breathonthewater

Looking to going to New York City this coming weekend for the big 350.org rally, I have been working on a song — and share it here with the words as well. The ideas in it relate, among other things, to those in earlier posts concerned with reducing consumption as well as dealing with climate change. Here is the song:

and here are the words and chords, which I hope folks will enjoy:

THREE FIFTY TO SAVE THE SKY

Words and lyrics by Gray Cox

2014 shared under a Creative Commons License

 

Now I was born with a great desire

To set my share of the world on fire.

To set my share of the world alight

And share in the flicker of the flame at night.

But with all the candles I did burn

At both ends, I did learn,

To share in the settin’ of the world alight

And share in the flicker of the flame at night.

 

CHORUS: So come ye now join in with me

We’ll clap our hands, we’ll stomp our feet,

We’ll lift our voices in a cry:

Three Fifty to Save the Sky!

 

Now some would like the world to turn

On the energy of the coal they burn

And let the climate change go on

Till most of Bangladesh is gone

From New Orleans to New York’s Coast

Up to Alaska’s permafrost

They’d rather sell their ancient oil

Than love our land and save our soil.

CHORUS

 

We’ll buy back our ancient rights

And stop consuming day and night,

invest more and consume less

And tell our worried children yes!

Yes we love you! Yes we care!

Yes we’ll give you your fair share!

Put half our income all aside

To stop the storms and turn the tide.

CHORUS

 

We’ll store up our energy

By digesting some calories

And when it gets all dark at night

We’ll wind a crank and make some light.

And if the weather does get cold

We’ll all put on a few more clothes

And for when we would move at great speed

We’ll harvest sunlight that we’ll need.

CHORUS

 

We prefer to all invest

In things that give the earth a rest

Cut our consumption right in half

And spend our time in greater laugh – Ter

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

CHORUS

 

Still politicians all do seem

To be living in some false dream,

They’d rather go and pas the buck

Till someone else runs out of luck.

But we the people really care

And will not stop till they run scared.

We’ll make our leaders save the sky

And kick their asses till they cry:

CHORUS

 

Now I was born with a great desire

To set my share of the world on fire.

To set my share of the world alight

And share in the flicker of the flame at night.

But with all the candles I did burn

At both ends, I did learn,

To share in the settin’ of the world alight

And share in the flicker of the flame at night.

CHORUS

CHANT:

For love and laughter you and I!

Three fifty to save the sky!

Love our children, do or die!

Three fifty to save the sky!

Three fifty to save the sky!

Three fifty to save the sky!

Three fifty to save the sky!

D/ D G/D / A / D/ D G / D/ A D

G/ G/ D / A/ D/ D G/ D/ A D

G/ G/ D/ A/ D/ D G/ D/ A D