A-Infos (en) US, Boston anarchist collective, BAAM, Radical Caroling (23 songs included) on dec 20, 2003

[Worker <a-infos-en@ainfos.ca>]

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For the third year running, local Boston holiday shoppers have been entertained by selections
from the Radical Carols Songbook, from favorites like 'away in a sweatshop' to 'song for the
one percent.' BAAM began the caroling season by going out Friday, December 12th. The group
was in high spirits and was even able to convince a few passerbys to join in the festivities.
Then a week later, two representatives of the BAAM Radical Choir stepped into a studio
at MIT's WMBR 88.1 FM to record an hour long set for Dave Goodman from the Independent
Broadcast Information Service. Segments will be played on the air and a CD copy will
be available soon! Look for it on our information table. Everyone is encouraged to print
out the songbook and head off to make their own radical caroling adventure!
http://baamboston.org/archive/propaganda/Radical_Christmas_Carols.pdf


What is BAAM?

What the fuck does “BAAM” mean?
BAAM is simply the pleasant sound of authoritarianism being
smashed.

Who the fuck are you?
BAAM is a general anarchist union in the Boston area. Our
structure reflects our belief that anarchist organizations
should not be configured in such a way that conflicts with the
ultimate goal of a classless, stateless society. We feel that
being class conscious is not an enough; we oppose
authoritarianism in all its forms, including capitalism, the
State, and all forms of oppression such as racism, sexism,
nationalism, xenophobia, homophobia, and environmental
devastation.

  What the fuck does BAAM support, anyway?
We support democratically run grassroots community
organizations, wildcat unions that practice shop floor
democracy and any other collectively run egalitarian
organization.

Are you Fucking Serious?
Totally. Capitalists have done a pretty good job of teaching us
that capitalism is the only way things can be run in this world.
But really capitalism has only been around for a short period
of time especially if you consider it is only now extending its
global corporate fingers to all sections of the globe. True,
capitalism has done a lot of damage in this short period of
time but it is by no mean inevitable. People all over the world
cooperate and help each other everyday to survive capitalism.
And resistance is growing northwards from the he global
south as farmers and workers join together to say "enough is
enough" So yes, we are totally serious, we are growing and
we will win.

What the fuck do you do?
We hold skill share workshops and participate in direct action
while supporting local manifestations of the global struggle.
We've been involved in actions including picket lines,
anti-war protests, anti-capitalist street theater, and agitating
the bosses and those who support their oppression. Our past
workshops have covered wheat pasting, self-defense, silk
screening, folk science, and information sharing. All activities
are run in an openly anarchist fashion.

BAAM fucking rocks! I wanna fucking join!
BAAM has regular monthly planning meetings on the first
Tuesday of every month at 7pm at the Lucy Parsons Center in
Boston. Please feel free to check out our brief statement on
our structure/working rules. For all other BAAM! events,
check out the calendar.

For more information, contact us at baam@hush.com
Next Baam Event: Jan 6: BAAM business meeting

