Conservative Pop Music

Pop music is probably one of the last places a conservative would normally look for reinforcement of his worldview. Rock and roll, which has dominated pop music since the 1950s, is inexorably associated with liberalism in the minds of many conservatives. But in fact, there have been a significant number of songs on the pop charts during the rock era that are explicitly conservative. I have compiled a list of these conservative classics.

Before listing my top selections, I should explain the criteria on which I based my choices. First, I based them solely on the conservatism of the lyrics. A song had to have an explicitly conservative theme, although just a single line may represent it. I looked particularly for those embodying religious or patriotic themes, as these are unambiguously conservative values.

Second, I paid no attention to the politics of the performer. There are a number of good conservatives, such as Ted Nugent and even Walter Brennan, who have had hit songs over the years. But unless their songs had an explicitly conservative theme, I did not include them. Conversely, if some outspoken liberal recorded a song with explicitly conservative lyrics, I still included it.

Third, I limited myself to songs that made Billboard’s Top 40 chart after 1955. I relied heavily on the latest edition of Joel Whitburn’s book, Top 40 Hits. I did this in order to limit the universe of potential songs to a manageable number. Also, I think it is more telling if a conservative song had broad popularity, as indicated by sales, than if it is buried on some obscure album. Unfortunately, this rule forced me to leave out my personal favorite conservative rock song, “Taxman” by The Beatles (well covered by Stevie Ray Vaughn). I also had to exclude Ray Charles’ wonderful version of “America the Beautiful.”

It should be noted up front that the Top 40 list, while dominated by rock, is not exclusively made up of rock songs. It has always included so-called crossover hits from the country, blues and other best-seller lists. A number of songs on my list are of this nature. My position is that if they made the Top 40 list, they can be considered, regardless of where they came from. But if a song made, say, only the country chart and not the pop chart, it was not considered. This forced exclusion of some favorites, especially Merle Haggard’s “Okie from Muskogee,” quite possibly the most right-wing song ever recorded by a major artist.

Having explained my selection criteria, following is my list of conservative classics from the rock era, in alphabetical order by artist.

1. Paul Anka, “(You’re) Having My Baby” This is a remarkable song by an extremely prolific singer and songwriter. It reached number 1 in July 1974, and stayed there for 3 weeks. What is remarkable about this song is its explicit pro-life message. In praising his wife for having his baby, Anka sings:

Didn’t have to keep it Wouldn’t put ya through it You could have swept it from your life But you wouldn’t do it No, you wouldn’t do it

Considering that Roe v. Wade had already been decided by the Supreme Court, and that being “pro-choice” had already established itself as liberal dogma, it was very courageous for Anka to put such a line in one of his own songs. The fact that the song was a massive hit also tells us something important about what most Americans really think about abortion. I can think of no similarly pro-choice song ever to make the charts.

Another pro-life song by a popular rock group is “Unborn Child” by Seals & Crofts. Prolific hit makers in the 1970s, this 1974 song, which did not make the pop chart, is very hard-core in denouncing abortion. The following lyrics are indicative:

Oh unborn child, if you only knew what your momma was plannin' to do You’re still a-clingin’ to the tree of life, but soon you’ll be cut off before you get ripe Oh unborn child, beginning to grow inside your momma, but you’ll never know Oh tiny bud, that grows in the womb, only to be crushed before you can bloom

Even more hard-core is “Bodies” by the 1970s Punk group Sex Pistols, from their 1977 album Never Mind the Bollocks. In extremely graphic terms, they denounce a girl named Pauline “who killed her baby.” The refrain throughout is the voice of the fetus: “Body, I’m not an animal/Mummy, I’m not an abortion.” (See also Madonna, below.)

2. The Beatles, “Revolution” I remember when I was in college, Young Americans for Freedom had a poster printed with the lyrics of this song on it. The reason is that it is fundamentally anti-revolution. At a time when rebellious youth around the world were shutting down college campuses with often-violent demonstrations, it is surprising that John Lennon and Paul McCartney would write lines like these:

We all want to change the world But when you talk about destruction Don’t you know you can count me out

“Revolution” reached number 12 in September 1968, and stayed on the chart for 11 weeks.

