Classic & original songs for a just world.
(206) 769-4204, Rainier Valley, Seattle.
Listen to songs at Mike Wold/Singing to Remember
https://bit.ly.singingtoremember
1. Corporate Welfare, by Anne Feeney
[Chorus] It’s time to end welfare as we know it. And get those greedy chiselers off the dole
It’s time to end welfare as we know it
Teach them a little self-control
For far too long
we’ve allowed these corporate hogs
to belly up to the public trough
No more welfare as we know it
No more hand-outs, cut them off!
Now we should all be irate
at the huge welfare state
Right here in this mightiest of nations
AFDC is disgraceful to me
I’m talking Aid for Dependent Corporations
Free enterprise – hah! the cruelest of lies
It cost us trillions just last year
If they paid their fair share
We’d have trillions to spare
It’s time to tell them the bucks stop here.
[Chorus] It’s time to end…..
They’ve been picking every pocket
from sea to shining sea.
We must intervene to break this cycle
of dependency.
Wall Street banks, big ag & pharma,
oil money flowing,
weapons profiteers & that welfare line keeps
growing, growing, growing
Now Congress says we can’t afford
to subsidize the needy
But before we slash the safety net,
let’s tell the truly greedy:
[Chorus] It’s time to end…
Spoken: And we mean business!
No more handouts, cut them off.
Spoken It’s for their own good
No more handouts, cut them off.
2. A House for the Homeless by Mike Wold
Chorus: Sing a dream house for the homeless
For the guy in the doorway,
the woman on the street
Sing a roof and four walls bed&bathroom for all
And a kitchen with plenty to eat
Sing a dream house for the homeless
For the family asleep in their car
Where the rent is real cheap
There’s no shortage of heat
And the good jobs are not very far
Take Julie out there, looking worn out with care
Got an A.A. in office admin
But harassment at work got her out in the dirt
And she never got back in again
And Jimmy arrived from a long Greyhound ride
He was hired on a fast-moving line
But when orders slowed down,
no more jobs could be found
And he just couldn’t pay rent on time
Let’s change this world for the homeless
We all make mistakes; they say that’s the breaks
But when people get broken, that’s wrong
And sometimes we fall, but that shouldn’t be all
For folks like the ones in this song
I don’t like to preach, but I do have to teach
How what happened to them isn’t strange
We could all take their place,
with a small twist of fate.
That’s why the whole system must change
Let’s dream a world for the homeless
Bob came from the res, made a good life, he says, Bought a house where he thought he could stay. But the interest rate rose&his home was foreclosed
so he’s down in Tent City today
And Nancy was smart, but a guy broke her heart
And took all her money besides
She’d be on her way up, but she cant make a buck.
That’s why she’s sleeping outside
Let’s change this world for the homeless
There’s lots more we’ll do before we get to
a world that takes care of its own
Pay a livable wage, make rents harder to raise Defend people’s right to their homes.
And just to be fair, make the rich pay their share, what they pay now’s a sin and disgrace
So let’s organize and prioritize
What it takes to get out of this place
[Chorus]
Let’s change this world for the homeless
3. Nobody’s Body by Mike Wold
[Chorus] Not the church’s, not the state’s,
Not your partner’s, not your date’s.
Not your baby’s, if you have one
Not your father’s, not your son’s.
It’s nobody’s body but yours.
(Nobody’s body but mine.)
They can bloviate about human life.
Claim that every embryo got equal rights
But just because it can become a human being, Doesn’t mean you can’t be disagreeing.
Cause it’s nobody’s body but yours.
(Nobody’s body but mine)
So they can offer up some good advice.
Lay out the alternatives, treat you real nice
But they don’t get to force your decision.
Or have a right to lock you up in prison
Cause it’s nobody’s body but yours.
(Nobody’s body but mine)
[Chorus] Not the church’s, not the state’s…
Long ago we outlawed slavery.
Pregnant people aren’t their property .
To call it pro-life is a mockery.
It’s an intimate form of robbery .
Cause it’s nobody’s body but yours.
(Nobody’s body but mine)
We don’t care what politicians say.
They can’t give us orders, we won’t obey.
You can call on friends who won’t betray,
if the outcome’s an abortion or a baby.
