Daisy, Daisy”

Georgie Porgie,
Listen to your old Gran,
You look childish
Tryin’ to be a big man,
Now put away your war toys
And join the ‘Work for Peace’ boys
Then you’ ll look tall
And we can all
Live together in harmony.

Georgie Porgie,
Why would you go to war?
‘ Smart” bombs just make
Vi-o-lence grow the more.
VI e think it’s time you grew up
And stopped these endless screw-ups.
Put down your guns
So all our sons
And our daughters will die no more.

Extraordinary Rendition

  •  tune: St. James Infirmary Blues

Extra-ordinary rendition
Is a terrible condition,
But you can’t get an admission
From a Bu-ush politician.

Extra-ordinary rendition
Puts its victims in a bad position,
They are dragged away without permission,
It’s as bad as the Inquisition.

Let her go, let him go, God bless them,
Wherever they may be
They may wander this whole wide world over
Without capture, torture, or depravity.

Extra-ordinary rendition
Tolerates no opposition.
We must have its abolition
To depose the jailers is our mission.
To depose the jailers is our mission.

Down By The Riverside

I’m gonna lay down my sword and shield,
And bring the troops home now (x3)
I’m gonna lay down my sword and shield ,
And bring the troops home now
And study war no more

  • Chorus: I ain’t gonna study war no more (6x)

We’re gonna stop those bomb and drone attacks
And bring the troops home now (x3)
We’re gonna stop those bomb and drone attacks
And bring the troops home now
And study war no more

  • Chorus

Same pattern: We’re gonna spend our money on human needs

  • Chorus

Same pattern: We’re gonna join hands around the world

  • Chorus

Come on Children Everywhere

  • by Mary K. McNeill

Come on children everywhere, let’s sing a song
Come on children everywhere, let’s sing a song
Come on children everywhere, let’s sing a song
Sing a song, sing a song of love.

We will not be enemies, we will be friends
We will not be enemies, we will be friends
We will not be enemies, we will be friends
We’ll be friends our whole life long.

Hey a ll you leaders of the world hear our song
Hey all you leaders of the world hear our song
Hey all you leaders of the world hear our song
‘Cause we got some things to tell yo about gettin’ along.

When yo got a problem don’t go shootin’ no guns
When yo got a problem don’t go shootin ‘ no guns
When yo got a problem don’t go shootin’ no guns
‘Cause the guns are gonna hurt somebody’s daughters or sons.

When yo got a problem got to learn to use your words
When yo got a problem got to learn to use your words
When yo got a problem got to learn to use your words
You’re gonna have to take a time out if you don’t use your words.

Days of war are coming to an end, time to change
Days of war are coming to an end, time to change
Days of war are coming to an end, time to change
If we can do it on our playgrownd you can do it just the same.

Question a nyone who tells you who you should hate
Question a nyone who tells you who you should hate
Question a nyone who tells you who you should hate
You can make a world of friends or you can leave it to fate.

Open your heart to the power of love
Open your heart to the power of love
Open your heart to the power of love
Let the power of the heart create a world made of love.

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)

Bomb Iraq

  • tune: Silent Night

Bomb Iraq
Let’s attack
Take over their soil
Cause we need their oil
We’re sorry if women and children get killed
But the gas tanks on our SUVs must be filled —
Bomb Iraq to pieces
Bomb Iraq for peace.

Bomb Iraq
Let’s attack
All will be calm
Once we take out Saddam
They sure as hell better not put up a fight
Cause driving SUVs is our God-given right
Bomb Iraq to pieces
Bomb Iraq for peace.

Blackwater, Blackwater

  • tune: My Favorite Things

Blackwater, Blackwater, what are you hiding?
Killing’s your business and that you’re providing.
Our gov’ment’s paying a ton for your skills.
You do your job but we’re paying your bills.

Blackwater, you tell us you’re bringing order.
No laws can stop you, no country, no border.
You kill and maim indiscriminately.
Your deed will be found out ultimately.

Blackwater, Blackwater, our gov’ment loves you.
Federal contracts they’re happy to renew.
Iraqi people want none of your crew.
Your mercenaries in in New Orleans, too!