3. Chuck Berry and Linda Ronstadt, “Back In the U.S.A.” This song was not a duet, but the same song that charted for Berry in 1959 and Ronstadt in 1978. She had the bigger hit with it, reaching number 16 and staying on the chart for 8 weeks. Berry’s original just barely cracked the chart at number 37 and was there for just one week. I included this song because Berry is a rock icon and because I like it a lot. It is patriotic in a very old-fashioned sense, celebrating his return to the U.S. from an overseas trip. It is hard to imagine a black musician writing words like these today:

Well, I’m so glad I’m livin’ in the U.S.A. Yes, I’m so glad I’m livin’ in the U.S.A. Anything you want, we got right here in the U.S.A.

4. James Brown, “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” I included this song on grounds of general political incorrectness and because I love the “Godfather of Soul.” However, I think one can also listen to the lyrics not just as a celebration of the accomplishments of men versus women, but of entrepreneurs and industry. Consider these lines:

You see, man made the cars To take us over the world Man made the train To carry the heavy load Man made the electro lights To take us out of the dark Man made the bullet for the war Like Noah made the ark This is a man’s, man’s world But it would be nothing Nothing without a woman to care

Rather than a glorification of male chauvinism, I prefer to think of this song as a paean to the inventors and builders who made the many products we all take for granted. In that sense, it is conservative economically, as well as socially. This song reached number 8 on the pop chart in 1966 and was on the chart for 8 weeks.

5. The Browns, “The Three Bells” Based on a French song written in 1945, Dick Manning added new English lyrics in 1959. This version went to number 1 in August of that year, remaining in that position for 4 weeks. It tells the life of “Little Jimmy Brown” in deeply religious terms. Typical are the last lines:

And the little congregation Prayed for guidance from above Lead us not into temptation May his soul find the salvation Of thy great eternal love

Philadelphia singer Dick Flood also charted with this song, taking it to number 23 in September 1959.

6. Johnny Burnette, “God, Country and My Baby” Burnette is best known for his huge hit, “You’re Sixteen,” but he also had several other songs that made the chart, of which this was the last. It is the story of a soldier going off to war and his final night at home. Although he wants desperately to stay with his wife, he tells her he has to go. “I’ll go for God, country, and my baby,” Burnette sings. This patriotic hit peaked at number 18 in November 1961.

7. The Byrds, “Turn! Turn! Turn!” This is an odd conservative classic, having been written by old time lefty Pete Seeger and performed by a group that later glorified drugs in “Eight Miles High.” Nevertheless, it makes my list because the lyrics are drawn straight from the Book of Ecclesiastes. I figure that any song based on the Bible deserved inclusion. I also like it. “Turn! Turn! Turn!” was a massive hit in November 1965, hitting number 1 and staying there for 3 weeks.

8. Judy Collins, “Amazing Grace” In 1779 Rev. John Newton wrote the words to this hymn, with William Walker composing the melody in 1844. It has long been considered one of the most beautiful songs ever written, and Collins sings it superbly. Recorded at St. Paul’s Chapel, Columbia University, this version of “Amazing Grace” has a rich, deep sound that sends a chill up my spine every time I hear it. Collins made it to number 15 in January 1971, and it stayed on the chart for an impressive 11 weeks. An instrumental version of “Amazing Grace” with bagpipes also charted the following year. In May 1972, the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards reached number 11 with their rendition of this classic hymn.

Best known for his 1979 hit, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” Daniels had this unabashedly patriotic hit the next year. It peaked at number 11 in June 1980. Following is the first verse:

Well the eagle’s been flyin’ slow And the flag’s been flyin’ low And a lotta people sayin’ that America’s fixin’ to fall Well speaking just for me And some people from Tennessee We’ve got a thing or two to tell you all This lady may have stumbled But she ain’t never failed And if the Russians don’t believe that They can all go straight to hell We’re gonna put her feet Back on the path of righteousness And then God bless America again

10. Neil Diamond, “America” In 1981, prolific singer/songwriter Diamond remade Al Jolson’s “The Jazz Singer.” One of the new songs he wrote for that film was “America,” an unabashedly patriotic celebration of a turn-of-the-century immigrant’s new home. It is stirring and exciting and my favorite of all Diamond’s many, many hits. “America” reached number 8 in May 1981, and remained on the chart for 13 weeks. The film, however, didn’t do as well.

