Go Ahead and Die! (Pirates Of The Health Care-ibean)
Austin Lounge Lizards. Sung with permission.
All: We are the captains of a health insurance company
We plunder and we profit, as we sail the corporate seas
Our sal’ries in the millions and our dividends obscene;
Our logo is the Jolly Roger on a field of green …
All: Our logo is the Jolly Roger on a field of green!
Group 2: Should ye fear ill winds will blow your ship upon the reef
We’ll offer our protection lest ye surely come to grief
We may spare your life if bloated premiums you’ll pay
But if you can’t afford this ransom, here is what we’ll say …
All: If you can’t afford this ransom, here is what we’ll say:
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, Go ahead and die!
From shingles, beri-beri or a piano from the sky
Yo Ho, Yo Ho! Go ahead and die!
I’ve got mine and I feel fine, so go ahead and die! //
Group 1: Senators and Congressmen make up our scurvy crew
They swab our decks and cash our checks, And cast a vote or two
When the universal health care serpent rears its ugly head
Our press gang fires broadsides, and our crew ensures it’s dead …
All: Our press gang fires broadsides and our crew ensures it’s dead!
Yo Ho, Yo Ho! Go ahead and die!
A charging moose, an angry goose, Or the dreaded tse-tse fly!
Yo Ho, Yo Ho! Go ahead and die!
Face your ills, and pay your bills, then go ahead and die! //
Group 2: You question why we buried a vast locker full of loot;
Of course we must maintain our yacht, the Golden Parachute;
There’s advertising, lobbying and junkets near and far,
Hard working C-E-Os / deserve their R & R,
All: Arr Arr Arr Arr! Arr and Arr and Arr!
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, Go ahead and die!
Kick the bucket, bite the dust, and dryly say goodbye! (wave)
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, Go ahead and die!
Group 1: A poison frog or too much grog — Go Ahead and Die!
Group 2: From falling, mauling or keelhauling — Go Ahead and Die!
All: Got our share // and we don’t care — Go Ahead and Die!

DACA Dream Song (All I Dare to Do is Dream)
Tune: All I Have to Do is Dream, written by Boudleaux Bryant, recorded by the Everly Brothers
Lyrics: Kathy Miner, Raging Grannies of Madison WI
Dre-e-e-e-eam, dream dream dre-eam
Dre-e-e-e-eam, dream dream dream …
Sometimes I’m scared / In the night
Will anyone care / To make this right?
I counted on DACA
All I dare to do is dre-e-e-e-eam, dream, dream, dre-eam …
When I came here / I was a child;
My family feared / For our survival –
I counted on DACA
All I dare to do is dre-e-e-e-eam.
I am not to blame / I have earned the name American
In my he-eart;
This country is my home / All I’ve known
My dreaming was only the sta-a-art!
I had no voice / I was afraid
My parents’ choice / Is what was made
I counted on DACA
All I dare to do is dre-e-e-e-eam, dream, dream, dre-eam, dre-e-e-e-eam.
I am not to blame / I have earned the name American
In my he-eart;
This country is my home / All I’ve known
My dreaming was only the sta-a-art!
I want to stay / For all my life,
To send me away / Cuts like a knife /
I counted on DACA
All I dare to do is dre-e-e-e-eam, dream, dream, dre-eam, dre-e-e-e-eam,
Dream, dream, dre-eam, dream … (fade out)

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!

Get on Board with Black Lives Matter
Tune: Old Dan Tucker Lyrics: Carol Tyler
It’s not easy being black
Always have to watch your back
Judged by color wherever you go
Why does justice come so slow?
Chorus: Get on board with Black Lives Matter
Time for more than idle chatter
Time for us to come together
And get on board with Black Lives Matter
Denounce mass in- carceration
Curb police mil-i-tar-i-zation
Housing now and education
Start to balance the equation
Chorus
Time for radical transformation
Economic justice, repa- rations
Community control and political power
Come on people, this is the hour
Final Chorus: Get on board with Black Lives Matter
Time for more than idle chatter
Time for us to come together
So get on board with Black Lives Matter
Time for ALL to come together
We all know that Black Lives Matter

