of Detroit Michigan and Windsor Ontario
Uh Oh, We're in the Red Dear
Consumer Wonderland
Jingle All the Way
Buy and Sell
A New Jingle Bells
Christmas in the Dark
War Toys War Toys
Santa Doesn't Like War Toys
GI Joe
Deck the Halls
GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN
Slow down ye frantic shoppers for there’s something we must say
If you would spare a moment all the stores would go away
Big business has been telling us what Christmas means today
Now it’s time we decided for ourselves, for ourselves
Yes it’s time we decided for ourselves.
To some folks Christmas means a time for gathering with friends
And enemies might take it as a time to make amends
But TV says it’s time for pricey gifts and selfish ends
Now it’s time we decided for ourselves, for ourselves
Yes it’s time we decided for ourselves.
Some people feel that Christmas is when Jesus makes a call
For others it’s a time to stress good will and peace to all
But advertisers tell us it means Santa’s at the mall
Now it’s time we decided for ourselves, for ourselves
Yes it’s time we decided for ourselves.
-12-
UH OH WE’RE IN THE RED, DEAR
(Rudolph the red-nose reindeer)
Uh oh we’re in the red, dear
On our credit card it shows
Christmas is almost over
But the debit line still grows
Shopping like Santa’s zombies
Sent our budget down in flames
But all our Christmas spirit
Helped the giant retail chains
I’m so foggy Christmas Eve
Wondering how we’ll pay
Christmas doesn’t seem so bright
When our finances are tight
So here’s a plan for next year
Let’s forget the shopping spree
Let’s give a gift of love, so
All our Christmas gifts are free
-13-
Consumer Wonderland
(tune of: Winter Wonderland) (words by Erica Avery)
The TV's on / are you watching?
Another product / that they're hawking
one more thing you need
to make life complete
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland
In the stores / you will hear it
"Pricey gifts / show holiday spirit"
That's what they call it
to get to your wallet
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland
At the mall we can go out shopping
and buy lots of stuff we can't afford
we'll have lots of fun with our new toys
until we realize that we're still bored
When you shop / ain't it thrilling
until / you get the billing
the money you still owe the stuff broke long ago
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland.
14-
JINGLE ALL THE WAY
You’re eating up our lies and dashing to the stores
Then all our prices rise and how the money pours
If we don’t keep you drugged and watching your TV
You might see the hypocrisy then where would business be?
Profits here, profits there,profits everywhere
Christmas time is funny,we smell money in the air
Advertise, glamorize, fool you with a flair.
Let’s make sure that Christmas is a businesslike affair.
We’ll tell you how to think and tell you what to try
What to eat and drink and how to live and die
And if our plan succeeds, when Christmas-time is nigh
Instead of seeking love and peace you’ll hunt for gifts to buy
-15-
Buy and Sell
(tune of: Silver Bells) (words by Erica Avery)
City Sidewalks busy sidewalks
lined with advertising
It's the big retail season of Christmas
Children begging for each new thing
toys for mile after mile
and the mood of the season is clear
Buy and Sell (Buy and Sell)
Buy and Sell (Buy and Sell)
It's Christmas time for consumers
Ching-a-ching (Ching-a-ching)
Cash registers ring (Cash registers ring)
Must we spend Christmas this way?
Maxing credit, running debits
buying things we don't need
with money we don't really have
Children crying, parents sighing
no time for family
and the reason behind it is clear
Buy and Sell (Buy and Sell)
Buy and Sell (Buy and Sell)
It's Christmas time for consumers
Ching-a-ching (Ching-a-ching)
Cash registers ring (Cash registers ring)
Must we spend Christmas this way?
-16-
A NEW JINGLE BELLS
No war toys, no war toys
Underneath the tree
The Killer and Exterminator
Are not the toys for me
Oh, no war toys, no war toys
Underneath the tree
The Killer and Exterminator
Are not the toys for me.
Dashing through the store
On our shopping spree
War toys piled up high
Falling down on me.
