9. The System
10. Getting Together
11. Saints-Human Rights
31. O Immigrants
30. Dreaming
29. Have Yourself a Scary Homeland Future
40. Water Board Blues
41. Saints-Water Shut-Off Protest
42. This is How Democracy Looks
43. This is How Democracy Works
LOOK AROUND YOU
(Tune: Clementine)
Look around you, see the people
Who are working everyday
For the kind of world we all want,
Where the children laugh and play
Its a world with no more weapons,
Guns are banned and want is rare,
Where all races live together,
Everyone has good health care.
Equal rights and equal wages,
Social justice on the earth,
No pollution on the planet,
A new world will come to birth.
Look around you see the people
Who are working everyday
For a world of peace and plenty
Where the grandkids laugh and play.
original words by
Shirley Morrison and Kay Thode
-8-
THE SYSTEM
(Tune: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean)
The bosses get millions in bonus,
The workers get minimum wage.
It�s time for a different system�
Let�s write a brand new page.
They�ve downsized the wages, not profits.
They�re managing all of our health.
It�s time for a new distribution�
Give workers their share of the wealth!
They�ve sent our jobs out of the country.
They�ve sent our jobs over the sea.
It�s time that we made a commotion!
Oh, get rid of FTAA for me.
F-T-A-A,
Oh, get rid of FTAA for me.
F-T-A-A,
Oh, get rid of FTAA.
(Kay Thode)
-9-
SAINTS--HUMAN RIGHTS
(Tune: When the Saints Come Marching In)
When everyone has equal rights,
When everyone has equal rights,
Oh, how I want to be in that number,
When everyone has equal rights.
Variations:
When immigrants are treated fair�
When profiling has been wiped out�
When health care is a right for all�
When corporate rule is history�
When Congress speaks for you and me�
When streets are safe for us to walk�
When gays are free to live their lives�
When taxes go for schools, not jails�
SAINTS�WELFARE
When welfare grants meet basic needs,
When welfare grants meet basic needs,
How I want to be in that number,
When welfare grants meet basic needs.
Variations:
When no one is without a home�
When mothers� work gets some respect�
When workers get a living wage�
When poverty has been erased�
-11-
GETTING TOGETHER
(Tune: I'm Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover)
What's been preventing
The world from getting
Together as friend to friend?
Could it be language?
We'll learn to translate.
Might be religion--
No reason to hate..
Couldn't be color
With all the wonderful
Shades of the human skin?
Let's be forgetting
What�s been preventing
And invite the whole world in!
(Canadian Grannies, as adapted)
-10-
SAINTS--Water Shut-off Protest
(Tune: When the Saints go Marching In)
When everyone has equal rights
When everyone has equal rights
Oh how I want to be in that number
When everyone has equal rights
Variations:
When water flows from every tap �
When every child gets what they need�
When people's homes are safe and warm�
When welfare grants meet basic needs�
When people's rights receive respect�
-41-
O IMMIGRANTS, O IMMIGRANTS
(tune: Three Blind Mice)
O immigrants, O immigrants
Watch what you say
Watch what you do
John Ascroft an-nd the INS
Will put you away with all the rest
They won't tell your names or give you bail
It's so unjust
so unjust
O immigrants, O immigrants
Come register
That's what they say
But if you do they will hose you down
And crowd you in cells where you can't be found
It's all done in secret so never mind
Your civl rights
Civil rights
O immigrants, O immigrants
You're not alone
This is your home
The Grannies are here to sing and shout
Ashcroft will see we know what he's about
The bullies can't bully you in our sight
We won't give in
Won't give in
by Patricia Lay-Dorsey
-31-
DREAMING
by Monica Zucker (Tune: White Christmas)
I'm dreaming of a white country,
Just like the fairy tales we knew,
Where the whole world's Christian,
And children listen,
And do what you tell them to.
I'm dreaming we can block entry
Of those whose skin's a different hue.
