Hoosier Raging Grannies

Lift the blockade

Author: Vicki Ryder (Rochester, NY)

Tune: “Oh, Dear, What Can the Matter Be?”

CHORUS:
Oh dear, what can the matter be?
 U.S. is planning transition democracy,
Meddling in countries where they hadn’t oughta be….
Keep your hands off Cuba now!

They say that they’re fighting to keep us all free
Then won’t let us travel across the blue sea
To the island of Cuba where health care is free…
Lift the blockade-o right now!

REPEAT 1st CHORUS

They think that the Cubans will see it their way
If they starve them and bar them and keep them at bay,
But we all know you can’t win new friends that way,
So lift the blockade-o right now!

It’s time that we lifted this cruel blockade
And let U.S. farmers engage in fair trade,
And let us buy rum and cigars Cuban-made,
Oh, lift the blockade-o right now!

FINAL CHORUS:
Oh dear, what can the matter be?
 U.S. is planning transition democracy,
Meddling in countries where they hadn’t oughta be….
We’re going to change that, and how!!

 

Doo Dah Cuba  Author: Judy Halley and Vicki Ryder (Rochester, NY)

Tune: “The Camptown Races”

We’re the Raging Grannies singin’ our song,
Doo dah, doo dah,
Our Cuba policy is wrong,
It’s got to change today.

Say “No” to the blockade!
Let commerce go both ways.
And let us travel freely there –
That’s the American way.

It’s time to end the travel ban;
That’s DOO DOO, DOO DOO!
Let’s all be free to travel there
’Cause that’s the humane way.

Say “No” to the blockade!
Let commerce go both ways.
Let us build a friendship bridge,
And bring them medical aid.

We’re told that we can’t travel there
’Cause THEY don’t have freedom.
If WE aren’t  free to travel there…
Then what have we become?(how can we get good rum)

Let’s send them food, not bombs,
And school supplies today!
And let us lift the travel ban
Let’s help them on their way.

Gonna roar all night,
Gonna rage all day!
We’re here to cheer for the Caravan.                                                       “Let  Cuba  live,” we say 

 

Cuba, Cuba 

Original lyrics by Pat Moss (Vancouver) and Vicki Ryder (Rochester)

Tune: “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”

We’re Grannies and we’re really ragin’
‘Cause this is the land of the free.
So why can’t we travel to Cuba
If this is a democracy?

Chorus: Cu-ba, Cu-ba – we want the freedom to travel there!
Cu-ba, Cu-ba – restricting our travel ain’t fair!

For 51years our government
Tried to kick out old Fidel.
But the Cubans, still proud, brave and fearless,
Tell Uncle Sam, “Go to hell!”

Chorus

Let’s show our support for the Cubans
Against US government might,
And our imperialistic ambitions.
For once, let us do what is right.

Chorus

Just let Cuba get on with its business,
And let them engage in fair trade.
We’ve had too many years of this nonsense!                                                          So lift the immoral blockade.

No Comments | In: Articles and News | tags: cuba, economic justice, Songs. | #

Give Me a Home

(Environmental/Home on the Range/Key A) 

Oh, give me a home—where the rivers don’t foam

And the squirrels and the chipmunks can play

Where the lakes all have fish—you can put on your dish

And the skies are not smoggy and gray

 

Chorus:

Home, home on the earth

Your beauty’s beginning to fade

We’ve got to act fast

Cause our luck, it won’t last

Our home we just can’t throw away 

Disease causing wastes—are inclined to escape

When into the ground they are dumped

We don’t want PVC—in the products we see

Or dioxins on our babies’  rumps 

Bicycle Song 

Daisy, Daisy—bicycling’s good for you

Driving’s crazy— cars spew out CO2

We know we should not disparage

An elegant motor carriage

But take a hike—or ride a bike

The environment will love you 

Don’t you wish that we had commuter trains

Proper bike paths and bicycle friendly lanes?

Who needs I-69 highway?

Why can’t they do it my way?

We’ll clean the air—have dough to spare

If only we use our brains 
 
 
 
 

Give Me that Fuel Efficient Auto (Key of C)

(Gail Sredanovic—tune: Give Me that Old Time Religion) 

Give me that fuel efficient auto (3X)

It’s good for you and me 

It’s good enough for Europe

It’s good enough for Asia

It’s good for other nations

And it’s good for you and me 

Give us a cleaner burning engine (3X)

It’s good for you and me 

It’s good for the mothers

It’s good for the fathers

It’s good for the children

And it’s good for you and me—Repeat 1^st verse 
 

Dandelions

(Woodstock Grans? Tune: Clementine) 

Dandelions, dandelions—are ruining your perfect lawn

But a weed is just a flower—that you wish would soon be gone 

So you plan that they’ll be banished—and you spray with pesticide

Till they pucker and they shrivel—and they look like they’ve been fried 

But the run-off pollutes the water—and fills up your drinking glass

And when Rover rolls in clover—it covers him from nose to—tail! 

For some women, there’s breast cancer—while some men are impotent

If it’s really that important—replace your lawn with green cement!

 

AntiNuke Environmentalists

Author: Sunny Armer, NYC Metro Raging Grannies and Their Daughters

Tune: She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain

Call us anti-nuke environmentalists.
We are anti-nuke environmentalists.
We protect our air and water,
You can’t lead us to the slaughter,
‘Cause we’re anti-nuke environmentalists.

We know tons of facts regarding nuclear waste.
When it leaks into our water there’s no taste,
But it’s poison all the same.
Entergy is who we blame,
So we’re anti-nuke environmentalists.

If you get your self relicensed and still run,
There’ll be lots more dead fish lying in the sun,
More strontium in our babies’ teeth,
More leaks that millions hate to breathe,
With no evacuation they can’t run.

There are twenty tons of new waste every year,
All created by the Indian Point plant here.
You can swear on our own Bibles
That it’s “safe, secure, and vital,”
But we’re sure not gonna swallow what we hear.

When we think about Chernobyl, we have qualms.
You’re a target for those terrorists with bombs.
There’s no anti-nuke insurance,
Which means there’s no assurance
That we will not all be blown to Kingdom Come.

Bring us solar, bring us hydro, bring us wind.
Bring us energy from sources that won’t end.
Before we could trust uranium,
We’d need holes in our cranium.
Call us anti-nuke environmentalists

No Comments | In: Articles and News | tags: environment, Songs. | #

You’ve got to be carefully taught  

Text by Hoosier Granny Nan Miller

 

You’ve got to be taught

To hate and fear

Those people in tents

Both far and near

They may be on drugs

They may steal your beer

Your kids must be carefully taught.

 

Your children are watching / You rant and rave

‘gainst those with no money / Or jobs or homes

So when you lose yours / They will treat you the same

To protect their fine homes and good names.

 

They’ll kick you right out / And then they’li give chase

They’ll send you away / From place to place

And heaven forbid / You should live near their home

This you’ve so shamelessly taught.

 

How much better to find / Them a place to lie down

To get a night’s sleep / Somewhere in our town

To take a good bath / And eat a good meal

How much better to give them respect .

 

We’re all of us family / We all want the same,

We all want to live / Without blame or disgrace

So give us a chance / To regain our good name -

It’s much better to find us a place.

No Comments | In: Songs | tags: new song for homeless. | #