|
Subject: Lyr Req: What a Friend We Have in Congress From: dick greenhaus Date: 10 Aug 04 - 02:17 PM Hi- Some time ago, Everett Dirksen (yes, him) sang (or recited) this before Congress. Does anyone have the words? |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What a Friend We Have in Congress From: Jim Dixon Date: 12 Aug 04 - 09:07 AM Pete Seeger recorded WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN CONGRESS on "Songs of Struggle and Protest, 1930-1950" and on "Wimoweh and Other Songs of Freedom and Protest". |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What a Friend We Have in Congress From: dick greenhaus Date: 12 Aug 04 - 11:33 AM Jim- Thanx for the lead. Does anyone have either of these recordings? |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What a Friend We Have in Congress From: Mark Ross Date: 13 Aug 04 - 09:58 AM Written, I believe, by Ernie Marrs. I think I remember seeing it in SING OUT! Mark Ross
|
|
Subject: Lyr Req: What A Friend We Have In Congress From: GUEST Date: 14 Apr 09 - 04:53 AM This is a song by Pete Seeger but I don't know the lyrics. This is the only version I found on web - a version by John Denver. I hope somebody can transcribe the lyrics. Thanks. |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What A Friend We Have In Congress From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 14 Apr 09 - 06:48 AM We have of course the Pete Seeger and a sample or a paid track download through Smithsonian:
http://www.folkways.si.edu/trackdetail.aspx?itemid=25061
We have an interesting notation in a campus newspaper:
And:
What a friend we have in congress
Guns will make our coastline bristle
Have you noticed all the progress
Modern bombs are sure to carry
There's no factory profit brothers
Never mind the widows weeping
Note Seeger sings "have" and Pigs sing "need" in stanza two line two.
Sincerely,
It was Dick Greenhaus's observation October 20, 2000 of Everett Dirkson that led me on the quest. (I once did a rhetorical analysis of Dirkson - in the 1960's he was considered the most poswerful speaker in congress....and thought ah-ha ! ! ! "Congressional Record" - but that was a no go.) |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What A Friend We Have In Congress From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 14 Apr 09 - 06:54 AM GUEST -
If you please? Post the link to the John Denver version you found.
Sincerely,
|
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What A Friend We Have In Congress From: GUEST Date: 14 Apr 09 - 08:27 AM Thank you very much, Gargoyle! http://www.cincinnatidancingpigs.com/concerts/What%20A%20Friend%20We%20Have%20In%20Congress.mp3 I'm sure this version is sung by John Denver in 1969, before he release his first album. Almost three quarters of the songs he sang in these three concerts are never officially recorded by John Denver. I hope there are better quality mp3s, but there isn't (What a pity!). |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What A Friend We Have In Congress From: Mark Ross Date: 14 Apr 09 - 12:18 PM The song was written by Ernie Marr. Tom Paxton also did another parody WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN HOOVER. Mark Ross |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What A Friend We Have In Congress From: dick greenhaus Date: 14 Apr 09 - 01:00 PM Thanx. Two questions, though: a) Mark, do you have the words to "What a Friend We Have in Hoover"? b) Does anybody know the words to what Everett Dirksen sang? |
|
Subject: Lyr Add: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN HOOVER (Paxton) From: beardedbruce Date: 14 Apr 09 - 01:17 PM WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN HOOVER (Tom Paxton) What a friend we have in Hoover! Freedom has no truer friend. Is your thinking left of center? He will get you in the end. Does your telephone sound funny? Is some stranger standing by? (standing by) Do not bother your repairman. Take it to the FBI. Are you now or have you ever Been a member of a cell? Are you running short of comrades? Things aren't going very well? Is the Daily Worker falt'ring? Has your treasury gone dry? Half your comrades know the answer: Take it to the FBI It's purely for investigation As all its records plainly show And that it has no further powers Dillinger should only know If you're bombed in Mississippi And the cops ride gaily by Just find the sheriff's closest buddy Just take it to the FBI Martin Luther King's a liar His movement's full of shady guys The nobel people must be crazy They went and handed him a prize It's wrong to criticize the Bureau And any patriotic guy Would round up Warren's whole Committee And take it to the FBI |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What A Friend We Have In Congress From: Mark Ross Date: 14 Apr 09 - 01:28 PM Thanks beardedbruce, I could only remember the 1st verse. Mark Ross |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What A Friend We Have In Congress From: Jason Xion Wang Date: 25 Sep 09 - 10:43 PM Here comes the long awaited version by John Denver! John Denver - What A Friend We Have In Congress |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What A Friend We Have In Congress From: kendall Date: 25 Sep 09 - 11:12 PM Poor old Herbert. Fact is he was quite successful before the depression sunk him. |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What A Friend We Have In Congress From: Jim Dixon Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:25 AM The Hoover referred to in Tom Paxton's song was J. Edgar, not Herbert. |