The Song Book

contents

02 Reclaim to the tune of Deck the Halls
02 Joy to the World
03 Frosty The Snowman
03 Away in a Sweatshop To the tune of Away in a Manger
04 O Holy Fight to the tune of O Holy Night
04 Song For the One Percent to the tune of Silent Night
05 G o d Bless You Very Wealthy Men to the tune of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
06 Uh Oh We're In The Red, Dear to the tune of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
06 Buy And Sell to the tune of Silver Bells
07 O' Dumpster Are You Full of Food to the tune of O' Little Town of Bethlehem
07 Anarchy to the tune of Jingle Bells
08 Little Drummer Boy
08 Gap Sweatshops Are Coming to Town to the tune of Santa Claus is Coming to Town
09 Have a Holly Jolly Christmas
09 Do You Know What I Know to the tune of Do You Hear What I Hear
10 In a Consumer's Wonderland to the tune of Winter Wonderland
11 The Twelve Days of Sweat-Shopping to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas
12 We Wish You a Merry Christmas
12 Slow Down Ye Frantic Shoppers to the tune of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
13 Hark, the Wal-Mart Banners Say to the tune of Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!
13 Carol of the Toys to the tune of Carol of the Bells
14 Chris Is a Girl to the tune of Away in a Manger
14 Six Feet Below the Ground to the tune of Joy to the World
15 Mother Earth is Groaning Tonight to the tune of Santa Claus is Coming to Town
15 Silent Night, Holy Reich to the tune of Silent Night
16 Jingle Bells
17 Consumer Wonderland to the tune of Winter Wonderland
17 Human Rights to the tune of Silent Night
18 O Little Towns of all the World to the tune of O Little town of Bethlehem
18 Walking in a Nuclear Wasteland to the tune of Walking in a Winter Wonderland
19 Deck the Halls
19 Learn to Sew! to the tune of Let it Snow
20 The Twelve Days of Christmas
21 Profits to the tune of Jingle Bells
21 Don't be Shy to the tune of Jingle Bells
22 Listen to the Message to the tune of Oh, Tennenbaum
22 Jingle Bells
23 Slaving in a Sweatshop Wonderland to the tune of Walking in a Winter Wonderland
23 Way Up on the Top Floor to the tune of Away in a Manger

Reclaim
to the tune of Deck the Halls
by quinn

Smash the state and squat their buildings!
It's hard work, but we are willing
Hundreds housed inside your mansions
That's our vision of expansion!
Break the concrete plant a garden
Never ask to beg their pardon
Let's throw seeds like we throw punches
Invite them to our homegrown lunches
Shopping malls turned into free schools
Fountains into public pools
Where a lawn was let the plants grow
Venture where they say you can't go
If we work to help each other
We can learn from one another
In our struggles we're connected
By every injury affected

Joy to the World
by quinn

Joy to the world, the winter's here.
Let's laugh, and play, and sing!
The leaves fall from the trees
There's frost now on the breeze
So let's all build a fire
And cuddle `til we retire
And cuddle, and cuddle `til we retire.
Seasons will change, and so will we.
Let's laugh, and play, and sing!
With every coming year
I hope we'll gather near
And sing our rousing songs
While others sing along
And others, and others sing along.
As we fight for freedom let us dance
Let's laugh, and play, and sing!
With all that we go through
And so much more to do
May we create each year
A life lived with less fear,
A life lived with far less fear.
Fa la la la la la la la la
repeat

Slaving in a Sweatshop Wonderland
to the tune of Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Door bell rings, are you listening?
On your brow, sweat is glistening.
You're working tonight; it just isn't right,
Slaving in a sweatshop wonderland.
Gone away are the good jobs
Here today are the sweatshops
They want you to sew
Seven days in a row
Slaving in a sweatshop wonderland.
         In Toronto, Woolworth has used sweatshops
         And they've paid the lowest rates in town.
         Ask about a union, they'll say no ma'am.
         Homeworkers do the job for the poorest pay around.
Later on, they'll conspire
How to raise prices higher
The plans that they've made
Won't make us better paid
Slaving in a sweatshop wonderland.
Door bell rings, are you listening?
On your brow, sweat is glistening.
You're working tonight; it just isn't right,
Slaving in a sweatshop wonderland.

Way Up on the Top Floor
to the tune of Away in a Manger
by alexis

Way up on the top floor, where people can't reach,
The fat-headed CEO plan trips to the beach,
He counts up his money and spits on the poor,
While workers are angry and bang on his door.
His company's huge and it eats up the globe,
It controls the TV and everything we know,
His power's not endless, he'll run things no more,
We've come to his condo to kick down the door.
Stop shopping his stores, stop supporting his banks,
Don't polish his shoes or build his big tanks.
Come out in the streets, come out one and all,
Come join revolution and his empire will fall.

Listen to the Message
to the tune of Oh, Tennenbaum
by the raging grannies

Oh shopper dear
Come over here
And listen to our message.
Oh shopper dear come over here
And listen to our message.
The women who toil
In far off lands
So you can wear
Your favorite brands.
Don't get a break-from dawn `till dusk
It isn't right -- let's make a fuss.
When buying shirts and pants and stuff
Ask were the workers paid enough.