  • When you murder,
    When you dogs rape,
    When we’re horrified
    You’ ll be brought to justice,
    You’ll never escape.
    And you will be vilified
    And we will be satisfied.

Full Sovereignty

  • by Kay Thode
  • tune: Battle Hymn of the Republic

They handed over sovereignty
For governing Iraq.
The plan for our self-government
Really is on track,
But we’re NOT allowed to MAKE laws
That the U.S. doesn’t back,
And we’re still occupied!

  • Chorus: Sovereignty, not occupation!
    We’re a subjugated nation.
    Sovereignty, not occupation!
    Get U.S. troops out now!

We HAVE a new prime minister
Who worked FOR the CIA.
Those U.S.milit’ry bases
Are surely here to stay.
Our resources have been privatized,
Free markets rule the day,
And we’re still occupied!

  • Chorus

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!

Yellow Submarine

  • by Laurie Rostholder, Tom Shea

On the oceans wild and free
Sail some sca-a-ry submarines
It’s the Tridents armed with nukes
Ghostly ri-i-sing from the sea.
We would like them all disarmed
Before anyone is harmed
We are tired of living in fear
With massive armaments so very near.

  • Chorus: We all pay for Trident submarines
    Trident submarines, Trident submarines
    We all pay for Trident submarines
    Trident submarines, Trident submarines

And the people on the base
Seem to think that it’s a safe place,
So en-vir-onmentally sound,
Tell us they are green and renowned.

  • Chorus: We all pay (etc.)

Now we have (now we have)
A bit of hope (a bit of hope)
That the Tri-i-dents (the Tridents
May disappear (may disappear).
Until they do (until they do)
We’ll carry on (we’ll carry on)
Objecting to-o-o (objecting to)
These massive bombs (these massive bombs)
The-e threat (the threat)
Mu-ust end (must end)
Of all these nuclear (these nuclear)
Wea-a-pons (weapons).
Put the Trident subs (Trident subs)
To re-e-est (to rest)
In peace (in peace ha ha!).

  • Second Chorus: We resist the Trident submarines
    Trident submarines, Trident submarines
    We resist the Trident submarines
    Trident submarines, Trident submarines

Where Are the Weapons?

  • Monica Zucker, based on a song by the Sonoma County, California, Grannies 
  • tune: Battle Hymn of   the Republic

Chorus:
We are tired of being lied to,
Fooled and duped and being lied to.
Where are the weapons of mass destruction?
Why did we go to war?
You said that they had nukes and Scuds,
You said germ warfare loomed.
You said that they’d attack us,
You said that we were doomed.
You said they’re with Al Qaida,
You ranted, raged and fumed–
But all of it was lies!

We are tired of being lied to,
Fooled and duped and being lied to.
Where are the weapons of mass destruction?
The lies go marching on!

We Ain’t Gonna War No More

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune: It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More

We ain’t gonna war no more, no more,
We ain’t gonna war no more!
No more false alarms,
And we’re make no more arms.

We ain’t gonna war no more!
We WON’T fight preemptive wars no more,
We WON’T fight preemptive wars!
We WON’T bypass the U.N.
And bring the world to ruin,
We won’t fight preemptive wars!

We won’t bomb women and kids no more,
We won’t bomb women and kids!
We’ll learn dipomacy–
Not threaten milit’ry.
We won’t bomb women and kids!

We won’t go to war for oil no more,
We won’t go to war for oil!
We’ll stifle our desire
For power and empire.
We won’t go to war for oil!

We ain’t gonna war no more, no more,
We ain’t gonna war no more!
The world cannot condone
U.S. going it alone.
Smart bomb morality
Lacks all humanity.

We’ll dole the oil fields out–
Unwilling left to pout.
Thugs can rage and loot–
We just don’t give a hoot.
We ain’t gonna war no more!

Warhawks 2007

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune: When the Red, Red Robin

When the warhawks in Washington
Put all their armor on
Should we make war?
Must we start the killing
Cause they’re unwilling
To talk some more?

  • Wake up! Wake up, America!
    Rise up! Stop this hysteria.
    Be mighty wary ‘a
    U.S. world domination!

When war is perpetual
It’s sure to get you all
Terror, turmoil.
Why should we go to war?
What are we fighting for?
Just more oil?

