Musical politics for our times

Subject: Lyr Add: WMD SONG (Eric Espenhorst)
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Sep 04 - 01:53 PM

It IS about music, but it is more about politics, so I thought I'd start it here. Anti-war songs and political parody have always been part of the tradition, but the thread is likely to draw more BS than musical comment...so:

I offer this to start...from this page

WMD Song

Author: Eric Espenhorst

Tune: Mercedes Benz by Janis Joplin

Oh, Lord, won't you find me a WMD?
My friends won't send forces, or money to me.
Looked hard under sand dunes; there's nothing to see,
So Lord, won't you find me a WMD?

Oh, Lord, won't you find me some chemicals, please?
France and Australia are laughing back at me.
I wait for intelligence each day until three,
So Lord, won't you find some banned chemicals, please?

Oh, Lord, won't you buy me a fight in Iran?
There's oil in there, Lord; please give me their sand.
Prove that you love me and buy me a plan,
Oh, Lord, won't you find me a fight in Iran?

Oh, Lord, won't you find me a WMD?
My friends won't send forces, or money to me.
Looked hard under sand dunes; there's nothing to see,
So Lord, won't you find me a WMD?

Oh, Lord, won't you find me some chemicals, please?
France and Australia are laughing back at me.
I wait for intelligence each day until three,
So Lord, won't you find some banned chemicals, please?

Oh, Lord, won't you buy me a fight in Iran?
There's oil in there, Lord; please give me their sand.
Prove that you love me and buy me a plan,
Oh, Lord, won't you find me a fight in Iran?

Oh, Lord, won't you find me a WMD?
The Dems might just rally and get off their knees.
Elections are coming; there's nothing to see,
So Lord, won't you find me a Dubya MD?

Copyright 2003 Eric Espenhorst

Subject: RE: BS: Musical politics for our times
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Sep 04 - 02:04 PM

Here's one that's worth listenig to, by John Fogerty, "Deja Vu all over again" - that takes you to a page with the lyrics and a sound file. I've already posted the lyrics here in another thread.

Subject: RE: BS: Musical politics for our times
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Sep 04 - 02:05 PM

and here is a page of fascinating songs...with MP3s!

http://www.sealionrecords.com/cd-compilation.htm

Subject: RE: BS: Musical politics for our times
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Sep 04 - 02:24 PM

nice one, Kevin. I missed that the first time...

Subject: RE: BS: Musical politics for our times
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Sep 04 - 02:26 PM

note...I didn't mean to suggest that conservatives couldn't post songs too, but I don't seem to be seeing many.

Subject: RE: BS: Musical politics for our times
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Sep 04 - 02:53 PM

a LONG page of free songs from David Rovics...on many topics.

Subject: RE: BS: Musical politics for our times
From: GUEST,Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 10:20 AM

The MTA song--

He'll never return,
No he'll never return,
And his fate is still unlearned,
He'll ride forever
Neath the streets of Boston,
He's the man who never returned.

Is it urban legend or was this song written as a protest to raise (or start charging) a fare on the Boston subway?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Musical politics for our times
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 10:26 AM

A couple of mine...

The Honest Aussie Politican
Aussie Politics In Song
What A Friend We Have In Johnny Parts I & II

Subject: RE: BS: Musical politics for our times
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 08:09 PM

ah, yes...there are politics everywhere.

(I was just reading some of those David Rovics lyrics....he is a bit to the left of Trotsky...with the poetry talents of McGonagall.)

Subject: RE: Musical politics for our times
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 09:36 PM

There is entirely too much music information in this thread, so I'm forced to move it up to the music section.
Somebody wanted me to move Lawrence Welk up there, too. Is THAT music?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Musical politics for our times
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 10:36 PM

Only if it's played with 1001 Strings, or is that someone else... :P


BTW, I don't mind if my songs are played - but if you are gonna make money out of them, you have to contact me ao I can send you the address to send the dump trucks full of gold bars....

Subject: RE: Musical politics for our times
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 10:50 PM

Well---a brand new one that is still on the presses and I hope to be able to play it (once they send me a copy---of a recent concert performance)on Traditions on WFDU. What a concept---Modern Man is the group and the new piece----Abdullah the Reluctant Martyr. Suicide bomber that really doesn't want to meet virgins in the hereafter but would rather have some coffee in the here and now.

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: Musical politics for our times
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 11:02 PM

Sounds like we should get to hear more about that one...

Subject: RE: Musical politics for our times
From: Bill D
Date: 27 Sep 04 - 02:07 PM

is that a first, Joe?...I mean moving a thread UP....

we'll see how it goes...*grin*

Subject: Lyr Add: TURN THE BOAT AROUND (Bob Clayton)
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Oct 04 - 01:00 AM

Here's a couple of mine -- I wrote 'em to well-known tunes, so's anyone could sing 'em.

Turn the Boat Around
(to "Yellow Rose of Texas")


Our leader landed on the deck dressed in a soldier suit,
A banner stretching over him, he looked so doggone cute.
But San Diego could be seen, right there in the background,
So the order soon was given, "Turn the boat around."

Chorus:

It's time to turn the boat around, that's what the people say.
The course our leader's setting is exactly the wrong way.
The compass reads "disaster," you've run us hard aground,
It's time to fire the skipper, and then turn the boat around.


He claimed that he'd found danger right there in white and black,
And the source of all that danger was in far-away Iraq.
Weapons, terror, poison gas, nuke-u-lar missiles, too,
All waiting, primed and ready just to use on me and you.

Repeat Chorus


So off we went, a-shooting, and soon had 'em on the run,
With bought-and-paid-for press along, to show us all the fun.
We never found the weapons, the poison gas and such,
And the folks whose land we shot to hell don't like us very much.

Repeat Chorus


Now, here at home, the policies are tilted toward the rich,
With tax cuts and a deficit that's grown to be a bitch.
But there's a plan to fix it, and help both you and me –
They'll spend it all, and take it from Social Security!

Repeat Chorus


This is the "ship of state," not another "photo op,"
And when it gets to going, it's damn-all hard to stop.
But if we can turn a carrier to try to fool the press,
Then we can turn the country 'round, and get out of this mess.

Repeat Chorus


Copyright ©2003 Bob Clayton

---

and this one, sparked by a PBS special on Ben Franklin (people will believe anything if you tell them that Benjamin Franklin said it):

Too Much for the Whistle

(To the tune of "Red River Valley")

Now, it was Ben Franklin who told it, a tale from when he was a boy.
Bright pennies lay there in his pocket, when he spotted a wonderful toy.
A shiny, new whistle – he bought it – but his brothers told him with a laugh,
"You paid far too much for your whistle; you could have had it for half."


Chorus:

Are we paying too much for our whistle?
It's the question heard all 'round the earth.
Are we paying too much for our whistle?
Is it costing us more than it's worth?


When you see a car ad on your TV, "No interest, and no money down."
Do you rush right down then and buy one, and drive it all over town,
Where you're joined by all of those others, in long lines going nowhere?
Then think of the words of Ben Franklin, as you gasp for a breath of clean air.


Repeat Chorus


The president called him "a monster." the president said, "He's a threat."
And, "We've got to invade them to save us," from the weapons we haven't found yet.
Our forces used "shock and awe" tactics, we rolled over their army with ease,
And took quick control of the oil fields we need to feed our SUVs.


Repeat Chorus

The economy's deep in the doldrums, the economy's mired in a slump.
The president said he could fix it, before we end up in the dump.
So he took all the tax we collected, though all the doubters might scoff,
And gave it away to the wealthy, and it's up to our kids to pay off.

Repeat Chorus



Copyright ©2003 Bob Clayton