Cause it’s nobody’s body but yours.
(Nobody’s body but mine.)
[Chorus]
Nobody’s body but mine
4. Across the Borderline
by John Hiatt, James Dickinson & Ry Cooder
There’s a place where I’ve been told
Every street is paved with gold
And it’s just across the borderline
And when it’s time to take your turn
Here’s a lesson that you must learn
You could lose more than you ever hope to find
[Chorus]
When you reach the broken promised land
And every dream slips through your hand
Then you’ll know that it’s too late
To change your mind
‘Cos you’ve paid the price to come so far
Just to wind up where you are
And you’re still just across the borderline.
Up and down the Rio Grande
A thousand footprints in the sand
Reveal a secret no one can define
The river flows on like a breath
In between our life and death
Tell me who’s the next t’ cross th’ borderline
[Chorus]
En la triste-oscuridad, hoy tenemos que cruzar
Este río que nos llama mas allá
But hope remains when pride is gone
And it keeps you moving on
Calling you across the borderline
[Chorus, then repeat last three lines]
‘Cos you’ve paid the price to come so far
Just to wind up where you are
And you’re still just across the borderline.
5. The Crossing by Mike Wold
We come ‘cross the river,
we come ‘cross the desert,
Finding our way between fire and ice.
A river of souls, a train of the desp’rate
We make the crossing, we pay the price.
Like a flood in the springtime,
when the ice is still breaking
Underneath frozen rivers strong currents will flow.
Like a burning wind, as the morning is waking,
Like a wave of the sea with no bottom below.
Peasants and laborers, painters and poets,
Parents and children, husbands and wives
We slide past the border with death & we know it
Taking that chance, betting our lives
Somewhere there’s clear passage,
Somewhere there’s calm water
Somewhere a cool spring from dry desert stone
Somewhere ‘cross the ocean, there’s a safe harbor Somewhere there’s a place we can call home.
The river can’t stop us, the desert won’t turn us
We’ll trust the sea with the time we have left
The ice may not hold us; the hot sun may burn us, but we’ll make this crossing in life or in death
Like a flood in the springtime,
when the ice is still breaking
Underneath frozen rivers strong currents still flow.
Like a burning wind as the morning is waking
Like a wave of the sea with no bottom below.
We come ‘cross the river,
we come ‘cross the desert,
Finding our way between fire and ice.
A river of souls, a train of the desp’rate
We make the crossing, we pay the price.
6. Why we sing by Mike Wold
Because a worker will make less
than 50 years ago.
Because reforming welfare
threw so many off the rolls.
Because the social safety net
has gotten full of holes. That’s why we sing
Because a woman’s choice
has been eroded by decree
Because one soul in prison
means the rest cannot be free
Because our climate chaos means
there’s no safe place to be. That’s why we sing
[Chorus] We sing the way some people laugh,
the way some people cry
We sing because we’re not prepared
to cash it in and die
We sing because we know there’ll be
no pie up in the sky
We sing for the courageous folks
who rise again and try
Because the police seem to think
it’s OK to kill blacks.
Because the FBI and NSA
can sneak behind our backs
Because our wars kill more than die
in terrorist attacks. That’s why we sing
We sing our faith that change
comes from the bottom, not the top
We sing our vow to fight for justice
and we’ll never stop
We sing to bring about a world
where all share what they’ve got
We sing to bring the light of hope
to places where it’s not!
& we believe that everyone should live with dignity & when the people join our song
it’s beautiful to see.
Because we want to live in peace and in prosperity. That’s why we sing
[Chorus] We sing the way some people….
That’s why we sing,
on picket lines, in concert halls.
That’s why we sing,
to those who struggle and to you all.