Why can’t we just agree
To use diplomacy—
Don’t bomb Iran!
Tell the warhawks in Washington
Take off your armor for good!

War Is Peace

  • from the Pennsylvania Grannies
  • tune: Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue

War is peace, peace is war.
The truth is what we’re longing for.
Does anybody know–the truth?

Nine-Eleven’s the excuse
For all kinds of civil abuse.
Does anybody know–the truth?

  • The Patriot Act was put in place
    To keep us FREE?
    Bombed Iraqis and Afghans
    Strictly for democracy!

Now it’s time for you and me:
Choose leaders with integrity,
And then we all will know—the truth!

Wake Up America

  • tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Wake up, America!
Work for peace, not war.
Justice and freedom and rights for all
Is what we’re standing for.

Wake up America!
It’s time to work for peace.
No more bombs, missiles, or guns,
Making war must cease.

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).

There’s No Business Like War Business

  • tune: There’s No Business Like Show Business

There’s no business like war business,
The best business we know.
Never mind the homeless and the hungry,
Never mind the people without jobs.
Nowhere can you get that special feeling
Like when you’re piling up the bombs.

There’s no business like war business,
The best business we know.
Sixty seconds spending is a lot of bucks,
It seems a lot, but golly shucks,
The same amount buys food and clothes for all the world,
For all of the world.

(Kazoo and dance)

Now you bought yourself a new supply of oil–
Goodie, goodie!
And IT’S loCAted ON Iraqi soil–
Goodie, goodie!
Did you think that this would fix
The problems we must lick,
Like millions without food and homes,
And water not fit to drink?

Ta ra ra BOOM de ay!
We don’t like war today.
The bombs are now passe.
They must be put away.

Ta ra ra BOOM de ay!
War doesn’t work no more.
It could go nuclear.
Ta ra ra BOOM!

There Is Nothing Like a Base

  • tune: There is Nothing Like a Dame

We have bases in Korea
And bases all around,
Columbia, Honduras,
Wherever there is ground
In one hundred thirty countries
And in ev’ry case
What are we getting? Another base!

  • Chorus:
    There is nothing like a base
    Nothing in this world-
    And we have them ev’ry place,
    We will soon have them up in space!!

Bases cost us billions
On ev’ry continent
On the land we occupy
Where people don’t consent,
In Turkey and the Philippines,
In Okinawa too
Whatever we do there- we must undo!

  • Chorus

Seven hundred thirty-seven
Foreign bases plus
We dominate those countries;
They fear and don’t want us
Let the U.S. people know
Our bases we must yield
We only want our bases on the baseball field!

  • Chorus: end with We must not have them up in space!

There Is a Bomb on Trident Subs

  • by Rosy Betz-Zall
  • tune: There is a Balm in Gilead
  • Chorus:
    There is a bomb on Trident subs
    That makes a great big HO-O-OLE!
    There is a bomb on Trident subs
    That makes a great big hole.

Sometimes I feel discouraged
And think the time has come
When we will use our nuke bombs
And blow the world to CRU-UMBS.

Chorus

Sometimes I feel encouraged
And it is times like this
That I look all around me
And blow you all a KI-ISS! (blow a kiss)

  • Second Chorus:
    We will stop the nuclear bombs
    That make the great big HO-O-OLES.
    We will stop the nuclear bombs
    And keep our planet whole.

The Wall (Palestine)

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune: My Bonny Lies Over the Ocean

The wall between village and orchard
KEEPS us from OUR olive trees.
It’s massive and huge and it’s frightening.
It’s built on our land that they siezed.

The gate in the orchard is guarded
By soldiers who come as they please.
It’s hard to get in and get out now
To tend to our crops and our trees.

  • Chorus:
    Take down, take down,
    Take down those huge prison wa-a-alls.
    Take down, take down,
    Take down those huge prison walls.

We heard the bulldozers are coming
To clear out the orchards to build
For others who come from the cities,
With pavement and homes they’ll be filled.

And then we’d be locked in our village.
How could we feed our fam-il-ies?
Oh, give back our lives and our land now!
Oh, give us our land and our trees!

  • Chorus

Take Down the Wall (Palestine)

  • by Kay Thode
  • tune: Adams Family Snap, Snap

Chorus:

  • Take down the wall! Snap, Snap
    Take down the wall! “ “
    Take down the wall, take down the wall,
    Take down the wall, Snap, Snap.