Jingle Bells
            Oh! Jingle Bells
            Nike smells
            Sweatshops really stink!
            Activists told Nike this
            They don't care what we think!
            Jingle Bells
            Nike smells
            Sweatshops are unfair
            We cry `abuse'
            But what's the use
            Since Nike doesn't care.
All across the world
Nike runs sweatshops
For overpriced Sneakers
We're gonna make them stop
Third world workers toil
For Americans like us
Human rights abused
We're gonna make a fuss
            (repeat chorus)

Frosty The Snowman
by jamie and alexander

Frosty the Snowman, was a jolly happy soul,
With a can of beer and all black clothes, and a flag on a wooden pole.
Frosty the Snowman, is an anarchist, they say.
Capitalism may grow, but the children know that they'll be free one day.
There must have been some magic in that smashing window sound,
`cause people started using their heads, and capitalism soon fell down!
Oh, Frosty, the Snowman, was alive as he could be;
and the children say we'll smash capital today,
just the same as you and me.
Smashity, smash, smash, Smashity, smash,smash,
look at capitalism go.
Smashity, smash, smash, Smashity, smash,smash
We will overthrow.
Frosty the Snowman, knew that liberation was here to stay,
so he said, "Let's run, and we'll have some fun and keep the bosses far away."
Down to the village, with a black flag in his hand,
Running here and there, all around the square, sayin', "Catch me if you can."
He led them down the streets of town, right to the traffic cop;
and only paused a moment, when he heard him holler, "Stop!"
But Frosty, the Snowman, kept going his own way,
And he raised his fist, sayin' "I won't stop cause I'm fuckin' here to stay!'

Away in a Sweatshop
to the tune of Away in a Manger

Away in a sweatshop where no one can see
The immigrant seamstresses work constantly.
Conditions are awful, the pay is absurd
The boss he will fire them if they say a word.
Away in a fact'ry, an ocean away
Young girls making shoes for a dollar a day.
But please don't complain about worker exploitation
Cause this factory's in a Most Favored Nation.
Away in the Congress, the Senators fat
Count up their PAC dollars, pass NAFTA and GATT.
They couldn't care less about workers in need
These corporate whores traded their conscience for greed!

0 Holy Fight
to the tune of O Holy Night
by jessie h. handel and katrina b. crosby

O Holy fight, America's always right
We are the ones who rule the world
Our banks are big; our tanks are even bigger,
Might is right, and everyone else is wrong.
We follow our leaders with dumb and blind devotion
Though we say we are democracy.
          Fall on your knees
          Don't think or feel emotion
          Just buy, buy, and buy
          Let Bush take control
          Because, he's so smart!
          Let Bush take control.
          (repeat chorus)

Song For the One Percent
to the tune of Silent Night
by quinn

Silent Night, peaceful night
We'll survive through this fight
Build your prisons, banks and wall
We will see to dismantling them all.
We'll live a life of true worth,
Live a life of worth.
Silent night, peaceful night
We have spunk, we have might
You have more money than you'll ever need.
Millions of people are killed by your greed.
Sleep knowing all this,
Sleep knowing this.
Silent night, peaceful night
Look around, do what's right.
Liberty is about more than just me.
Use all your strength to help others to see
True freedom can be,
True freedom can be.

Profits
to the tune of Jingle Bells

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
          (repeat chorus)

Don't be Shy
to the tune of Jingle Bells
by the raging grannies

Dashing through the malls
On a cold December day
Looking for a sale,
Shopping come what may.
You should be aware
The pay's not always fair
For the women who sew and sweat
In factories everywhere.
          So- don't be shy, ask them why
          Nike can't pay well.
          When Michael Jordan, we all know
          Gets lots and lots of dough

The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas
Mypiece gave
A  bossrate  worth two bucks a day.

On the second day of Christmas
My boss gave me
Two Gap shirts
And a piece rate worth 2 bucks a day.

On the third day of Christmas
My boss gave to me
Three Barbie dolls
Two Gap shirts
And a piece rate worth 2 bucks a day.

