Saturday, August 05, 2006

Everybody hates the Juice

Wherein whattaya mean the song isn't about OJ?


In honor of the Carnival of Mel (also scroll Hog On Ice for some candid Mel Gibson photos), I thought I'd listen to Tom Lehrer's National Brotherhood Week.

Lyrics
Oh, the white folks hate the black folks,
And the black folks hate the white folks.
To hate all but the right folks
Is an old established rule.

But during National Brotherhood Week, National Brotherhood Week,
Lena Horne and Sheriff Clarke are dancing cheek to cheek.
It's fun to eulogize
The people you despise,
As long as you don't let 'em in your school.

Oh, the poor folks hate the rich folks,
And the rich folks hate the poor folks.
All of my folks hate all of your folks,
It's American as apple pie.

But during National Brotherhood Week, National Brotherhood Week,
New Yorkers love the Puerto Ricans 'cause it's very chic.
Step up and shake the hand
Of someone you can't stand.
You can tolerate him if you try.

Oh, the Protestants hate the Catholics,
And the Catholics hate the Protestants,
And the Hindus hate the Moslems,
And everybody hates the Jews.

But during National Brotherhood Week, National Brotherhood Week,
It's National Everyone-smile-at-one-another-hood Week.
Be nice to people who
Are inferior to you.
It's only for a week, so have no fear.
Be grateful that it doesn't last all year

1 Comments:

Blogger Ahistoricality said...

Scary, isn't it? How true that stuff still is. It's been thirty years, for the love of god....

Tom Paxton once said, of "Whose Garden Was This" that the worst thing for a satirical topical songwriter was to have the song still be relevant a generation later....

8/06/2006 02:44:00 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home