11. Doobie Brothers, “Jesus Is Just Alright” The title of this song pretty much says it all. Performed by a mainstream rock group with a number of hits in the 1970s, this song cracked the chart in February 1973 at number 35, staying just 2 weeks. To my knowledge, this is the only religiously-oriented song they ever recorded. But it was a good one.

Elliman was a member of the cast of the rock opera, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. This is a song from that show, sung in the voice of Mary Magdalene. Elliman’s performance is incredible, coming close to being erotic while still being deeply religious. It reached number 8 in May 1971, and was on the chart for 6 weeks as a single. Helen Reddy had a simultaneous hit with the same song. Her version rose to number 13 the same month. 13. Miss Toni Fisher, “West of the Wall”

Best known for her huge 1959 hit, “The Big Hurt,” Fisher’s only other chart appearance was with this song in 1962. It is about a woman whose love is trapped on the Communist east side of the Berlin Wall. She waits for him on the western side, “where hearts are free.” The song was prescient, as well, for the line, “West of the wall that soon will fall.” It peaked at number 37 in July.

Inclusion of this classic Irving Berlin song obviously needs no explanation. Francis was one of the most prolific hit makers of the rock era. She put this song on the chart for 2 weeks in December 1959, where it rose to number 36.

15. Bobby Fuller Four, “I Fought the Law” First released in 1964, this song didn’t make the chart until February 1966, reaching number 9. I included it on my list because of its strong law and order message. The refrain throughout is, “I fought the law and the law won.”

Two other songs with a similar message that did not make my list, are “Indiana Wants Me” by R. Dean Taylor, which hit number 5 in September 1970, and The Kingston Trio’s “Tom Dooley,” a number 1 hit in 1958.

16. Cast of Godspell, “Day By Day” “Godspell” was a Broadway musical similar to “Jesus Christ Superstar.” This was a song from that musical. It reached number 13 on the chart in June 1972, and was on the chart for 9 weeks.

17. Lee Greenwood, “God Bless the U.S.A.” Greenwood is a well-known country and western singer. This song was originally released in 1984, hitting number 7 on the country chart. But in 1991, in the wake of the Gulf war, it was re-released, crossing over to the pop chart. It reached number 30 in June and was on the chart for 5 weeks.

18. George Harrison, “My Sweet Lord” Harrison was, of course, a member of The Beatles. After that group’s breakup, he went on to record a number of solo hits, of which this was the biggest. It hit number 1 in December 1970, and stayed in that position for 4 weeks. The inclusion of this song may be controversial because of its non-Christian lyrics. However, I take the view that being deeply religious makes the song per se conservative, even if the religion is Hinduism or Buddhism. The fact that Harrison also wrote “Taxman” contributed to my decision to add “My Sweet Lord” to the list.

This may be the only true gospel song by a hard-core gospel group to ever make the pop chart. In May 1969, this Paul Anka-produced song went to number 4 and stayed on the chart for 9 weeks. Unlike some other religious songs that made the charts, “Oh Happy Day” was not dressed up in pop clothing. It is pure, 100 percent gospel. It ranks as one of the most improbable hits in rock history. Because of its uncompromising religious nature, it made my list. Country singer Glen Campbell also charted with this song in 1970, reaching number 40 with it in May.

20. Johnny Horton, “Battle of New Orleans” This is a straightforward retelling of the famous War of 1812 battle, in which a force of rag-tag Americans led by Andrew Jackson defeated the cream of the British army. I included it on patriotic grounds and because it teaches more about the actual Battle of New Orleans than most students probably learn in school these days. The song was a massive hit, reaching number 1 in May 1959, and staying there for 6 weeks.

Horton’s two other hits, “Sink the Bismarck” and “North to Alaska,” both in 1960, were also historical in nature. Both written for movies, the former tells the true story of the hunt for a German battleship in World War II, and the latter of the Alaskan gold rush.

Three other songs in this genre that did not make my list are “P.T. 109,” “Ballad of the Alamo,” and “The Ballad of Davy Crockett.” The first tells the true story of John F. Kennedy’s World War II exploits. Sung by sausage king Jimmy Dean, it reached number 8 in 1962. The second was the theme to John Wayne’s movie about the fight for Texas independence. Recorded by Marty Robbins, it reached number 34 on the chart in 1960. The last was the theme song from the Walt Disney television show, based on the exploits of a true America hero. So popular was this song that it actually charted 4 times in 1955 with 4 different artists singing it, including Tennessee Ernie Ford and the show’s star, Fess Parker, now a well-known wine maker. The biggest hit was by Bill Hayes, whose version was number 1 for 5 weeks.

