Grannies Stand for Peace & Justice
Tune: Glow, Little Glow Worm
Lyrics: Deborah Lofgren, inspired by Raging Grannies of Milwaukee
We are the raging, Raging Grannies
We don't hide in nooks and crannies
We stand up for peace and justice
Even when the po-lice bust us!
Join with the raging, raging grannies
Time to get up off your fannies
The world needs folks to take a stand
And that's why we’re the Granz!
Our Favorite Things
Tune: ‘My Favorite Things’ from The Sound of Music
Lyrics: Sheila Plotkin, Raging Grannies of Madison & Dane County
Clean air and water are precious and fleeting
Mining and fracking give them both a beating
Earth cannot make it if we clip her wings
This planet is one of our favorite things. ↓
Voting that's easy and fair and inclusive
We can't allow them to make it exclusive
Ballots should come without trapdoors and strings
Voting is one of our favorite things ↑
/ On the far right / common sense blight
/ Where corruption rules
We know what they’re up to and what they're about
Cuz Grannies are no o-one's foo-ools ↓
Women are grownups with health care decisions
Toss out the right wing/ pompous revisions
Banish the old ways to which The Right clings
Women are one of our favorite things. ↓
Our social contract will soon be in tatters
Health care and schooling are not private matters
America needs what the public good brings
People are one of our favorite things ↑
/ On the far right / common sense blight
/ Where corruption rules
We know what they’re up to and what they're about
Cuz Grannies are no o-one's fools!
Thanks, Susan B. Anthony
Lyrics: Peggy Dempsey (Rochester, NY) Tweaks by Raging Grannies of Madison, WI
Tune: "When Johnny Comes Marching Home". March tempo except for indented lines!
There was a time not long ago, it’s sad but true
Women were kept from voting booths, their rights were few
[slower] Women were governed by men in their lives
Gave up their property to become wives
Until some stood up ’cause change was overdue!
In eighteen hundred and seventy-two, Hooray! Hooray!
Susan B. knew what to do, Hooray! Hooray!
[slower] She marched down Main Street in Rochester
Marked a ballot and caused a stir
And we all thank Susan for being so brave that day!
The struggle went on for many a year for me and you
Women had to persevere but they came through!
[slower] Ida B. Wells, Matilda Gage,
Elizabeth Stanton… how they did rage
And we all thank them for working for me and you!
But what have we done with the rights they won for me and you?
Do we vote? Hold office? Make them proud? Do you? And you?
[slower] Do we stand up stro-ong and speak our minds
The way Ms. Anthony was inclined
When she cast her vote ’cause change was overdue?
It’s many a year that Susan B’s been dead and gone,
But all of us who treasure justice must fight on,
[slower] For the sake of all who are under-served
’Cause freedom’s a right that we all deserve
So we’ll work and rage, and pass her torch along!
Yes, we’ll work and SING, and pass her torch along!
When We’re Marching
Tune: I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by Reid and Reid
Lyrics: Carol Tyler with able assistance from Kathleen McQuade and Joy Morgen
Introduce as a song for the Parkland students and students everywhere
( ) Parentheses in second verse is an echo sung by a few
When you stand up / yeah we know we’re gonna be
We’re gonna be the ones who stand up next to ↑ you
When you’re walking / well we know we’re gonna be,
We’re gonna be the ones who walk along with ↓ you
And when you speak out / yeah we know we’re gonna be
We’re gonna be the ones who’re speaking out with ↑ you
When you are marching / when you are marching for your lives
We’re gonna be the ones who march right next to you
And we will march 500 miles
And we will march 500 more
And every step’s for gun control
So no more guns come through your doors When you’re dis-
couraged / and the NRA seems strong
We’re gonna be the ones who rally around ↑ you
And when you’re dreaming / about how safe your schools can be
We’re gonna be the ones who dream along with ↓ you
When we go out (when we go out) well we ↑ know we’re gonna tell
We’re gonna ? tell the whole wide wo-orld about ↑ you
And when it’s all done (when it’s all done), and it’s gun control you’ve won
We’re gonna be the ones who celebrate with you
And we will march 500 miles
And we will march 500 more
And every step’s for gun control
So no more guns come throu-ough ↓ you-our ↓ do-o-ors
Abortion Cheer
Tune: The Feel Like I’m Fixin’ To Die Rag by Country Joe and the Fish
Lyrics: Jo-Hanna Read & Laurie Rostholder, Seattle Gaggle,
2nd verse Rebecca Alwin, Madison Area Grannies
Chorus: And it’s 1, 2, 3, What are we fighting for?