On the fourth day of Christmas
My boss gave to me
Four Woolworth vests,
Three Barbie dolls,
Two Gap shirts
And a piece rate worth 2 bucks a day.

On the fifth day of Christmas
My boss gave to me
Five Kathie Lee tears,
Four Woolworth vests,
Three Barbie dolls,
Two Gap shirts
And a piece rate worth 2 bucks a day.

On the sixth day of Christmas
My boss gave to me
Six hems for sewing,
Five Kathie Lee tears
Four Woolworthtears, vests,
Three Barbie dolls,
Two Gap shirts
And a piece rate worth 2 bucks a day.

On the seventh day of Christmas
My boss gave to me
Seven Guess jeans,
Six hems for sewing,
Five Kathie Lee tears
Four Woolworth, vests,
Three Barbie dolls,
Two Gap shirts
And a piece rate worth 2 bucks a day.

On the eighth day of Christmas
My boss gave to me
Eight Wal-Mart labels,
Seven Guess jeans,
Six hems for sewing,
Five Kathie Lee tears
Four Woolworth, vests,
Three Barbie dolls,
Two Gap shirts
And a piece rate worth 2 bucks a day.

On the ninth day of Christmas
Nine Nike runners,
My boss gave to me
Eight Wal-Mart labels,
Seven Guess jeans,
Six hems for sewing,
Five Kathie Lee tears
Four Woolworth, vests,
Three Barbie dolls,
Two Gap shirts
And a piece rate worth 2 bucks a day.

On the tenth day of Christmas
My boss gave to me
Ten supervisors,
Nine Nike runners,
My boss gave to me
Eight Wal-Mart labels,
Seven Guess jeans,
Six hems for sewing,
Five Kathie Lee tears
Four Woolworth, vests,
Three Barbie dolls,
Two Gap shirts
And a piece rate worth 2 bucks a day.

On the eleventh day of Christmas
My boss gave to me
Eleven sewing needles,
Ten supervisors,
Nine Nike runners,
My boss gave to me
Eight Wal-Mart labels,
Seven Guess jeans,
Six hems for sewing,
Five Kathie Lee tears
Four Woolworth, vests,
Three Barbie dolls,
Two Gap shirts
And a piece rate worth 2 bucks a day.

On the twelfth day of Christmas
My boss gave to me
Twelve cents an hour
Eleven sewing needles,
Ten supervisors,
Nine Nike runners,
My boss gave to me
Eight Wal-Mart labels,
Seven Guess jeans,
Six hems for sewing,
Five Kathie Lee tears
Four Woolworth, vests,
Three Barbie dolls,
Two Gap shirts
And a piece rate worth 2 bucks a day.


G o d Bless You Very Wealthy Men
to the tune of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
by arnie alpert

G o d bless you very wealthy men,
Good news I have to tell:
The market's up, you're making more each time you buy and sell.
With layoffs more, your profits soar,
You're living rather well.
O tidings of capital gains.
G o d bless you very wealthy men,
You never have to see
The people all around you who must live in misery.
You keep the poor far from your door,
You know no poverty.
O tidings of capital gains.
G o d bless you very wealthy men,
Whatever comes to pass,
You have no fear that you will be kicked out upon your ass.
I have a feeling that your ceiling is
Not made of glass.
O tidings of capital gains.
G o d bless you very wealthy men,
Do you repeat this song?
You owe success to your hard work, no one helped you along.
You've raised yourself to the top shelf;
Your bootstraps must be strong.
O tidings of capital gains.
G o d bless the poor and working class,
I do regret to tell:
There is no safety net to catch you if you ever fell.
Without much wealth or any health
Insurance when unwell.
O tidings of capital gains.
G o d bless the poor and working class
They've cut you down to size
Entitled only to those things you can afford to buy,
When pensions, schools, and fire protection
All are privatized.
O tidings of capital gains.
G o d bless the poor and working class,
It's time to take a stand
For decent wages, health, and pensions are our just demands.
It's time to fight we must unite.
Won't you lend a hand?
O tidings of capital gains.