In the midst of the Gulf war in 1991, Miss Houston was asked to sing the National Anthem at the opening of Super Bowl XXV on January 27. Although a difficult song for even the best singers, she electrified the crowd with this rendition. Released as a single, this live performance reached number 20 on the chart.

22. Ferlin Husky, “Wings of a Dove” Another crossover hit by a well-known country and western singer, this song tells the story of Noah and the flood. It was number 1 for 10 weeks on the country chart and was on the pop chart for 13 weeks, reaching number 12 in December 1960.

In general, I excluded Christmas songs from my list, but included this one because I enjoy the rich harmony of this great soul group, and because its religiosity is so explicit. Featured in the Sidney Poitier movie, “Lilies of the Field,” “Amen” reached number 7 in December 1964 and was on the chart for 7 weeks. Otis Redding also had a brief hit with this song, taking it to number 36 for 1 week in July 1968.

24. Jay and the Americans, “Only in America” An old-fashioned patriotic song, with a heavy dose of Horatio Alger thrown in. A typical line is, “Go to sleep a pauper and wake up a millionaire.” Although it may be more the reverse in Silicon Valley these days, it still embodies the fundamental classlessness of American society, which says anyone can get ahead here with a bit of hard work. The song reached 25 in September 1963.

25. Elton John, “Philadelphia Freedom” Whitburn says that this song was written as some kind of tribute for tennis star Billie Jean King and her team, the Philadelphia Freedoms. This is not correct. I clearly recall an interview with Elton John just before this song was released, in which he said it was written to celebrate the American Bicentennial in 1976. The lyrics leave no doubt that this was in fact the case. For example, John sings, “From the day I was born I’ve waved the flag.” And there is nothing whatsoever in the song that even hints at any relationship to Ms. King or tennis.

Some conservatives may object to inclusion of this song on a list of conservative classics on the grounds that John is an open homosexual. But as noted at the beginning, I ignored the artist and looked only to the song lyrics in making my choices. I also think “Philadelphia Freedom” is a great song. It was a number 1 hit for 2 weeks in December 1974.

26. Kingston Trio, “M.T.A.” The M.T.A. in this song is Boston’s Metropolitan Transit Authority, which levied “a burdensome tax” on the people of that city in the form of a subway fare increase. I included this song because it embodies a libertarian disdain for high taxes. Originally written in 1948, it reached number 15 in June 1959.

Two other excellent anti-tax songs by contemporary singers, which unfortunately were not released as singles, are “Taxman, Mr. Thief” by Cheap Trick, and “1040 Blues” by Robert Cray. The former appeared on their first album in 1977, with a live version also appearing on their 1999 album, Music for Hangovers. The title pretty much says it all. The latter appears on Cray’s album, Shame + a Sin. Following are some representative lines:

I hate taxes I work hard for my money Every April you take it all away Taxes gonna break my back I swear Don’t you know I pay a lot more than my share?

British taxes must have been really high in 1966. That year, The Beatles recorded “Taxman” and fellow Brits The Kinks also recorded this anti-tax anthem. As they sing, “The tax man’s taken all my dough…He’s taken everything I’ve got.” They took this song to number 14 in August.

It is also worth noting another important song by this group that was not released as a single, “20th Century Man.” Written by Ray Davies, leader of The Kinks for almost 40 years, it reflects a profoundly conservative worldview, as shown in the following lyrics:

You keep all your smart modern writers Give me William Shakespeare You keep all your smart modern painters I'll take Rembrandt, Titian, Da Vinci and Gainsborough I was born in a welfare state Ruled by bureaucracy Controlled by civil servants And people dressed in gray Got no privacy, got no liberty Cos the twentieth century people Took it all away from me

A simple, yet deeply felt, song about God, the title pretty much says it all. It reached number 1 in March 1958, and stayed in that position for 4 weeks.

29. Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama” In the early 1970s, singer Neil Young recorded a couple of songs, “Alabama” and “Southern Man,” that painted all Southerners as racist rednecks. Lynyrd Skynyrd responded in 1974 with “Sweet Home Alabama,” a vigorous defense of the South and a direct counterattack on Mr. Young. It made my list mainly for the following lines:

It is worth remembering that the governor of Alabama at this time was George Wallace. And with the song coming out in August 1974, just as Richard Nixon was forced to resign the presidency because of Watergate, the line about that alone makes it a conservative classic. “Sweet Home Alabama” reached number 8 and was on the charts for 11 weeks. Sadly, most of the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd died in a plane crash in 1977.

Amazingly, this is a strongly pro-life song, for which the singer was criticized by pro-choicers at the time. In it, she asks her father’s advice about what to do with an out-of-wedlock child. “My friends keep telling me to give it up,” she sings, but in the end decides, “I’m gonna keep my baby.” The song hit number 1 in July 1986.

31. Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Andy Williams, “Battle Hymn of the Republic”

Inclusion of this classic needs no explanation, other than that it was a genuine hit during the rock era. This version reached number 13 in September 1959, and was on the chart for 11 weeks. Backed by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, it has been this famous group’s only chart appearance.

Well-known pop singer Andy Williams also charted with this song, sung during a eulogy for slain Senator Robert F. Kennedy at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York on June 8, 1968. It was on the chart for 4 weeks that year, reaching number 33.

A Canadian group, Ocean put this highly religious song on the chart in March 1971, where it rose to number 2. The opening refrain puts Jesus at the center of this unlikely hit.

Put your hand in the hand of the Man who stilled the water Put your hand in the hand of the Man who calmed the sea Take a look at yourself and you can look at others differently By putting your hand in the hand of the Man from Galilee

33. Elvis Presley, “Crying in the Chapel” Although best known for his many rock standards, Elvis recorded a number of gospel songs and considered them some of his best work. This is the only one of those recordings to become a pop hit. Recorded in 1960, “Crying in the Chapel” didn’t reach the chart until May 1965, when it climbed to number 3.

34. Kenny Rogers & the First Edition, “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town”

Although better know in later years as a country and western singer, Rogers started out singing psychedelic rock, such as his first hit, “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” in 1968. The following year, he took this Mel Tillis song to number 6. Coming at the peak of the Vietnam War protests, Rogers deserves credit for taking a patriotic stance in the following lyrics:

It wasn’t me who started that old crazy Asian war But I was proud to go and do my patriotic chore

35. SSgt. Barry Sadler, “The Ballad of the Green Berets” Inclusion of this song is so obvious it hardly needs comment. I am still amazed that such an explicitly pro-Vietnam War song could make the pop chart in 1966. And not just make the chart, but be a huge hit. Sadler’s song was number 1 for 5 weeks, making it one of the biggest hits of the 1960s.

36. Dusty Springfield, “Wishin’ and Hopin’” Some of my female friends will object to this song, but I included it because it takes such a traditional approach to how women should deal with men. Springfield made the chart with this song in July 1964, and it reached number 6. What female artist would sing these lyrics today?

Show him that you care just for him Do the things he likes to do Wear your hair just for him, ‘cause You won’t get him Thinkin’ and a-prayin’ Wishin’ and a-hopin’

Possibly the best-selling female rock group of all time, Diana Ross and the Supremes scored a number 1 hit in October 1968 with this culturally conservative hit. The song is all about avoiding premarital sex and the terrible consequences of out-of-wedlock births. The danger, all too real in the Black community, then and now, is that the child is the one who ultimately suffers. As they sing:

This love we’re contemplatin’ Is worth the pain of waitin’ We’ll only end up hatin’ The child we may be creatin’

38. The Temptations, “Ball of Confusion” This song made my list because of one line, “Politicians say mo’ taxes will solve everything.” It rose to number 3 in 1970 and stayed on the chart for 13 weeks, longer than all but one of The Temptations’ many hits.

Just days after the World Trade Center attack, country singer Aaron Tippin released this unabashedly patriotic song. Under normal circumstances, it might not have been released as a single at all and probably would have stayed only on the country chart. But just as earlier conflicts pushed patriotic country hits over onto the pop chart, the Sept. 11 attack did so again. Tippin’s effort went as high as number 24 on the pop chart in late 2001.