I tell you my body’s my own, I demand you leave it alone
And it’s 5, 6, 7, Don’t regulate my pearly gates
Ain’t it time to hear my voice
Listen up! We must have choice!
Well, come on, Retro-publicans, trying to help women again
You’re sure that we won’t do what’s best
/ With a positive pregnancy test
So you rolled up your sleeves, came up with a plan
Enforcement in vigilante hands!
Chorus
Wisconsin law that’s now in force
/ Leaves women with no recourse
If they need abortion care, doctors say they do not dare
Doesn’t matter what the woman needs
Gotta protect those seeds!
Chorus
Well, come on people throughout the land
Join with us and take a stand
Supreme Court did not hesitate to pull the plug on Roe v. Wade
A woman’s body is all her own
We demand they leave us alone!
Chorus
This Old Gray Granny
Tune: The Old Gray Mare
Lyrics: Originals by Vicki Ryder 2010; revised by Madison WI Raging Grannies
This … old gray Granny ain’t what she used to be
Had a hysterectomy, needs a colonoscopy
But she can’t afford to pay for her care and so …
What can we do for Granny now?
’Cause where is she supposed to go
When she doesn’t have the dough?
She dare not get sick without good insurance so …
What can we do for Granny now?
This … old gray Granny splits all her pills in half
Drug companies just laugh; profits are off the graph!
But Granny can’t afford to pay her deductible …
What can we do for Granny now?
Big Pharma ads are everywhere
High-paid C-E-O’s don’t care;
Granny needs a plan to help keep her healthy with
Coverage that’s complete and fair.
This … old gray Granny now needs a test or two
Her boob has a lump that’s new, but what’s she supposed to do?
She can’t pay the bill so she’ll just have to muddle through …
What can we do for Granny now?
Keeping Granny healthy is the goal,
With care for body and soul
Granny needs a plan to give her some peace of mind …
That’s what we want for Granny now!
That’s what we want for everybody now!
Clean Energy/No Pipeline ROUNDS
Tune: Frere Jacques, Lyrics: Kathy Miner
No more pipelines, no more pipelines,
The people say! The people say!
Power from renewables, power from renewables,
That's the way! That's the way!
No more pipelines, no more pipelines,
On Native land! On ANYONE’S land!
Honor and protect the earth, honor and protect the earth,
Take a stand! Take a stand!
No more pipelines, no more pipelines, (Do two rounds)
The people say! The people say!
Power from renewables, power from renewables,
That's the way! That's the way!
Gun Control Now! Now! Now!
Tune: “Bella Ciao”
Lyrics: Eugene Oregon Grannies, edited by Peggy Demsey, Vicky Ryder & Madison Grannies
We need to wake up. We need to rise up!
We need to o-pen our eyes
And do it Now! Now! Now!
We need to build a safer future
And the time to start is now.
We are a country, that has a problem.
Too many guns, too many shootings
We ask How? How? How?
Can we build, a safer future?
‘Cause we need to start right now!
We are a-wa-re, that thoughts and pray-ers,
While kindly meant, don’t prevent
Hearing Pow! Pow! Pow!
We need new laws, that have some claws
And we need to pass them now!
No more bump stocks or semi-autos
Make background checks uni-ver-sal
Do it Now! Now! Now!
We need to build, a safer future
And we need to start right now.
No more waiting, or hesitating,
Time to wise up, time to rise up
Do it Now! Now! Now!
We need to build, a safer future
And we need to start right now!
We need to build a safer future
And we’re gonna start right now!
Change is On the Way (Farmer's Market version)
Tune: We Shall Not Be Moved
Lyrics: Sheila Plotkin, Raging Grannies of Madison & Dane County
We’re singing for our future, this HOPE-TIMISTIC song
It’s hope that we nurture, our optimism’s strong
We’re on the move, envisioning a bright new day
Change is on the way.
CHORUS: Change is coming, change is on the way
Change is coming, change is on the way.
We’re on the move, envisioning a bright new day
Change is on the way!
We’ll vote for our sisters, and restore their choice
We’ll gun-proof our children, and amplify their voice
We’re on the move, envisioning a bright new day
Change is on the way.
CHORUS
We’ll vote for green energy, our votes can save the earth
Give each child a healthy life, we know what that’s worth
We’re on the move, envisioning a bright new day
Change is on the way.
CHORUS