Friday, December 20, 2013

Tattle Tale, Tattle Tale

Here's a song I wrote with Lisa Gundling, a songwriter on the website "Just Plain Folks Music."  

An imaginary arrow 
An imaginary bow 
A boy pulls back the bowstring 
And lets the arrow go 

It flies right out the window 
It flies so straight and true 
But a little girl sees it 
And spills the beans at school 

Tattle tale, tattle tale 
You belong in jail 
We’re gonna hang your britches 
On a rusty nail 

Next day the little boy 
Gets hauled into the office 
The little girl is frowning 
"Yes," she says, "I saw it." 

The little boy denies it 
"What proof is there?" says he 
The little girl just frowns some more 
"Who needs proof?" says she 

Tattle tale, tattle tale 
You belong in jail 
We’re gonna hang your britches 
On a rusty nail 

The parents of the children 
Are called to testify 
And both tell the policeman 
"My child would never lie" 

"Well somebody is lying 
And somebody must pay 
"I have no choice," the sergeant says 
"I'll take them both away" 

Tattle tale, tattle tale 
You belong in jail 
We’re gonna hang your britches 
On a rusty nail 

Tomorrow he'll regret 
Playing make believe at school 
And he won't be quite so quick to break 
Imaginary rules 

Tomorrow she'll be sorry 
For all the trouble she got in 
And if she's learned her lesson well 
She'll never snitch again 


Tattle tale, tattle tale 
You belong in jail 
We’re gonna hang your britches 
On a rusty nail


© Lisa Gundling/Dan Sullivan 2013

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

CALVARY ROAD


As I go through this world 
And the troubles pile up 
I remember that Jesus 
Once drank from the cup 
He gave everything 
That one man could give 
He died on the Cross 
So sinners might live 

Calvary Road 
Calvary Road 
Our sins were forgiven 
On Calvary Road 

I'm traveling through 
A world full of lies 
It seems like the truth 
Is always disguised 
Can't even believe 
What you see with your eyes 
Cross my heart 
And hope to die 

Calvary Road 
Calvary Road 
Our sins were forgiven 
On Calvary Road 

I'm searching for truth 
On Calvary Road 
More than a man 
Walked here I am told 
He carried a promise 
More precious than gold 
He gave us Salvation 
On Calvary Road 

Calvary Road 
Calvary Road 
Our sins were forgiven 
On Calvary Road
©
Dan Sullivan
2013




Friday, May 31, 2013

THE BALLAD OF ROBERT WELCH





Back in the 1950s a group of wealthy businessmen and industrialists led by Robert Welch and Fred Koch (sire of the Koch Brothers) formed the John Birch Society to warn Americans of the dangers of Communism, Liberalism, Civil Rights, Big Government, Taxes and the Federal Reserve System.   At first they were welcome in the Republican Party, but when they accused President Dwight D. Eisenhower,  his brother Milton and Vice President Richard Nixon of being Communist agents or dupes,  the party washed their hands of them and by the end of the ’60s they were without political influence and pretty much forgotten.    Today, more than 40 years later, there’s been an amazing  revival of the Bircher ideology.   And  this time it’s been welcomed back with  open arms by the Republican Party.  

So I figured it’s about time for a song about it.   Seeing nobody’s hand go up, I volunteered for the assignment.  

The backing music was provided by the Apple Loops Garage Band.   




The Ballad of Robert Welch   
(The John Birch Society Song)
© Dan Sullivan 2013

Robert Welch lived  a long  time ago
He hated Godless Commies, Libs and Rock ’n Roll
He had a knack for making money  and a nose for finding Reds
He even found one underneath Eisenhower’s bed

Welch  placed  Americans in one of four groups
The Communists, the ignorant, the uninformed and dupes
Now which group you fell into didn’t matter much 
That’s the way he saw it, so that’s the way it was

In nineteen fifty-eight bankrolled by great  wealth
The John Birch Society was formed by Robert Welch
And soon folks were following every word he said 
Astonished that just one  man could find so many Reds

When it came to politicians he never pulled a punch
Republican and Democrat got thrown beneath the bus
He found Reds in the churches, he found ‘em in the bars
But when  he called Ike a dupe he probably went too far

By 1965 Welch was out of luck
The GOP disowned him, Bill Buckley called him nuts
The Bircher ranks dwindled, they  faded away
But just like Lazarus, they’d rise again one day

In 1985 they put him in the ground
But guess who’s at the Tea Party hanging around
The Birchers and the Birthers it’s hard to tell who’s who?
Conspiracies everywhere and everyone unglued

The moral of this story the lesson to take home
Is   man is made of more than flesh and blood and bone
And as long as fear and hatred fill the hearts of men
Guys like Robert Welch will always rise again

As long as paranoia  fills the minds of men
Another Alex Jones is always just around the bend