40. Tammy Wynette, “Stand By Your Man” This falls into the same category with “Wishin’ and Hopin’” as an anti-feminist anthem. It is also a great song, brilliantly sung. It is almost impossible not to be moved by Wynette as she belts out the song’s title over and over. It is truly a classic in every sense of the term. “Stand by Your Man” was number 1 on the country chart for 3 weeks and hit 19 on the pop chart in December 1968. R&B singer Candi Staton also charted with this song in 1976. Her version was on the charts for 9 weeks, rising to number 24.

I realize that some will disagree with these choices, either because they are not sufficiently conservative or because they have better ones. I welcome a debate on the subject and hope others will join in, especially younger conservatives more familiar with the music of the last 20 years than I am. No doubt, I have left off some songs that deserve recognition. Nevertheless, I think I have proven that during the rock era, a substantial amount of music has not only embodied classical conservative themes, but proven very popular as well. I frankly think it would be much harder to put together a companion list of the most left-wing songs. (Off hand, the only one I can think of is “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.) Perhaps some entrepreneur will put these songs together on a compact disk and we can see if they still have market appeal.

Bruce Bartlett is a senior fellow at the National Center for Policy Analysis and a nationally syndicated columnist. He thanks Stan Evans, Nancy Christy, Chris Bachelder, Howard Segermark, Chris Manion, Terry Teachout and Grover Norquist for helpful suggestions in compiling this list. Of course, they are not responsible for any errors of judgement.

Note: In most cases, lyrics were obtained at www.lyricsworld.com, edited in some cases by my own ear. Contact me with suggestions or complaints at brucebartlett@compuserve.com. Just remember, the song must have made the Top 40 pop chart list to be considered for inclusion. However, I am also happy to hear about other conservative songs in the rock genre.

As for Buying a Stairway to Heavan, it makes people think about Heavan. It makes people wonder about some lady going to make a salvation purchase at a church as though it were a discount store. I stresses the importance of that purchase, and taunts those who throw money at it rather than their souls.

I was always amazed at that stanza of "Stairway to Heaven" that basically mentions looking to the "west" for satisfaction and/or salvation, given the circumstances of the times.

In 1971 when the song was released, the West basically meant the US and Western Europe, although by today's standards the "west" is basically the US alone.

I am talking in geo-politcal terms, not religious ones, although the lack of religion in the former USSR and "eastern" bloc countries I beleive is an important undercurrent of the song.

Even though he's a lefty, the song is good.

"Pop Singer" - John Mellencamp

Never wanted to be no pop singer,
Never wanted to write no pop songs.
Never had no weird hair to get my songs over.
Never wanted to hang out after the show.
Pop singer (writing) of pop songs.
Never wanted to have my picture taken.
Now, who would want to look into these eyes?
Just want to make it real - good, bad or indifferent.
That's the way that I live and that's the way that I'll die

POP Music is fake.

Many layers. I have a weakness for Led Zepplin, such as the Battle of Evermore. It sounds like something a demon would say, lamenting the relative world stability that was caused by the US.

Sheesh this is becoming a review of Zep's "Album IV". It is interesting though that the "Battle of Evermore" is placed right before "Stairway to Heaven", I beleive.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I beleive that is the case, with the second side of Zep IV starting with "Misty Mountain Hop", "Four Sticks", "the Battle of Evermore", and "Stairway to Heaven" closing the second side out.

Man now I am going to have to dig up that old LP, and the worst part of this is that about 40% of the people who read this reply will be asking themselves, "What is an LP?".

I agree wholeheartedly. FOr example, one of the most frequent invokers of Jesus and religious imagery is Prince. "Let's Go Crazy"(satan is the elevator) and "I would die 4 U" are two religious songs on just one album.

On his Emancipation album, he makes several references to Christ, and one song seems to be nearly completely focused on faith(also the song happens to be nearly unknown by most and yet is among his very best)--The Love We Make.

"Desperate is the day that is tomorrow/for those who do not know the time has come/to whip the dogs that beg, steal or borrow/ from a table God set for His Son

Wicked is the witch that stands for nothing/all the while watch and sees you fall/deeper than the ditch that bred your suffering/or the one being dug right now, by the morgue

Happy is the way to meet your burdens/no matter how heavy or dark the day/Pity on those with no hope for tomorrow/it's never as bad it seems until we say

Precious is the baby with a mother/that tells him that his Savior is comin' soon/all that believe will cleanse and purify themselves/put down the needle, put down the spoon

Sacred is the prayer that asks for nothing/seeking to give thanks for every breath we take/blessed are we inside this prayer/ for in the new world, we will be there/the only love there is the love we make "

TAKE BACK THE SENATE!

