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20 Jun 04 - 05:55 PM (#1211096) Subject: Parody: The Dioxin Song From: Rabbi-Sol I co- authored this song together with Murray Gewirtz in the spring of 1983, just before the Jewish holiday of Passover. This was during the Reagan administration, when the dioxin scare hit full blast. We found out how Dow Chemical was polluting the waters of Saginaw Bay, Times Beach, MO. was evacuated, the Ironbound section of Newark, N.J., Edison, & Clifton, N.J. were all contaminated by indusries that were using dioxin. On a personal note, I was living in the Great Kills section of Staten Island, NY at the time and we found out that dioxin was illegally dumped in the Brookfield Landfill, just 2 blocks from my house. Four of my friends who lived one block closer to the dump than I did passed away from rare forms of cancer within the next 5 years. In 1987 I moved upstate to Rockland County. James Watt was the Secretary of Energy and Tom Kean was the Governor of N.J. at the time. They are both mentioned in the song. The tune is that of the Jewish song Dayenu, a traditional song sang at the Passover seder. THE DIOXIN SONG (by Murray Gewirtz & Sol Zeller) c. l983 I went to buy some fish for dinner Now my hair is getting thinner My nails fall out, I've got the gout From Dioxin (CHORUS) Di-dioxin, Di-dioxin, Di-dioxin There is no stronger man-made toxin Di-dioxin, Di-dioxin, Di-dioxin It comes to you from Dow When you sit down to your Seder Eat your carp and worry later That some day, you'll pass away From Dioxin CHORUS Reagan says our corporations Have too many regulations Dow, somehow, we must allow Its Dioxin CHORUS Watt burns bright with inspiration He'll sell out our whole great nation Who needs health, we'll live on wealth From Dioxin CHORUS Where is justice, truth, & reason It must be the "crazy season" It may not last, we may die fast From Dioxin CHORUS We've fouled our nest with fatal toxins Agent Orange and Dioxins Our sea is soiled, our fish despoiled By Dioxin CHORUS The Tittabawassee's pollluted waters Bring birth defects and disorders As they flow each day into Saginaw Bay With Dioxin CHORUS Times Beach had its population Undergo evacuation Because the ground, it did abound With Dioxin CHORUS Now in Newark's Ironbound Contamination has been found But Tom Kean says we're safe and sound From Dioxin CHORUS Now in Edison and Clifton The EPA is busy siftin' Through the earth, where there's no dearth of Dioxin CHORUS Chemistry's for better living So we'd better be forgiving Of the guys, who fed us lies And Dioxin CHORUS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Although this song is somewhat dated, I think many of you here will agree with me that given the current administration's record on the environment,it still holds true today, more than ever before. SOL ZELLER |
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20 Jun 04 - 06:02 PM (#1211098) Subject: RE: Parody: The Dioxin Song From: Gorgeous Gary (laughs) I gotta send that to my father, who works for the EPA. Currently Patent Counsel, but he's been with them for about 15 years in various roles including water quality and risk assessment. -- Gary |
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20 Jun 04 - 06:08 PM (#1211103) Subject: RE: Parody: The Dioxin Song From: Rabbi-Sol The year that we wrote the song, we gave copies to both, Pete Seeger & Oscar Brand who both loved it and said that they would perform it. To this day, I don't know whether they ever did. SOL ZELLER |
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20 Jun 04 - 06:33 PM (#1211119) Subject: RE: Parody: The Dioxin Song From: Peace Sol, The people at Grassy Narrows in Ontario will understand. So will the people in Minimata, Japan. Good song. Bruce M |
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20 Jun 04 - 06:41 PM (#1211125) Subject: RE: Parody: The Dioxin Song From: Rabbi-Sol Where is Grassy Narrows ? Is it anywhere near the Love Canal or is it on the other side of Lake Huron opposite Saginaw, Michigan ? SOL ZELLER |
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20 Jun 04 - 07:11 PM (#1211130) Subject: RE: Parody: The Dioxin Song From: Peace Grassy Narrows is located north of Kenora, Ontario. I first learned of the mercury poisoning that happen there in Troyer's book, "No Safe Place." Here is a brief write up from the www. This is not from Troyer's book. It is from a site on the web and it is a native elder speaking. In 1972 we were shocked to find out that our fresh water was contaminated with mercury that was dumped from a paper mill 320 kms upstream. We have lived with the negative effects since then: Mercury poisoning which has produced various health problems, loss of traditional food and harvesting, and the loss of commercial fishing, and the loss of self esteem within the family circle. Grassy Narrows received compensation in the 1980's from the Reed Paper Company and the Federal government. As a footnote, Sol, there are about twenty people there who are totally crippled up and suffering from the poisoning. The Government of Ontario is always happy when it doesn't here the name. What's new? |
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20 Jun 04 - 08:31 PM (#1211165) Subject: RE: Parody: The Dioxin Song From: Peace . . . and maybe I'll spell the word thus: hear |