The gloomy night before us flies, The reign of terror now is o’er
No gags, inquisitors and spies, the hordes of harpies are no more
Rejoice, Columbia’s sons rejoice! To tyrants never bend the knee
Join with heart and soul and voice. For Jefferson and Liberty
Now there’s a daily grist for you! It comes from a campaign song whose tune is still played at old time jams. It’s a great tune. I know. I’ve been to old time sessions where that very tune was called and played.
With a presidential campaign and election just finished that left much to be desired we need to start now writing a decent campaign song that everybody can get behind. As our president elect says, we all need to come together. Music can help us do that.
Recent campaigns have adopted popular songs to get their rally crowds energized but the songs they pick have more to do with giving their crowds of supporters a good energy by using popular songs they know already and probably like. Bill Clinton coopted Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow” to good effect. He got away with it for the most part but Republicans seem to have more problems with this approach. George W. got sued over Tom Petty’s “I won’t Back Down”, John McCain was rebuffed by ABBA over “Take a Chance on Me” and The Donald has run afoul of as many as 16 groups including the Rolling Stones over using their music at rallies.
If I were running for president I would spend the money to have a musician write a catchy song about my campaign specifically. I wouldn’t try to co-opt a pop tune that’s already out there. “Tippycanoe and Tyler Too”, “I’m Just Wild About Harry”, “I Like Ike”. Those are the kind of songs we need.
I wish our new president well. I sure wouldn’t want the job, especially now in these troubled times. I hope we can all pull together as a country, meet the challenges of the next four years and get rid of anybody that isn’t towing the lines in two and or four years.
I’d been a good old donkey but they turned me out to die
They had me on the commons where the grass don’t grow so high
But now I’m in the clover in the fields of golden grain
I’m back in old Columby in the same old stall again
Well they had me up Salt River till I kicked that stable down
I knew that Mr. Roosevelt would ride me in to town
He mounted to the saddle and he grabbed the bridle reign
I’m Back in old Columby in the same old stall again
Hee Haw Hallelujah Hee Haw Hallelujah
I’m back in old Columby in the same old stall again
He shouted on to Washington from the track to let us by
You never saw a donkey in your life jump so high
He rode me on to victory I carried him to fame
I’m back in old Columby in the same old stall again
The rooster and the eagle fought a duel in the sky
While I was kicking gravel in the big white elephant’s eye
The rooster flogged the eagle and he proved that he was game
I’m back in old Columby in the same old stall again
Hee Haw Hallelujah Hee Haw Hallelujah
I’m back un old Columby in the same old stall again
They had me on the race track for another stakes last fall
Mr. Roosevelt he rode me to the presidential hall
When he led me to the manger to feed my hungry frame
I’z back in old Columby in the dame old stall again
And you can see my handsome profile in the papers everywhere
And soon you’ll hear them singing about me on the air
The world’s gonna miss me when I’m dead and gone
But when the angels find me I’ll be sleeping in the White House barn
Hee Haw Hallelujah Hee Haw Hallelujah
I’m back in old Columby in the same old stall again