We must all take a stand
It’s wrong to grab more land,
Such actions must be banned,
We must take down the wall.

Chorus

Return confiscated lands,
Extend a helping hand,
This is our demand,
We must take down the wall.

Chorus

Keeping folks from care,
Leads to more despair,
And rage builds everywhere,
We must take down the wall.

Chorus

Don’t let our tax bucks go,
To make more hate and woe,
Stop building the wall with our dough,
We must take down the wall.

Final rousing chorus

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!

Saints for Peace

  • tune: When the Saints Come Marcing In

When we make peace instead of war.
When we abolish nuclear arms.
When we stop funding others’ wars.
When diplomacy is our defense.
When understanding is our goal.
When all our troops are called back home.

Saints- War

  • tune: When the Saints Come Marching In

When we make peace instead of war,
When we make peace instead of war,
How I want to be in that number,
When we make peace instead of war.

  • Variations:

When all the world has human rights…

When Iraq sanctions are no more…

When there’s just peace in Palestine…

When no land mines can kill a child…

When all Afghans unite in peace…

When justice rules instead of arms…

When East Timor can live again…

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!

Peace, Peace

Peace, peace, peace, peace.
Wars must end and wars must cease.
We must learn to live together.
Peace, peace, peace.

Peace, peace, peace, peace.
Make homelessness and hunger cease.
We can learn to live together.
Peace, peace, peace.

Peace, peace, peace, peace.
Police brutality must cease.
We must learn to live together.
Peace, peace, peace.
Peace, peace, peace.

Peace Is Breaking Out All Over

  • tune: June Is Busting Out All Over

Peace is breaking out all over!
The world is getting so intent
On improving our relations
With all the other nations
Our aim is now complete disarmament!

Peace is breaking out all over!
Smiles will be on every face.
Let’s give a hug and wear a smile
Until they catch on mile by mile.
Love and care will save the human race,
And we’ll have peace, peace, peace, peace!

Peace in the World

  • from Kelowna Raging Grannies
  • tune: All Through the Night

Lives were lost, a country damaged,
Terror unfurled.
Revenge and blame will never get us
Peace in the world.
While the nations grieve in sorrow,
Together we will face tomorrow.
Combine our strength and join our call for
Peace in the world.

Women work with determination for
Peace in the world.
Tell our leaders and our nations,
Peace in the world.
We need faith and trust and kindness,
No more fighting, no more blindness.
Freedom is the goal we strive for—
Peace in the world.

Pack Up Your Missiles

  • by Kay Thode
  • tune: Pack Up Your Troubles

Pack up your missiles
And disarm them all–
And make no more.
It is disarmament
Makes us stand tall,
Not weapons of war.

What’s the use of missiles?
They’re only used to kill.
So pack up your missiles
And disarm them all—
It just takes will.

Over There

  • tune by George M. Cohan

Over there! Over there!
Don’t you dare send our kids over there!
They are brave and loyal,
But it’s not our oil,
And we don’t want them over there!

So, beware! Yes, beware!
Listen up! Read our lips! Say a prayer!
Because we’re raging! Yes really raging!
And we WON’T! SHUT!UP!
‘Til it’s over over there!

On the Sunni Side of the Street

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune: On the Sunny Side of the Street

Get your tanks and armor plate,
Get your body armor on now.
Vict’ry became defeat
On the Sunni side of the street.

In Fallujah, wasted them all,
Cleared them out and showed our power.
They skipped not a beat
On the Sunni side of the street.

They’ve got bombs, every road,
Got their men everywhere.
We’ve got trucks–they explode
While we spin—hot air.

Get out now!
We can’t win.
We lost when we got in.
Can’t stand on our feet
On the Sunni side of the—
Sunni side of the
Sunni side of the street!

Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem

  • Using themes of Stuart Heady

Oh, little town of Bethlehem,
Surrounded by guns and tanks,
The children walk amid the threat
Of ever closing ranks.

  • Wise men survey the rubble,
    Remains of Paradise.
    The hopes and fears of all the years
    Are drowned in children’s cries.