The More We Get Together
Lyrics by Carol Tyler, Susan & Alan Bickley, Nicole Bresnick
The more we get together, together, together
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be
(Group 1) ‘Cause I’m gay (Group 2) and I’m straight
(Group 1) and I’m bi (Group 2) transgender
The more we get together the happier we’ll be
The more we show our respect, our respect, our respect
The more that we can connect, the happier we’ll be
(Group 1) ‘Cause I’m gay (Group 2) and I’m straight
(Group 1) and I’m bi (Group 2) transgender
The more we get together the happier we’ll be
What’s my preferred pronoun - please listen, here’s the lowdown
So what is in a pronoun - there’s much to be learned
(Group 1) I’m Susan - I’m she hers
(Group 2) I’m Alex - I’m they theirs
And this is who we are and how we want to be known
We’re gender nonconforming / non binary / fluid
I like to dress in rainbows, and she wears a tux
(Group 1) ‘Cause I’m gay (Group 2) and I’m straight
(Group 1) and I’m bi (Group 2) transgender
And all of us together are many shades of blue
It’s time to show we’re loving, we’re caring, respecting
‘Cause we all need accepting, and we must stand tall
For those who are out and for those who are struggling
Let’s open our arms widely embracing us all

Blame It on the First Amendment
Tune: Blame It On The Bossa Nova by Weil and Mann Lyrics: Carol Tyler
Well, I have the right to express my view
And the great thing is the same is true for you
I can burn the flag and burn my bra, too
And you can protest everything I do
Blame it on the First Amendment - with its many rights
Blame it on the First Amendment - keep it in your sights
Oh, it all began with just James Madison
And finally he got nine states to sign on
Now we have the First Amendment - And speech is really free!
(Large group) Can we gag the press?
(Small group) No, no, the First Amendment
(Large group) Restrict religious views?
(Small group) No, no, the First Amendment
(Large group) Can I speak my mind?
(Small group) Yes, yes, the First Amendment
(All) It really rocks!
Now I’m sad to say -
Mr. Trump can’t see - why the press can say he’s a travesty
He would like to say - criticism’s wrong (of him)
But speech is free and we will sing our song (Sing along!)
Chorus - Blame it on the . . .
(Large group) Can we gag the press?
(Small group) No, no, the First Amendment
(Large group) Stop assemblies
(Small group) No, no, the First Amendment
(Large group) Can we sing our songs?
(Small group) Yes, yes, the First Amendment
(All) ’Cause expression’s free!

Down at the Polling Place
Tune: Down by the Riverside
Lyrics: Kathy Miner, Raging Grannies of Madison WI
Gonna go down and cast my vote (clap clap)
Down at the polling place (clap clap), down at the polling place (clap clap)
Down at the polling place
Gonna go down and cast my vote (clap clap)
Down at the polling place, ain’t gonna suffer fools no more!
I ain’t gonna suffer fools no more
I’m gonna settle up the score
I’ll vote for peace instead of wa-a-ar --
I ain’t gonna suffer fools no more
The people’s will you can’t ignore
I’ll vote for peace instead of war!
Gonna go down and cast my vote (clap clap)
Down at the polling place (clap clap), down at the polling place (clap clap)
Down at the polling place
Gonna go down and cast my vote (clap clap)
Down at the polling place, ain’t gonna suffer fools no more!
I ain’t gonna suffer fools no more
The law’s for rich as well as poor
Clean government we will resto-o-ore –
I ain’t gonna suffer fools no more
I’ll raise my voice, now hear me roar (next line louder)
Clean government we will restore!

These Are the Days My Friend
Tune: “Those Were the Days” suggested by Kathleen McQuade
Lyrics by: Rebecca Alwin, Raging Grannies of Madison
Once we had a country we believed in
We talked of fairness and a chance for all
Then came a man with no regard for others
Now we have cages near the border walls
CHORUS: These are the days my friend
There’s so much we must mend
We’ll volunteer and get our friends on board
We’ll canvass door to door
Democracy restore
Faith in ourselves will be our first reward!
Taxes were cut mostly for the wealthy
Schools and roads are left in disrepair
People’s needs were slighted for big business
Our water’s damaged, now we must beware
CHORUS
We can’t allow this liar to continue
We must not let him drag us down so low
We need folks of all kinds working with us
We’ll fire him and cheer to see him go
CHORUS followed by La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
These are the days
Oh yes these are the days