An Old/New Song For American Independence: "Yankee Doodle" vs. Big Oil & Big Coal
Every movement to heal the world needs songs to lift the spirit. For a July 4 movement to declare the independence of the American people from the destructive top-down power of Big Oil, Big Coal, and other Big Corporations, there is an old song connected with July 4 that we can make new. The Song is Independent America’s first “national anthem”: Yankee Doodle.
You can yourself actually see and hear the new “Yankee Doodle” sung on our YouTube video by clicking here.
A new “Yankee Doodle” could celebrate the Independent America that once was and could be again. For now we need to win our independence from the destructive, top-down, unaccountable power of Big Oil, Big Coal, and other Big Corporations.
Today the original “Yankee Doodle” sounds to most of our ears like a nonsense song: “Stuck a feather in their caps and called it macaroni!” But it isn’t nonsense. Here’s the real story:
In the British Army of 1776, officers wore on their epaulettes what today we call “gold braid” or “scrambled eggs.” They called it “macaroni.”
In the rag-tag American Army of 1776, made up of farmers straight from the fields and furrows, many officers were elected by the men, and stuck a casual feather in their hats to denote their rank.
The British Imperial Army thought this was ridiculous, and made up a song laughing at such a silly excuse for an “army”: “Stuck a feather in their caps and called it macaroni!”
But the Americans knew that’s what a guerrilla “army” was, and took the song for their own.
Who won?
The lesson: A brave and committed people can win their independence from a top-down, unaccountable, irresponsible power-drunk institution.
And songs are crucial to a world-transforming movement.
So here is “Yankee Doodle” for today. To see and hear it sung, click here on YouTube.
Yankee Doodle for Our Generation & for the Earth
Yankee Doodles face Big Oil,
Riding on a ‘cycle –
“We don’t fear your power now—
Your oil ain’t worth a nickel!”
“We stand upon the Blue Ridge hills
Where Coal is killing mountains,
Where miners choked in deadly gas,
So Massey could rule counties.”
CHORUS: Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle Dandy –
Mind the music and the step
And for the Earth be handy!
“Those who died in rigs and mines
‘Cause you were piling profit —
The fisherfolk who lost their work,
Will not forgive your lyin’.”
“Who’s your leader?” yelled the boss,
Laughing at our blue jeans.
“All of us are leaders, ‘cause
Our ends and means are freedom.”
We’re standing up, from Gulf to Pole
To free our earth from poison;
No Corporate fires of Oil and Coal
Will ruin our lives and seasons!
CHORUS: Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle Dandy –
Mind the music and the step
And for the Earth be handy!
Join in free-form dancing to drums and flutes. This July 4, fly the 13-starred flag of Independent America. Proclaim a New Declaration of Independence from Big Oil and other domineering corporations. Support the Environmental and Social Responsibility Amendment (ESRA) to the Constitution proposed by Tikkun and the Network of Spiritual Progressives as a way of establishing democratic control over corporations.
See the Flag and the New Declaration here.
See and hear the new “Yankee Doodle” sung on our YouTube here.
(This “Yankee Doodle for Our Generation” sung to the long-ago melody, was written by Rabbi Arthur Waskow of The Shalom Center http://www.theshalomcenter.org ) Please feel free to forward this e-letter to all your friends and relations: Licensed for free and common use in non-commercial settings,so long as this statement of authorship and copyright is included. For commercial use, all rights reserved by the author; copyright © 2010 by Arthur Waskow. Contact him at Awaskow@shalomctr.org for permission to use in commercial settings.)