Oh, little town of Bait Jala,
A’burning in the night,
The olive trees are seared and black,
And shepherds all take flight.

  • And as the missile thunders,
    The helicopter aims.
    The hopes and fears of all the years
    Are perished in the flames.

Oh, little towns of Palestine,
Cut off by settlers’ roads,
Where poverty’s enforced by guns,
What dire future bodes?

  • Though peace on earth was promised,
    And everlasting light,
    The hopes and fears of all the years
    Are met in thee tonight.

Oh Little Land of Gaza

  • tune: Oh Little Town of Bethlehem

Oh, little land of Ga-aza,
Surrounded by guns and tanks,
The children walk amid the threat
Of ever closing ranks.
Wise men survey the rubble,
Remains of Paradise.
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are drowned in children’s cries.

Oh, little towns of Ga-aza,
A’burning in the night,
The olive trees are seared and black,
And shepherds all take flight.
And as the missile thunders,
The helicopter aims.
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are perished in the flames.

Oh, little towns of Palestine,
Cut off by settlers’ roads,
Where poverty’s enforced by guns,
What dire future bodes?
Though peace on earth was promised,
And everlasting light,
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.

Obama, We Don’t Need the Wars

  • tune: “It Ain’t Necessarily So”

Obama, we don’t need the wars.
We don’t want the wars anymore.
We told our last leader,
But he was a cheater–
We don’t want the war anymore.

Obama, get out of Iraq.
Get out and don’t ever go back!
We’re glad you’re elected ,
And now you’re expected,
To pull out the troops from Iraq.

Obama, stop bombing Afghans.
Protect their homes, families, and lands.
Don’t spend our billions
On bombing civilians.
// Show them that we understand.

Obama, we send you this song.
It’s not that you’ll never go wrong.
But we must remind you,
That we stand behind you,
Just pull out where we don’t belong!

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.
     

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.

 

Let’s Bring Johnny Home

  • by Georgie Kunkel
  • tune: When Johnny Comes Marching Home

Let’s BRING Johnny home, don’t hesitate,
Today, today!
Let’s BRING Johnny home before it’s late,
To stay, to stay!
We will stop the guns and the plans for war,
Keep the DRAFT away from our door,
And we’ll all have peace when
Johnny comes marching home.

Let’s OUTLAW the draft of John and Jane,
Hey, hey! Hey, hey!
Let’s never allow a kid of ours
To stray, to stray!
We will teach them ways to negotiate,
Rid the world of the scourge of hate,
And we’ll all have peace
When Johnny and Jane come home!
(Slow) When Johnny and Jane (shout) come home.

Let the Whole World Sing

  • by Kay Thode
  • tune: I Want to Hear the Whole World Sing

I want to hear the whole world sing
In perfect harmony,
To hear the song of birds, not guns,
Let music set us free.
Free to love and give up hate,
Embrace all humankind.
Let’s start today with songs of peace,
Let them fill our minds.

Let’s start a revolution,
Of song and love and light,
Let every person on the earth
Lift voices clear and bright.
Let’s end the killing and the wars,
And let our songs take flight.
We’ll make a peaceful world where all
Live without war and fright.

I want to hear the whole world sing
In perfect harmony,
To hear the song of birds, not guns,
Let music set us free.
Free to love and give up hate,
Embrace all humankind.
Let’s start today with songs of peace,
Let them fill our minds.

Just Say No to War

  • From E-Vine
  • tune: What Can You Do With a Drunken Sailor?

One little, two little, three little soldiers
Marched off to war and never got older.
Makes us sad and makes us bolder
Just say NO to war!

One trillion, two trillion, three trillion dollars
Wasted on war if we don’t holler
“You can go but we won’t foller!”
Just say NO to war!

Their kids, my kids, your kids, too,
Facing death—it’s up to you!
Here’s what we all need to do—
Just say NO to war!

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!

 

How Much Is This War Going to Cost Us?

  • tune: How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?

How much is this war going to cost us?
As it breaks bonds with good families?
How can we as ca-aring people
Trust Bush with the presidency?
Bush won’t do much to support them
When troops return ho-ome to staaay.
It hurts to find families with children
Lose benefits from the V.A.

How much is this war going to cost us
As more troops are sent to the fraay?
No one knows how much war will affect them.
May they come back home safely one day.