Uh Oh We're In The Red, Dear
to the tune of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
from the Center for a New American Dream

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.

Buy And Sell
to the tune of Silver Bells
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 (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, parent sighing
No time for family
And the reason behind it is clear.
          (repeat chorus)


Deck the Halls
by shea shattuck-faegre

Look at how they spend their lives       Fa la Ia la la la la la la
Rich and shallow husbands, wives         repeat
Raise their children with delusion
Growing up to find confusion
Laughing at the working class
As they raise a crystal glass
There's a small fact to be found
Workers make the world go round
Look inside their homes this evening
Something there is quite deceiving
Does their money make them happy?
Or keep others living crappy?
We say we can make things change
Economics rearrange
Without class or hierarchy
What a better world this can be

Learn to Sew!
to the tune of Let it Snow

Oh, the economy's really frightful
But the shopping is so delightful
When you desperately need some dough
Learn to sew, learn to sew, learn to sew.
Oh, there's no sign the work is stopping
`cause the orders keep us hopping.
When you've got no place else to go,
Learn to sew, learn to sew, learn to sew.
         When you finally say good night,
         And it's two a.m. in the morn,
         And the foreman wants to hold you tight,
         And you wish that he'd never been born.
Oh, the economy's really frightful
But the shopping is so delightful
When you desperately need some dough
Learn to sew, learn to sew, learn to sew.
Oh, the industry isn't dying
But the work is really trying
When you're bank account's getting low
Learn to sew, learn to sew, learn to sew.

O Little Towns of all the World
to the tune of O Little town of Bethlehem

O little towns of all the world
How still we see thee lie
Above thy dead and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in the dark street shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are buried here tonight.
So swiftly it all came to pass
Just as the dawn was near
A blinding flash shown o'er the sky
Awakening fire and fear
How silently how violently
The murderous bombs did fall
While mortals wept the fallout left
A gift of death for all.

Walking in a Nuclear Wasteland
to the tune of Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Sirens scream, hair is bristling,
Children dream, pavement glistening,
We've finally paid
For the hell we have made
Walking in a nuclear wasteland.
In the rubble we can
Build a shelter
And pretend we live
Far underground
Makes no use to dress
For winter weather
By nine o'clock there'll be
No one around.
Later on we'll expire
As we char in the fire.
We're singing our song:
"What went wrong?"
Walking in a nuclear wasteland.


O' Dumpster Are You Full of Food
to the tune of O' Little Town of Bethlehem
by quinn

O' dumpster are you full of food
For us to eat today?
I wonder why, when it's still good
The stores throw it away?
Could it be that it serves them
To make more than they sell?
And giving it to hungry folks
Won't pay them very well.
O' Dumpster when I lift your lid
What treasure waits for me?
A winter coat? A basketball? A five-pound bag of peas?
Though sometimes I get sickened
But it's not from the food
It's `cause I know that all their `trash'
Could feed my neighborhood.
O' dumpster, why have they locked you?
You're wrapped in chains today.
Did you know it's against the law
To take what's thrown away?
But bolt cutters and crowbars
Can liberate your fill!
And make sure that it gets to folks
And not to a landfill!


Anarchy
to the tune of Jingle Bells

Dashing through downtown
On the insurrection day
We'll chase cops around
Laughing all the way.
Bosses' necks we'll ring
As we set their world alight
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A riot song tonight! Oh...
          Anarchy
          Anarchy
          Anarchy's for me
          Oh what fun
          It is to throw
          The state into the sea.


Little Drummer Boy

I shop therefore I am, pa rumpa, pum pum
I have five credit cards, pa rumpa, pum pum
Oh Glorious Sweatshop Kings, pa rumpa, pum pum
I will buy everything! pa rumpa, pum pum, rumpa, pum pum...
I drive an SUV...
A cell phone in each hand...
My closet's full of clothes...
I call this "li-ving"...
The bosses clearcuts trees, but I-I don't care
Hurts workers overseas, but I-I don't care
The planet's suffering, but I-I don't care
As long as I look good, I just don't care, just don't care, just don't care!
As long as I look good, I just don't care
Me and my jeans, Me and my jeans...