|
Subject: Lyr Add: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN CONGRESS From: Jim Dixon Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:53 AM Here's a better transcription of the lyrics that John Denver sang. Gargoyle's version left out 4 lines. Furthermore, if you listen to the melody, you'll see that it's 3 verses of 8 lines, not 6 verses of 4 lines. WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN CONGRESS (as sung by John Denver) What a friend we have in Congress, Who will guard our every shore, Spends three quarters of our taxes Getting ready for a war. Guns must make our coastline bristle, And we need to fill the sky Full of planes and guided missiles. They'll be paid for by and by. Have you noticed all the progress In our mighty airborne fleet? By the time a plane's adopted, It's already obsolete. There's no factory profit, brothers, And we have to do or die. One improvement then another, They'll be paid for by and by. Modern bombs are sure to carry Loads of glory, joy and thrills. What a privilege to bury All the dead our money kills! Never mind the widow's weeping. Disregard the orphan's cry. When God wakes the dead and sleeping, They'll be paid for by and by. |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What a Friend We Have in Congress From: Jason Xion Wang Date: 29 Sep 09 - 10:20 AM Oh, great transcription. Thank you. |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What a Friend We Have in Congress From: Don Firth Date: 29 Sep 09 - 02:16 PM Great concept! Totally open ended. One can keep adding verses until it takes on epic proportions! Whatever Congress happens to be [not] dealing with at the time. Don Firth |
|
Subject: Lyr Add: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN CONGRESS From: Jim Dixon Date: 31 Jan 12 - 08:18 PM WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN CONGRESS Words by Ernie Marrs As sung by Pete Seeger on "Songs of Struggle and Protest, 1930-50" (Smithsonian Folkways, 1964) What a friend we have in Congress, Who will guard our e'vry shore, Spends three-quarters of our taxes Getting ready for a war. Guns must make our coastline bristle, And we have to fill the sky Full of flames and guided missiles. They'll be paid for by and by. Have you noticed all the progress In our mighty airborne fleet? By the time the plane's adopted, It's already obsolete. There's no fact'ry profit, brother, And we have to do or die. One improvement then another, They'll be paid for by and by. Modern bombs are sure to carry Loads of glory, joy and thrills. What a privilege to bury All the dead our money kills! Never mind the widows weeping. Disregard the orphan's cry. When God wakes the dead and sleeping, They'll be paid for by and by. from Songs of Struggle and Protest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6ewCs_u2VA 1960 Bowdoin College Concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSEI5lQ2HFM |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What a Friend We Have in Congress From: Mike in Brunswick Date: 31 Jan 12 - 11:02 PM Everett Dirksen really sang or recited that before Congress?! Boy, Republicans really were a lot better back then. Mike |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What a Friend We Have in Congress From: dick greenhaus Date: 01 Feb 12 - 04:24 PM He sang one by that title. Don't know if it was the same song. |
|
Subject: RE: What a Friend We Have in Hoover From: Jason Xion Wang Date: 09 Sep 14 - 06:08 AM The BigO audio archive has a recording of the Tom Paxton parody, What a Friend We Have in Hoover. It was not included on any of Tom's albums. |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What a Friend We Have in Congress From: Mark Ross Date: 09 Sep 14 - 12:32 PM I only used to hear Tom sing it at his shows. Mark Ross |
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What a Friend We Have in Congress From: GUEST,Tuvya - email to Joe Offer Date: 12 May 18 - 11:11 AM forgot how to post this but I am surprised that the lyrics posted for "What a Friend we have in Congress" don’t include this verse which I’m sure Pete sang: HAVE WE TRIALS, INVESTIGATIONS THERE'S SUBVERSION EVERYWHERE CARELESS WORDS MAKE COMPLICATIONS JAIL YOUR THOUGHTS AND KEEP 'EM THERE LISTEN ONLY TO OUR STATESMEN CLOSE EACH WONDERING [“WANDERiNG?"] WICKED EYE SAVE OUR OLD TRADITIONAL FREEDOMS THEY'LL BE PAID FOR BY AND BY While it does pull the song a bit off course it adds a richness to the discussion suggesting there’s resistance afoot. Dunno if the words are Ernie’s or Pete’s or... Ted |
| Share Thread: |