Grannies Against War Toys

  • tune: Frosty the Snowman

We’re the Raging Grannies
And we’re asking you today
Please don’t buy destructive toys
For the kids on holidays.

We don’t like war toys
And tanks and army gear
We like peaceful and constructive games
For our grandkids we hold dear.

The violence and hatred
It really must cease
And children can learn early on
That its better to THINK PEACE

Join the Raging Grannies
In working every day
For peace on Earth, goodwill to all
And singing on our way.

Glory, Glory Halliburton

  • tune: Battle Hymn of the Republic

Chorus:
Glory, glory Halliburton!
All our people now are hurtin’.
Massive deficits are certain–
But we know how to make war pay!

Three hundred billion is a lot of money, true,
And we will get our share of it and more before we’re through.
The army will protect us while we do the things we do.
We know how to make war pay.

Chorus

A cost of war is relative and so it all depends
On who are your connections and who..oo are your friends
A contract here and there can do a lot to make amends.
We know how to make war pay.

Chorus

Get Out Now!

  • tune: Union Maid

We went to war one day
And now can’t get away.
The Afghans know how to run the show.
They’ve never given way.
Al Qaida was our aim,
And bombing was our game.
Al Qaida fled, our face was red.
Our strategy was lame.

Chorus:
They think you can’t stop war
Until you’ve won it.
Once you’ve begun it
You’ve got to stay.

But we can’t win a war against the Afghans,
Why are we fighting them anyway?

The warlords are in charge.
Corruption is at large.
Once we invade the plot is laid
They counter every raid.
The lesson we ignore
Was Vietnam before.
Let’s get out now, let’s take a vow—
Why should we ask for more?

Chorus

Yell: GET OUT NOW!

Gaggle No More Nukes

  • 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 NUKES!

With all the money they’re spending,
Updating the nukes—it’s unending,
We just want to know
The whole world won’t blow!
NO MORE NUKES!

Nonproliferation
Is simply not enough.
We want all bombs neutered,
And an end to acting tough!

So join this gaggle of Grannies.
Get up off of your fannies.
We’re telling you now,
We’re angry and how!
NO MORE NUKES!
We really mean it!
NO MORE NUKES!
We mean precisely!
NO MORE NUKES!
We will say it very nicely—
NO MORE NUKES!!
READ OUR LIPS:
(mouth) NO MORE NUKES!

Gaggle for Peace

  • 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–
LET’S HAVE PEACE!

With all the money they’re spending,
Plus the dollars they’re lending,
We’re all going broke–
This isn’t a joke
LET’S HAVE PEACE!

Whether it’s Bin Laden
Or Saddam Hussein
War is not the answer
BOMBS JUST KILL AND MAIM!

So join this gaggle of Grannies.
Get up off of your fannies.
We’re telling you now,
We’re angry and how!
NO MORE WAR!
We really mean it! LET’S HAVE PEACE!
We mean precisely! LET’S HAVE PEACE!
We will say it very nicely– LETS HAVE PEACE!
READ OUR LIPS: (mouth) LETS HAVE PEACE

Gaggle Against War

  • 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 WAR!

With all the money they’re spending,
Plus the dollars they’re lending,
We’re going for broke–
This isn’t a joke–NO MORE WAR!

Whether it’s bin Laden
Or Saddam Hussein,
War is not the answer–
BOMBS JUST KILL AND MAIM!

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

We really mean it–NO MORE WAR!
We mean precisely–NO MORE WAR!
We will say it very nicely–NO MORE WAR!
READ OUR LIPS! (mouth) NO MORE WAR!)

From the Prisons of Guantanamo

  • tune: Marine Corps Hymn

From the prisons of Guantanamo
To the back streets of Kabul.
They fight their “war on te-rror”
It continues long and cru-el..

  • First we bomb their lands to smithereens,
    Saying it’s just quid pro quo,
    Then we kill the kids and wo-men
    And we watch Al Qaeda grow.

Oh we lock up men in prison cells
And we throw away the key.
Then we torture and we waterboard,
Saying “They are not like me.”

  • From the halls of Congress in DC
    And from every state and town,
    We must stop these wars with all our might,
    And bring all troops home now!