I hope that I can find
Some peaceful toys for me
So us kids can learn to play
In peaceful harmony
Oh, no war toys, no war toys
Underneath the tree
The Killer and Exterminator
Are not the toys for me
Oh, no war toys, no war toys
Underneath the tree
The Killer and Exterminator
Are not the toys for me.
by the Victoria Grannies
-17-
CHRISTMAS IN THE DARK
(HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY CHRISTMAS)
HAVE YOURSELVES A KINDER, GENTLER CHRISTMAS,
PEOPLE ON THE STREET.
MAY YOU NEVER LACK FOR SOMETHING GOOD TO EAT.
MAY YOU FIND ACCEPTANCE FROM THE FOLK YOU MEET.
HAVE YOURSELVES A SAFE AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.
ALL YOU BATTERED WIVES.
MAY YOU SLEEP NO LONGER FEARING FOR YOUR LIVES.
MAY THIS BE A CHRISTMAS WITHOUT GUNS AND KNIVES.
HAVE YOURSELVES A FAMILY SORT OF CHRISTMAS
ALL YOU MIXED UP KIDS.
MAY YOU NEVER FEEL YOUR LIVES ARE ON THE SKIDS.
MAY YOU FEEL AS STABLE AS THE PYRAMIDS.
LET'S MAKE THIS A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHRISTMAS
NOT JUST GIFTS AND TREES.
LET'S CLICK OFF COMMERCIALS ON OUR DUMB TVS,
HAVE OURSELVES A SIMPLER TIME, A TIME OF PEACE.
-18-
War Toys, War Toys
(tune: School Days)
War toys, war toys
Good old-fashioned war toys
Tanks and bazookas and cannons that roar
Fighter jets, guns and a whole lot more
These are the toys the stores now sell
Toys that the kids all love so well
Do we want to teach them how to fight
Pretending it's fun and all right.
War toys, war toys
Good old fashioned war toys
Tanks and bazookas and cannons that roar
Fighter jets, guns and a whole lot more
Children will learn as they play with toys
Does our world need volent girls and boys
Countries may say that war is fine
But let us teach kids to be kind.
Patricia Lay-Dorsey
(inspired by Victoria Grannies song)
-25-
Santa Doesn't Like War Toys
(tune: Santa Claus is Coming to Town)
Oh, you better watch out
You better not buy
Toys for the kids
That are violent, Oh fie!
Santa Claus is coming to town.
Santa says no to submachine guns
Legos and games are much more fun
Santa Claus is coming to town
The reindeer all cooperate
As they fly on their way
We can teach our kids the same
In the ways they learn to play
Oh, you better watch out
You'd better not buy
Toys for the kids
That are violent, oh fie!
Santa Claus is coming to town.
Victoria Raging Grannies
-26-
GI Joe
(Tune: "Jingle Bills")
CHORUS:
GI Joe, don't you know
War is not the way?
War toys only teach our kids
The violent way to play. Hey!
GI Joe, don't you know
War is not the way?
Let's teach our kids to live in peace
With good old-fashioned play.
Little kids will learn
By what their parents do,
So when you buy their toys
It's really up to you....
If you buy them guns
You teach them how to kill,
But vi-o-lence is not a game
Free choice is still free will
-CHORUS-
You can buy them books,
And dolls and cars that run.
There's lots of things that you can get
But they don't need a gun!
You can give them hugs
And teach them how to play
So they'll grow up safe and sound
And not get blown away! Oh!
-CHORUS-
by Vicki of Rochester, NY Raging Grannies
-27-
Deck the Halls
Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Do away with war-time folly
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Give your kids new toys not weapons
Fa la la, la la, la la
Teach them how to play not shoot guns
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Grannies in our bright apparel
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Sing about the war toys' peril
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Your attention we're addressing
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Peace on Earth you might be guessing
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Ottawa Raging Grannies
(adapted by Patricia Lay-Dorsey)
-28-
Raging Grannies Without Borders of Detroit Michigan and Windsor Ontario