Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty

Subject: Lyr Add: AN ELECTION SHANTY
From: lamarca
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 11:38 AM

As a result of popular demand (or maybe in spite of it), I am publishing the Election Shanty composed during our 7 hour car trip from Washington, DC to the NOMAD Festival in Newtown CT this weekend, This fine work of historical and political significance was debuted by 'Catters KWestra, lamarca, Sandy Paton, Liam's Brother and a host of others at Sandy and Dan's Chorus Songs workshop, and inflicted shared with many more at the Satuday night Shanty Blast. It's got a short shelf life (we hope), so enjoy!

AN ELECTION SHANTY
(to the tune of "Roll the Woodpile Down")

1. Way down south where the palm trees grow
Way down in Florida
They say elections sure are slow.
And we'll hold the recount now.

Chorus: Polling, polling, they're polling the whole state round;
*That ballot of mine they will never find
And we'll hold the recount now.

2. Gore's campaign aides made a final push
To round up voters to beat the Bush.

Chorus

3. Some punched for Bush, some punched for Gore;
Some punched for two or three or more.

Chorus

4. Pat said "Those votes weren't meant for me,
I'd be glad if I got three!"

Chorus (2nd line changes) *Those voters of mine crossed the Palm Beach line

5. Reverend Jesse says "No fair!
They won't let my people vote down there."

Chorus (2nd line changes) *That brown gal of mine got kicked out of line

6. The lawyers'll fight over who gets sued
But either way, guess who gets screwed?

Chorus: Polling, polling, they're polling the whole state round;
*That ballot of mine they will never find
And we'll hold the recount now.

Ó2000 by The Civil Serpents (Kathy Westra, Mary LaMarca and George Stephens)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: GUEST,Bigchuck at work
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 12:49 PM

I was in the front row for the debut. Marvelous and thank you for the posting of it, Mary.
Sandy

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Mrrzy
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 12:53 PM

LOL! This is great, I can hear it in kinda Doc Watson accents, since that's who I know (what I always heard as) HOE the woodpile down...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Songster Bob
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 12:54 PM

At a different venue, at breakfast, 'Catter Kendall offered this, which I'd love to see added to the shanty in some fashion:

It all depends on whose ox got gored, doesn't it?

Maybe someone of the original authors can fashion it into another verse (as if it were needed)?

Bob (bureaucrat) Clayton

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Songster Bob
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 01:24 PM

Well, I couldn't leave well-enough alone, so added my own verse with Kendall's wittery in it:

I'll say this once, and then sing no more,
Way down in Florida.
It all depends on whose ox got Gored!
And we'll hold the recount now.


The Serpents are free to use it or lose it, as they see fit.

Bob Clayton

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: kendall
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 01:30 PM

I like it, I like it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 03:22 PM

So many voting cards to be reviewed, such (potentially) tight deadlines--
Poll the cardpile down.

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Barbara
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 08:38 PM

Say authors/authoresses, can we put it in the Folknik, the San Francisco Folk Music Club's newsletter?
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Joan
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 08:53 PM

Says it all, guys. Well done. Bet your ride from Silver Spring to Newtown just flew by. Joan

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Joan
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 09:03 PM

Forgot to mention...just got a note from Dave Para in MO, who quotes this comment from a friend: "You mean these old ladies in Palm Beach can play 15 bingo cards simultaneously but they can't punch a ballot?"

Also another Jewish haiku from a friend in Brooklyn:

Old Jewish Voters: Three thousand for Buchanan? Like rain falling up.

Sheesh...no matter how big the disaster, the internet hums with jokes within seconds. Guess if you can't laugh...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: lamarca
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 09:26 PM

Thanks to all - we had fun with this one. Sure, Barbara; you can put it in Folknik, but I 'spect the humor of this will fade rather quickly as the court battles get nastier...

Verses will inevitably get added onto this, but as 2/3 of us are Federal employees, we'd rather not get credited with any verses for which we're not directly responsible, as there's no telling how scurrilous they may get. Folks have our permission to sing this and enjoy it, but please attribute it to The Civil Serpents and leave our real names out of it, especially if you're going to change it...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: kendall
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 09:38 PM

You need not change my name, I'm no longer a Fed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Naemanson
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 10:51 PM

I'm still a FED and I'm gonna sing it at work tomorrow!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: KathWestra
Date: 14 Nov 00 - 10:56 AM

In case you need to see the original of "Roll the Woodpile Down", it's printed in Stan Hugill's "Shanteys of the Seven Seas" published in 1961. It's also recorded on Helen Schneyer's first Folk Legacy recording, "Ballads, Broadsides, and Hymns," available as a custom cassette from Sandy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Jeri
Date: 14 Nov 00 - 11:32 AM

Also in the DT, with tune - ROLL THE WOODPILE DOWN. (But I NEED to buy that book!)

I was in the back row for the song's debut. It was a definite hit!

To stop the recount, Bush he tried
'Cause state laws are only good if they're on your side...
(Sorry - gilding lily.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 14 Nov 00 - 12:37 PM

Sounds like you folks had a ton of fun. Hope i can make it next year. Maybe I'll buy myself another rosewood Kazoo!

Rick

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: GUEST,Nancy King
Date: 14 Nov 00 - 04:24 PM

What a hoot! You guys are great.

--Nancy

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Barbara
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 05:43 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Ferrara
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 08:58 PM

I heard about this from an earwitness who said it was the highlight of the weekend. Thanks for posting it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Ferrara
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 09:02 PM

BTW Kendall, the same informant said that another really wonderful moment was when you sang "Lorena" in the love songs workshop. I sure wish I'd heard it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: kendall
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 09:45 PM

I dont just sing Lorena, I make love to it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: lamarca
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 02:07 PM

I'm bumping this back up again - it seems that it doesn't have as short a shelf life as we might have hoped!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Songster Bob
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 05:29 PM

Try this site. I expect it'll get more than a few hits for the next week or so:

http://www.flcourts.org/

Bob Clayton

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 07:15 PM

The original Civil Serpents' version got done at Barry's party, by the way. (We didn't do the newer verses because I only copied the first post.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: KathWestra
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 11:35 AM

The Serpents did an encore performance for Helen Schneyer in my livingroom on Sunday. Hearing her Folk-Legacy recording of the source shantey, "Roll the Woodpile Down," was what gave us the idea of using it for a parody.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Suffet
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 09:02 PM

[Untitled]
Lyrics: Stephen L. Suffet © 2000
Tune: ROSIN THE BEAU (ACRES OF CLAMS)

I lived all my life in Chicago,
In the county the world knows as Cook,
I voted each time for Mayor Daley,
The boss that the world knew as crook.

And when it came time to re-ti-i-re,
A West Palm Beach condo I bought,
Each Sunday I sang in the choir,
And voted for Gore, so I thought!

In Chicago we counted dead voters,
The cadavers all flocked to the polls,
Down here they don't count the live ones,
Unless they make clearly punched holes.

It's payback for Richard M. Ni-i-xon,
A cosmic kick in the tush,
Young Jack licked Dick back in '60,
But this time will Albert lick Bush?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: NOMAD:An Election Shanty
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 09:07 PM

Steve, that's BAAAAAD! (In a good way, of course!)