Asians, Arabs, others-
They're not our brothers-
They could be Muslim or Hindu!
I'm certain that our whole nation
Should always look and think the same.
If religions vary
From the ordinary
Then we should kick them off our plane.
I'm dreaming of a white nation,
Where the majority is right.
May our suburbs be merry and bright!
And may all our neighborhoods be white!
(speak 1st line)
Here's what we're really dreaming of:
I'm dreaming of a plaid nation,
Where we respect each other's lives.
May our children be merry and bright!
And may any shade of skin be right!
-30-
Water Board Blues
(Tune: I've Been Working on the Railroad)
I've been working for low wages
All my doggone life
Trying to feed and clothe my family
With lots of sweat and strife
Now they take away my water
And cement up the valves
How do they expect a parent
To protect their kids' lives
I've been going to the city
Asking for some aid
Trying to get a moratorium
Until my bills get paid
All I hear is "We can't help you;
The Water Board's the place
Go to them and do your begging
Our time you mustn't waste"
So here I am on this street corner
Marching with the rest
Trusting that if we're united
The city will say yes
How could they ignore our message
How could they sit back
We deserve to have clean water
So turn on all the taps!
by Patricia Lay-Dorsey
-40-
HAVE YOURSELF A SCARY, HOMELAND FUTURE
(tune: Have Yourself a Merry little Xmas)
Say "Hello" to a scary, homeland future
under their watchful eye.
With George in charge,
surveillance will multiply.
Say "Amen" to a scary, homeland future.
Keep your protest frail.
The Patriot Act
will guarantee that you'll see jail.
Here we are as in no-care days,
dreaded Red Scare days once more.
Neighbors once who were friends to us,
will meet their ends by us next-door.
Through these days we will spy on one another,
to keep the homeland strong.
Wave your flag and sing your patriotic song.
And tell yourself our President cannot be wrong.
by Kim Redigan
-29-
This Is How Democracy Looks
(to the nursery tune of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush")
This is how democracy looks (point to eye)
Democracy looks, democracy looks
This is how democracy looks, on a cold and frosty morning
(hum a half note higher)
This is how democracy sounds (cup your ear)
Democracy sounds, democracy sounds
This is how democracy sounds, on a cold and frosty morning
(hum a half note higher)
This is how democracy acts (swing arms)
Democracy acts, democracy acts
This is how democracy acts, on a cold and frosty morning
(hum a half note higher)
This is how democracy serves (sweeping gesture embracing all)
Democracy serves, democracy serves
This is how democracy serves, on a cold and frosty morning
(hum a half note higher)
This is how democracy lives (lift up 2 fingers in the peace sign)
Democracy lives, democracy lives
This is how democracy lives, on a cold and frosty morning
NOTE: "a cold and frosty morning" can be changed according to the time and weather, ie., "a wet and rainy Monday" or "a hot and steamy noontime.", etc.
By GranMotoko of the Raging Grannies Without Borders
-42-
This Is How Democracy Works
(to the nursery tune of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush")
This is the way we call our friends (hold a phone)
Call our friends
Call our friends
This is the way we call our friends
So early Monday morning
This is the way we write our reps (type on computer keys)
Write our reps
Write our reps
This is the way we write our reps
So early Tuesday morning
This is the way we make our songs (hand reaching out from mouth)
Make our songs
Make our songs
This is the way we make our songs
So early Wednesday morning
This is the way we support our cause (pull $ from pocket)
Support our cause
Support our cause
This is the way we support our cause
So early Thursday morning
This is the way we plead our case (both hands open in front of you)
Plead our case
Plead our case
This is the way we plead our case
So early Friday morning
This is the way we march and sing (swing arms)
March and sing
March and sing
This is the way we march and sing
So early Saturday morning
This is the way we stand for peace (plant your feet)
Stand for peace
Stand for peace
This is the way we stand for peace
So early Sunday morning
By GranMotoko of the Raging Grannies Without Borders
-43-