That’s why we sing,
we stand prepared to answer any call
That’s why we sing, that’s why we sing
7. Freedom Medley
Woke up this morning
1.Woke up this morning with my mind
stayed on freedom (3x)
Allelu Allelu Alleluia
2.Walkin’ and talkin with my mind…
3.Singin’ and workin’ with my mind…
Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody
Ain’t gonna let nobody
Turn me around (3x)
Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around,
I’m gonna keep on walking, keep on talking
Marchin’ down to freedom’s land
2. Ain’t gonna let injustice….
3. Ain’t gonna let nobody….
8. Jerusalem by Steve Earle
I woke up this morning
& none of the news was good
The death machines were rollin’
‘cross the ground where Jesus stood
And the man on my TV told me
It’s always been that way
And there is nothing anyone can do or say
And I almost listened to him,
and I almost lost my mind
I regained my senses again
I looked into my heart to find
I believe that one fine day
All the children of Abraham
Will lay down their swords forever in Jerusalem
Maybe I’m only dreaming
maybe I’m just a fool
But I don’t remember learning
how to hate in Sunday School
Somewhere along the way I strayed
Never looked back again,
Ah but I still find some comfort now & then
Then the storms come rumblin’ in
& I cannot lay me down
The drums start drummin’ again
& I cannot stand the sound
I believe there’ll come a day
When the lion and the lamb
Will lie down in peace together in Jerusalem
There’ll be no barricades then,
And there’ll be no wires or walls
& we can wash all this blood from our hands
All this hatred from our souls
And I believe that on that day
All the children of Abraham
Will lay down their swords together in Jerusalem. Lay down their swords forever in Jerusalem
9. If you want peace by Charlie King
Chorus: If you want peace work for justice (3x), No justice no peace
1.You can’t have peace in a world of hunger,
With one dog over and one dog under
You can’t have peace in a world of hunger;
not in this world.
Until the last chain falls,
hunger will make fools of us all.
(chorus) If you want peace….
2.You can’t have peace in a world of war,
Where the rich get richer & the poor stay poor
You can’t have peace in a world of war,
Not in this world.
Until the last chain falls,
war will make fools of us all.
(chorus) If you want peace…
3. You can’t have peace in a world of race hate, poverty, prison, and police states. You can’t have peace in a world of race hate,
not in this world,
until the last chain falls,
race hate will make fools of us all
(chorus)If you want…
No justice, no peace (2 more times)
10. Peace Medley
Vine & Fig Tree
And everyone ‘neath their vine and fig tree,
shall live in peace & unafraid (repeat)
And into plowshares beat their swords,
nations shall learn war no more (repeat)
Love to your neighbor
& love to the spirit of all life (repeat)
Repeat 1st 2 verses
We Shall Not Give Up On Peace (S. African)
1.We shall not give up on peace;
we have only started (3x); (repeat)
2. We’ll put an end to violence;
hand holding hand (3x); (repeat)
3. There’s enough for all of us;
peace will prevail(3x) (repeat)
11. Singing Through the Hard Times
by Utah Phillips
Sometimes our living gets so dark & lonesome
It seems like there’s nothing we can do
So we reach out to each other
& raise a song together
And let our voices carry us through
[Chorus]We are singing thru the hard times
Singing thru the hard times
Working for the good times to come (repeat)
And when the war clouds gather,
it’s so easy to get angry
And just as hard not to be afraid
But you know in your own heart,
no matter what happens
You just can’t turn your back and walk away
[Chorus]
So hand in hand together, we help each other carry
The light of peace within us every day
If we can learn to live it, to walk & talk & give it
That world of peace won’t be so far away
[Chorus twice]
12. Rainy Garden Song by Riley
We’re sittin’ ’round waitin’,
waitin’ for the sun to shine.
We’re sittin’ ’round waitin’,
just hopin’ for a little sunshine.
We haven’t seen the sun since
’long about last July.
Merry little breezes
won’t-cha blow these clouds away,
and if it’s not too inconvenient,
we were hopin’ you could do it today.
We don’t see any reason
they should over-extend their stay.
We ran between the raindrops
to plant our peas and greens,
cleaned all the closets, and read our magazines.
We’ve been to the movies and the coffee shop,
Now we’re sittin’ ’round waitin’
for the drip, drip, drop to …stop!
We’re very optimistic;
we got cantaloupe, eggplant, and corn.
But let’s be realistic;
gotta have more sun to make the soil warm.
So merry little breezes wouldja pucker up & blow,
till every little cloud is gone?
We’re sittin’ ’round waitin’,
waitin’ for the sun to shine.
We’re sittin’ ‘round waitin’,
just hopin’ for a little sunshine.
We haven’t seen the sun since
we can’t remember when—
but, my, it’s been a long, long time!
