Lyr Add: The Ballad of Scooter Libby

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BALLAD OF SCOOTER LIBBY (Michael Rose
From: mrdux
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 12:05 AM

I posted this below the line to a thread that turned rather noisy; someone noticed it and suggested that, since it is, after all, a song (albeit a topical song), maybe I should repost it above the line. OK. It was begun in the office on Tuesday and finished while mowing the lawn on the 4th of July, which seems somehow appropriate. Any editorial suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks.

michael

THE BALLAD OF SCOOTER LIBBY
(to the tune of "Charley on the MTA," or "The Wreck of the Old 97")

Let me tell you a story
'Bout a guy named Scooter
And this story it has a point.
He was Cheney's lieutenant,
Took a fall for his bosses
And got thirty months in the joint.

Chorus: But did he get to the pen?
       No he's out of the pen,
       'Cause he's one of Cheney's men.
       He showed no repentence
       He won't serve his sentence
       And he sure stayed out of the pen.

It was old Joe Wilson
Told us Bush was lyin'
When he said about old Saddam,
That "he's buyin' up parts
And we're sure he's tryin'
To build him a nucular bomb."

Then Dick Cheney said
"We're gonna get Joe Wilson
He can't talk about us that way.
We can get at his wife,
Tell the Wall Street Journal
That she works for the CIA."

When the FBI
Came to talk to Libby
'Bout who outed Valerie Plame,
Scooter wound up being
Just a little bit fibby,
Said he barely remembered her name.

ch.

Scooter was charged
with obstruction of justice
for his bits of dishonesty
He was was tried and convicted
He was sent off to prison
Just as sad as he could be.

But then W. said:
"I sure like that Scooter
And I do hate to see his pain,
So I'll do him a favor,
Since I am the Commuter."
And Scooter walks free once again.

ch.

Now listen my friends
All across the nation
To the moral that ends this tale:
You can break any law for this
Administration
And you'll never ever end up in jail.

Final ch: And will you go to the pen?
          No you'll be out of the pen,
          If you're one of Cheney's men.
          You can show no repentence
          You won't serve your sentence
          And you'll sure stay out of the pen.

(c) michael rose, 2007

Subject: RE: The Ballad of Scooter Libby
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 12:43 AM

Great! The only change I would suggest is writing out "W" to "Dubya," although I spell it "Dumbya."

Subject: RE: The Ballad of Scooter Libby
From: mrdux
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 12:48 AM

that works.

thanks.

michael.

Subject: RE: The Ballad of Scooter Libby
From: Jim Lad
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 01:06 AM

Very well written. Reminiscent of the old union songs.
Nicely done.

Subject: RE: The Ballad of Scooter Libby
From: Azizi
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 06:53 AM

Michael,

Thanks for posting "The Ballad of Scooter Libby" song above the line. I love the words and spirit of your song. It reminds me of the songs that Phil Ochs composed and sang. And I mean that as a sincere compliment.

Songs like this can help break through the mental fog surrounding lots of folks who still think that it doesn't personally matter to them what Scooter Libby did and that Bush commuted Libby's criminal sentence.

Kudos!!!

**

And now, a question. You wrote that: [this song is sung]"(to the tune of "Charley on the MTA," or "The Wreck of the Old 97")"

Given my admittedly sparse knowledge of folk songs, I confess to not knowing those two songs. But the beginning line for "The Ballad of Scooter Libby" reminds me of the beginning line of the theme song for the American television show "The Beverly Hillbillies". And that's the tune I used in my head when I read the lyrics to your song.

Is the Beverly Hillbillies song the same tune and pattern structure as "The Ballad of Scooter Libby" and the other two songs that you mentioned?

For any one who is interested, click http://www.bussongs.com/songs/beverly_hillbillies_tv_show_theme.php for the lyrics to that tv show theme song.

Subject: RE: The Ballad of Scooter Libby
From: van lingle
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 07:55 AM

Well done mrdux.

No, Azzizi they are different songs. Charley on the MTA does however open with the line "Let me tell you a story about a man named Charley,".It's in the DT.

Subject: RE: The Ballad of Scooter Libby
From: Azizi
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 08:34 AM

Thanks, van lingle.

I'll check out that song in the DT.

Subject: RE: The Ballad of Scooter Libby
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 12:49 PM

Michael-

Very well done!

You may be able to work this pun in if you're interested:

"He was pardoned with the stroke of a pen"

Odd, I was thinking just the other day that a ditty might be composed on this topic to the tune of "Charley on the MTA." The original song, by the way, was a 19th century ballad entitled "The Sailor on the Deep Blue Sea (Will He Ever Return)."

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: The Ballad of Scooter Libby
From: mrdux
Date: 09 Jul 07 - 12:52 AM

Charley --

Thanks. I was sitting at my desk musing about how "the decider" had become "the commuter," and "Charley on the MTA" was the only song about commuting that came to mind. The 19th Century original tune (a.k.a. "The Ship That Never Returned") was written c. 1865 by Henry Clay Work, who also wrote "My Grandfather's Clock," and "Marching Through Georgia."

I'll give the pun a try.


Azizi --

If you go to the Kingston Trio home page, scroll down and click on the Jukebox (lower right), you'll find a live early '60s performance of the MTA song. A 1925 recording of "Wreck of the Old 97" is at the fascinating site here . And thanks again.


Jim Lad and van lingle --

Thanks for the compliments.

michael