Gap Sweatshops Are Coming To Town
to the tune of Santa Claus is Coming to Town

           Oh... You'd better watch out
           You'd better not buy
           Don't shop at the GAP
           I'm telling you why
           GAP sweatshops are coming to town
They start off in one country
The workers are sucked dry
And when they start to organize
The GAP just says `goodbye'
           (repeat chorus)
They claim there's been no beatings
No enforced birth control
No mandatory overtime
That's how the story goes
           (repeat chorus)
They sent their work to countries
Where people are so poor
They'll work for seven bucks a day
Their rights just get ignored
           (repeat chorus)

Consumer Wonderland
to the tune of Winter Wonderland
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 are still bored.
When you shop!
Ain't it thrilling
Until! You get
The billing
The money you owe,
Stuff broke long ago,
Welcome to consumer wonderland.


Human Rights
to the tune of Silent Night

Human Rights, Immigrant Rights
Everyone, Join the fight
Fight for dignity, justice and peace
In your living and working place
Where your children are born
Where you make your home.
Human Rights, Immigrant Rights
Hear the Sweatshop workers plight
Broken families, INS raids
Child labor, owners greed
Everyone, open your eyes
Stand up, organize! (For revolution!)

Jingle Bells

The sweatshop workers know
They can't stop making clothes
Seven days a week
Their quotas they must meet!
Working through the night
Their futures don't look bright
But who cares if it's not fair!
Free trade makes it right-hey!
            Jingle bells, the Gap sells,
            Clothes made in Saipan.
            You pee once a day, when the bosses say,
            Or else you get no pay-hey!
            The Gap must change, the Gap must change,
            The Gap must change today.
            They sell their goods; then clearcut woods!
            Laughing all the way!
It's difficult to live
On so little pay
They can't even afford
One decaf latte!
Smashing workers' rights
Is the Sweatshop way!
They sell us goods; then wreck our woods!
And think that it's okay-hey!
            (repeat chorus)


Silent Night, Holy Reich
to the tune of Silent Night

Silent night, holy reich
All is calm, all is right
Introducing the brave new child
Genetically altered, born to be mild
Sleep in ignorant bliss
Sleep in ignorant bliss
Silent night in the new reich

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas
by shea shattuck-faegre

Have you heard of this new law passed?
It's called the Patriot Act
If you don't like what the government's done
You best not react!
If you think Bush pulled a fast one,
Well now you're catching on
If you think it's a democracy
Then guess what, you're wrong!
           There'll be no protests
           No rallies, no more
           Our First Amendment's
           Gone right out the door!
Now put away your flyers
There'll be no free speech here
Have a patriotic Christmas
Or else you'll live in fear!


Do You Know What I Know
to the tune of Do You Hear What I Hear
by quinn

Do you see what I see?
Do you see what I see?
Someone's child in winter without boots.
And yours have more than one pair.
And yours have more than one pair.
Do you see what I see?
Do you see what I see?
A man, a man sleeping on the street
When you have three extra rooms.
When you have three extra rooms.
Do you know what I know?
Do you know what I know?
The violence that is private property
When you've got more than you need.
When you've got more than you need.
Do you know what I know?
Do you know what I know?
A life that's lived while others are oppressed
Is not a life that is free.
Is not a life that is free.


In a Consumer's Wonderland
to the tune of Winter Wonderland
by quinn

See my ring, how it glistens.
Hear my new stereo, give a listen.
I spent all today the American way.
In a consumer's wonderland.
Don't have cash, don't you worry
Citibank gives you credit in a hurry
Though you'll never make enough to repay
In a consumer's wonderland.
          Just a block away there is a family
          Working hard and barely paying bills
          Because you've made this neighborhood so trendy
          Their landlord's gonna raise their rent
          Oh gee, your shopping kills.
But who cares! We're a-spending
`cause the banks, they're a-lending
It helps them for sure
To get rid of the poor
In a consumer's wonderland.
          Last year I got a watch for my brother
          But I'm sure he'd like another
          And a sweater for Kyle to add to his pile
          In a consumer's wonderland.
          The more that I spend cash
          The more I make trash
          So what?! I won't be alive
          To watch the world die
          In a consumer's wonderland.
Maria, my friend, lives in Guatemala.
Sewing t-shirts fourteen hours a day.
Then you go to the Gap
Buy one in each style.
And she can't even afford to
Own a t-shirt that she made.
It's a shame there are poor folks
But you still should spend more, folks
It helps to ignore those miserable poor
In a consumer's wonderland.