13. Locally Grown by J. Forster & T. Chapin
If I were an apple, I’d be very unhapple
Traveling 4000 miles or more,
From far off Tasmania, in a shipping contain-ia,
To a shelf in a Washington store.
Why should I be tortured
when some Washington orchard,
Would be totally thrilled to the core
To pick me & crate me
& load me & freight me, not 4000 miles, but 4?
An apple should be not far from the tree
where it ripens in the fall.
[Chorus] Locally grown and locally eaten is globally good, good, good for us all. (2x)
If I were a berry, I expect I’d be very
contrary and hardly inclined
To ship out from Chile to a store in Tukwilly.
Hey, I’d have to be out of my mind.
It seems paradoxic and carbon dioxic
That we force all our food to commute,
wasting gallons of fuel, which we know isn’t cool
for people or planets or fruit.
A berry is fine not far from its vine,
near the farmer’s market stall.
[Chorus] Locally grown and locally eaten, is globally good, good, good for us all. (2x)
So when you’re walking the aisle
past a beautiful pile
of the fruit you might want to take home.
Do not buy for your table,
‘Til you check out the label
and determine how far it did roam.
Aside from the karma of helping the farma,
who lives in your county or state.
The very best reason to buy what’s in season:
the taste is incredibly great!
So keep buying foods from your regional dudes,
Keep your carbon footprint small.
[Chorus] Locally grown and locally eaten, is globally good, good, good for us all. (2x)
14. Power from Above by Dan Berggren
Sinners are you ready for a little redemption
To receive forgiveness for what we’ve done?
The time has come to break bad habits
It’s time to turn to the wind and sun
[Chorus] Just a little more power from above
Just a little more faith respect and love
For this old earth our only home
It may take strength to say no
to that power from below.
But there’s salvation in the power from above
There’s a better way than barrels of oil
There’s a better way than lumps of coal
There’s a better way to work together
Renewable power, that’s our goal
[Chorus] Just a little more..
What will we do for a better world?
Get on our knees to hope and pray?
Well that’s not enough unless we change
The judgment day is every day
Wars have been fought over who owns oil
Lives have been lost and fortunes won
But you and I will someday win
‘Cause no one owns the wind or sun
[Chorus] Just a little more…
Yes there’s salvation in the power from above!
15. Salmon Circle by Fraser Lang
(Chorus)& the salmon circle
from the sea to the sea,
up the rivers of life, endlessly.
And they always return to the place they began. For a million years,
They swam & swam & swam. (2x)
Round the rocks in the pool, in the river below,
they are touching and turning, oh so slow
& they’ve been there forever in that sacred dance, round and round they go,
it’s a water, it’s a water romance.
(Chorus–and the salmon circle…)
To the long slow rhythm of a four year cycle,
to the pounding beat of the oceans that are like a drum that sounds all across the globe,
and they’re calling their children,
they’re calling their children home.
(Chorus–and the salmon circle…)
(Bridge)Red backs, moving in the stream,
hump backs, dancing in a dream
Nose to tail, they circle round and round.
Go back to the spawning ground.
By the taste of the waters they return to the source, lay down their eggs, feel the life force,
resting safe in the gravel, pass the winter through, these great fish are dying,
but in the spring, life renews.
(Chorus) And the salmon circle from the sea…
16. Throwing Happiness by Mike Wold
One day I went up to the park
There were people all around
Spring had come at last
Flowers sprouting from the ground
We were spinning, dancing, singing,
A most harmonious sound.
We were throwing happiness
Throwing happiness
Throwing happiness all around.
The happiness was flying, little sparkles in the air
Swirling on the breeze, caught in people’s hair. Happiness in buckets,
tossed by handfuls everywhere
We were throwing happiness
Throwing happiness
Throwing happiness into the air
And the people came from near and far
This happens every year.
You can take a special training
So happiness is raining
You can scoop the happiness
right up off the ground
So let’s throw happiness.
Throw happiness
Throw happiness all around
The children were there too
They met us at the park
They were just growing up
They were happy to take part
They threw their happiness, it landed in our hearts
They were throwing happiness
Throwing happiness
Throwing happiness into our hearts
So let’s throw happiness, throw happiness
Throw happiness in everybody’s heart (repeat)