Dream of Peace

  • by Kay Thode
  • tune: White Christmas

We’re dreaming of a peaceful nation,
With no more guns and bombs and fear.
Where all children are fed,
And all have a bed
To sleep in in the coming year.

We’re dreaming of a diverse country,
Where all the races live in love.
May we treasure each other’s life,
And all live together without strife.

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!

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

 

Blackwater Men

  • by: Jeanne Lorimer
  • tune: Ta Ra Ra Boom De Ay

Blackwater men are strong and tall,
Mercenaries one and all.
Earn their wages free and clear,
Shooting bullets far and near.

Chorus:
Keeping peace, keeping peace.
All for democracy.

If their bullets go astray, “What the hell,” you hear them say.
They’re here to watch over you.
Surely, you do have a clue!

Chorus.

Wages are spectacular.
Just who pays them is not “clar.”
Ten thousand dollars monthly due.
Military men: that’s not for you.

Chorus

Yes, Blackwater men are strong and tall,
Mercenaries, one and all.
Earn their wages free and clear,
Shooting bullets far and near

Chorus

Beneath the Nuclear Umbrella

  • tune:  What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Beneath the nuclear umbrella
We’re as safe as we can be.
Bush is such a pleasant fella–
He’ll look out for you and me.
We don’t have to think about it–
Our defense has been assured.
What would we all do without it?
Don’t it make you feel secure?

A few miles off we have our Tridents–
Those grand nuclear submarines.
All those warheads will protect us.
We just love those war machines.
It’s true that if we ever use them
We will all be blown to bits.
If that’s the way that we find safety
SPOKEN—I’m sure that we have lost our wits!

 

Battle Hymn of the Republic

  • from the Bellingham Grannies

My ears can hear it coming—
It’s the rising cry for peace.
It is growing, swelling, spreading.
Let the talk of warfare cease.
In the place of hate and violence
Let the way of love increase.
The truth is marching on.

Chorus:
Glory, glory, hallelujah! (3 times)
Word peace is marching on.

We have tried the way of violence—
Let us try the way of love.
Feed the hungry, clothe the naked,
Tame the hawk and send the dove.
With our sisters and our brothers
Join to overcome with love.
World peace is marching on.

Chorus

 

 

Ban Nukes

  • tune: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean

The ONly way WE can be SURE that
We’ll BE safe from NUclear aLARM,
A-BO-lish all NUclear WEApons
And the DANger of NUclear HARM.

We DON’T want to DEprive the DOLphins
Of THEIR right to LIVE wild and FREE,
JUST to proTECT human BEings
From THEIR crazy NUclear folLY.

Ban nukes, ban nukes,
Ban them for once and for all, for all,
Ban nukes, ban nukes,
Now and forEVer more.

Axis of Evil

  • by Monica Zucker
  • tune: It Ain’t Necessarily So

The Axis of Evil’s a threat,
And they all deserve what they get.
Iraq and Korea
Just have one idea!
Destroy them and have no regret.

It ain’t necessarily so
That violence makes them eat crow
That there’d be no more terror
If their cupboards were barer—
It ain’t necessarily so.

They say Good and Evil abound,
But can Bush’s reason be sound?
They’re evil and we’re good—
We’d bomb them in their hood.
Can good BOMBS and dead children be found?

It ain’t necessarily so.
Whole countries must all go below.
Killing the innocents
Don’t seem to make sense.
It ain’t necessarily so.

Afghan Smart Bombs

  • by Monica Zucker
  •  (tune: Ta Ra Ra Boom De Ay)

Heard the war news on TV?
Smart bombs fill the air you see,
Target only military
With their pinpoint accuracy.

  • Afghan go boom de ay!
    Bombs never go astray.
    Some folks get in the way,
    But that’s the price you pay.

’Cause our bombs are so precise
We hit only what’s not nice–
Just a careful warlike slice,
Though we miss it once or twice.

  • We love Afghanistan!
    We’re after just one man,
    And evil Taliban.
    At least that is the plan.

Just as we did in Iraq,
Claim our smart bombs are on track.
Propaganda herds the pack—
That won’t bring the children back!

  • Afghan go boom de ay!
    Smart bombs will win the day—
    Or that’s the game we play.
    Afghan go BOOM!