VOTE OUT THE DEMS!

DONATE TODAY!!!. SUPPORT FREE REPUBLIC

Donate Here By Secure Server

Or mail checks to
FreeRepublic , LLC
PO BOX 9771
FRESNO, CA 93794

or you can use

PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD

I prefer equal-opportunity satire ...

Tom Lehrer, "National Brotherhood Week"

Oh, the white folks hate the black folks
   And the black folks hate the white folks
And to hate all but the right folks
   Is an old established rule
But during National Brotherhood Week
   National Brotherhood Week
Lena Horne and Sheriff Clark
   Are dancing cheek to cheek
It's fun to eulogize
   The people you despise
As long as you don't let 'em in your school!
Oh, the poor folks hate the rich folks
   And the rich folks hate the poor folks
All of my folks hate all of your folks
   It's American as apple pie!
But during National Brotherhood Week
   National Brotherhood Week
New Yorkers love the Puerto Ricans,
   'Cause it's very chic
Step up and shake the hand
   Of someone you can't stand
You can tolerate him if you try!
Oh, the Protestants hate the Catholics
   And the Catholics hate the Protestants
And the Hindus hate the Moslems
   And ev'rybody hates the Jews!
But during National Brotherhood Week
   National Brotherhood Week
It's National Everyone-Smile-At-
   One-Another-hood Week
So be nice to people who
   Are inferior to you
It's only for a week, so have no fear...
Be grateful that it doesn't last all year!

AREN'T YOU HUNGRY (3:27)
from U.S.A. FOR M.O.D. (1987)

Sitting in my kitchen.
Stuffed from having ate.
What should I do now.
With what's left on my plate.
Maybe I should save it.
But naw I got the cash.
Think I'll take the easy way.
And throw it in the trash.

U.S.A. for Africa.
What a %$#& scam.
Charity begins at home.
What about our land.
America has it's own problems.
That's what should come first.
So %$#& those %$#& 's charity.
And let them die of thirst.

AREN'T YOU HUNGRY - AREN'T YOU HUNGRY.

U.S.A. for U.S.A.
That's what I'd like to see.
But sympathetic %$#& .
Send it all to their own countries.
They want the food to grow.
On what they call home land.
But don't you know.
You can't grow anything in sand.

AREN'T YOU HUNGRY - AREN'T YOU HUNGRY - AREN'T YOU HUNGRY.

I think of people starving.
But do you think I care.
Let them all die hungry.
So I can breathe their air.

Okay, you want something a bit more conservative? Here's a great anti-environmentalist classic, from when they hadn't even coined that word yet ...

Tom Lehrer, "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park"

Here is a song all about Springtime in general, and in particular about one of the many delightful pastimes that the coming of Spring affords us all ...

Spring is here, a-suh-puh-ring is here.
   Life is skittles and life is beer.
I think the loveliest time of the year is the Spring.
   I do, don't you? 'Course you do.
But there's one thing that makes Spring complete for me,
   And makes every Sunday a treat for me ...
All ... the ... world seems in tune
   On a Spring afternoon,
   When we're poisoning pigeons in the park!
Every Sunday you'll see
   My sweetheart and me,
   As we poison the pigeons in the park.
When they see us coming, the birdies all try an' hide,
   But they still go for peanuts when coated with cy-an-hi-ide.
The sun's shining bright,
   Everything seems all right,
   When we're poisoning pigeons in the park!
We've gained notoriety,
   And caused much anxiety
In the Audubon Society
   With our games.
They call it impiety
   And lack of propriety,
And quite a variety
   Of unpleasant names.
But it's not against any religion
   To want to dispose of ... a pigeon ...
So if Sunday you're free,
   Why don't you come with me,
   And we'll poison the pigeons in the park!
And maybe we'll do
   In a squirrel or two,
   While we're poisoning pigeons in the park.
We'll murder them all amid laughter and merriment,
   Except for the few we take home to experiment!
My pulse will be quickenin'
   With each drop of strych-uh-nin'
We feed to a pigeon.
   It just takes a smidgin
   To poison a pigeon in the park!

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.