Mother Earth is Groaning Tonight
to the tune of Santa Claus is Coming to Town

         Oh, you'd better watch out! You'd better all cry!
         You'd better all shout! I'm telling you why.
         Mother Earth is groaning tonight!
We cut down trees and never replace.
Fill empty lots with nuclear waste.
Mother Earth is moaning tonight.
We send out more pollution
And carbon dioxide.
We'll decimate both lives and lands
With the SUVs you drive.
         Oh, you'd better watch out! You'd better all cry!
         You'd better all shout! I'm telling you why.
         Toxic waste is dumped in our towns.
There's agent orange, napalm and more
Left or sold for chemical war.
Mother Earth's resisting tonight.
We won't raise our gas prices
"The industry might bust!"
We keep polluting rivers
Pretty soon they'll all be rust.
         Oh, you'd better watch out! You'd better all cry!
         You'd better all shout! I'm telling you why.
         Mother Earth is groaning
Endangered species moaning
Ozone layer melting
Acid rain is pelting
WTO undermines it
Hafta redesign it tonight.


Carol of the Toys
to the tune of Carol of the Bells
by erica avery

(high voices) Barbie Dream House Mi-ickey Mouse Beanie Babies Tamagotchis
(low voices) Too Much stu- -uff
(high voices) Cabbage Patch Dolls Ninja Turtles Super Nintendo Tickle-me-Elmo
(low voices) Too much Stu -uff
(repeat, changing key each time)


Chris Is a Girl
to the tune of Away in a Manger
by quinn

Away in a suburb asleep in a bed
Baby Christina lays down her sweet head.
In pink frilly PJs and sucking her thumb
She has no suspicion of her life to come.
The more that she grows up
The more that she sees
Just what the world expects her gender to be
Her parents try hard not to force gender role.
The rest of our culture poo-poos all their goals.
By fourteen or fifteen she's heard it all clear.
She's silly and helpless and must live in fear.
She knows what is okay to be in this world
And just what it means that Chris is a girl.
Rise up from your label!
And do as you please
I'd rather die fighting than live on my knees.
A "masculine" woman or "feminine" man
Fuck what you think's normal,
I'll be who I am.


Six Feet Below the Ground
to the tune of Joy to the World

Joy to the world
The time has come
Let earth receive all kings!
Let bosses, priests and bureaucrats
Find rest with worms and parasites
Six feet below the ground
Six feet below the ground
Six feet, six feet
Below the ground.
They rule the world
With fear and hate
And take what we create!
The time has come to celebrate
It's them we're going to relocate
Six feet below the ground
Six feet below the ground
Six feet, six feet
Below the ground.


The Twelve Days of Sweat-Shopping
to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of shopping,
my true love bought for me,
All gifts made in sweatshops overseas.

On the second day of shopping,
my true love bought for me,
Toys made by kids,
All gifts made in sweatshops overseas.

On the third day of shopping,
my true love  bought for me,
Slavemade labor shoes,
Toys made by kids,
All gifts made in sweatshops overseas.

On the fourth day of shopping,
my true love  bought for me,
Pre-sweated pants,
Slavemade labor shoes,
Toys made by kids,
All gifts made in sweatshops overseas.

On the fifth day of shopping,
my true love bought for me,
RAM-PANT COR-PORATE GREED!!
Pre-sweated pants,
Slavemade labor shoes,
Toys made by kids,
All gifts made in sweatshops overseas.

On the sixth day of shopping,
my true love bought for me,
Six cents an hour,
RAM-PANT COR-PORATE GREED!!
Pre-sweated pants,
Slavemade labor shoes,
Toys made by kids,
All gifts made in sweatshops overseas.

