THE NEW SO LONG IT'S BEEN GOOD TO KNOW YOU

Original words and music by Woody Guthrie
© 1940 Folkways Music Publishing, Inc.
New words by Joel Landy & Stephen L. Suffet © 2001


I'll sing you a song, you've heard it before,
Of the big and the small, the rich and the poor,
The power elite can smirk for a while,
But the day will soon come when we folks will smile,
And sing:

Chorus:
So long, it's been good to know you,
So long, it's been good to know you,
So long, it's been good to know you,
If Woody were here he'd be singing this song,
So why don't we all sing along!


The Pentagon boys want their weapons in space,
One miscue and we'll all be erased,
To the boys in their bunkers it don't mean a thing,
'Til the day that they hear the rest of us sing:

[chorus]

Nuclear reactors can melt down and boil,
They poison the air, the water, and soil,
The owners are only out for a buck,
And frankly, my dear, they don't give a...damn!
Singing...

[chorus]

Your Social Security could be gone in a flash,
Along with the dot coms in the next market crash,
It won't be much fun when you're aging and poor,
And your landlord is shoving you out of the door.
Singing...

[chorus]

When the petroleum moguls call us to die,
In the Gulf once again so their profits stay high,
You'll find us in D.C. shouting "Hell no!"
And telling those bastards just where they can go.
Singing...

[chorus]

Mr. Giuliani, it's time to step down,
You're no longer welcome around New York town,
Take your hate and your distasteful vengeance away,
New Yorkers will thank you and here's what they'll say:

[giving the arm and finger, chorus]



THE NEW SO LONG IT'S BEEN GOOD TO KNOW YOU was Joel's idea, and most of the words are his. So this isn't a 50:50 collaboration. It's more like a 75:25.

If you will be in or around the New York metropolitan area, please come and hear this song in person at the WOODY GUTHRIE BIRTHDAY BASH, a two-hour round robin songfest. Sunday, July 15, 2001. 7 to 9 PM at CB's 313 Gallery, 313 Bowery in New York City. $5 cover lets you stay all night and hear other acts as well. Drink purchase expected.


--- Steve