On the seventh day of shopping,
my true love bought for me,
Twelve-hour days,
Six cents an hour,
RAM-PANT COR-PORATE GREED!!
Pre-sweated pants,
Slavemade labor shoes,
Toys made by kids,
All gifts made in sweatshops overseas.

On the eighth day of shopping,
my true love bought for me,
Cancer-causing fumes,
Twelve-hour days,
Six cents an hour,
RAM-PANT COR-PORATE GREED!!
Pre-sweated pants,
Slavemade labor shoes,
Toys made by kids,
All gifts made in sweatshops overseas.

   On the ninth day of shopping,
   my true love bought for me,
   Sexual harassment,
   Cancer-causing fumes,
   Twelve-hour days,hour,
   Six cents an hour,
   RAM-PANT COR-PORATE GREED!!
   Pre-sweated pants,
   Slavemade labor shoes,
   Toys made by kids,
   All gifts made in sweatshops overseas.

   On the tenth day of shopping,
   my true love bought for me,
   Workers without unions,
   Sexual harassment,
   Cancer-causing fumes,
   Twelve-hour days,hour,
   Six cents an hour,
   RAM-PANT COR-PORATE GREED!!
   Pre-sweated pants,
   Slavemade labor shoes,
   Toys made by kids,
   All gifts made in sweatshops overseas.

   On the eleventh day of shopping,
   my true love bought for me,
   Tax breaks for sweatshops,
   Workers without unions,
   Sexual harassment,
   Cancer-causing fumes,
   Twelve-hour days,hour,
   Six cents an hour,
   RAM-PANT COR-PORATE GREED!!
   Pre-sweated pants,
   Slavemade labor shoes,
   Toys made by kids,
   All gifts made in sweatshops overseas.


   On the twelfth day of shopping,
   my true love bought for me,
   George Bush's blessing,
   Tax breaks for sweatshops,
   Workers without unions,
   Sexual harassment,
   Cancer-causing fumes,
   Twelve-hour days,hour,
   Six cents an hour,
   RAM-PANT COR-PORATE GREED!!
   Pre-sweated pants,
   Slavemade labor shoes,
   Toys made by kids,
   All gifts made in sweatshops overseas.


We Wish You a Merry Christmas

We wish you would do the right thing!
We wish you would do the right thing!
We wish you would do the right thing!
Treat workers fair-ly!
We wish you would do the right thing!
We wish you would do the right thing!
We wish you would do the right thing!
Treat workers fair-ly!
Good tidings we bring to you and your kids,
We wish you would do the right thing
Stop capitalist's greed,
We wish you would do the right thing!
We wish you would do the right thing!
We wish you would do the right thing!
And end corporate greed!
We wish you would do the right thing!
We wish you would do the right thing!
We wish you would do the right thing!
And end corporate greed!


Slow Down Ye Frantic Shoppers
to the tune of 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 for 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.


Hark, the Wal-Mart Banners Say
to the tune of Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!
by dan rodman

Hark, the Wal-Mart banners say,
"It's made in, the U.S.A."
But read the fine print and you'll see,
Most things come from overseas.
         Sweatshop factories exploit children,
         While Sam Walton rakes in billions
Tell us where your factories are,
Do they exploit the world's poor?
Hark, to Wal-Mart, we do say,
People deserve a living wage!
A quarter-an-hour in Honduras,
Just five cents in Bangladesh.
Seven-day weeks in Guatemala,
Indonesians earn ten cents!
         Workers beaten for mistakes,
         Wal-Mart this is a disgrace!
Tell us where your factories are,
Do they exploit the world's poor?
Hark, to Wal-Mart, we do say,
People deserve a living wage!
Wal-Mart sweatshops won't stay secret,
We will let the world see.
We don't want our hard earned money
Siphoned off, by corporate greed!
         We want human rights today,
         Wal-Mart we won't go away!
Tell us where your factories are,
Do they exploit, the world's poor?
Hark, to Wal-Mart, we do say,
People deserve, a living wage!







*******
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