Zoloft, It’s Been Good To Know You

I love a good parody and have tried to write a few. I recorded this one in the early 1990’s using Woody Guthrie’s famous 1930’s song about escaping the Dust Bowl, “So Long, It’s Been Good to Know You,” as an ironic vehicle to comment on the various mind-altering substances people use to escape reality in today’s America. As I was putting this page together I discovered what is sometimes called the patriotic “war version” of the lyrics that Woody rewrote in the early 1940’s after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the start of World War II. In this version, fleeing the Dust Bowl is updated by American patriots running off to join the Army to fight fascism, which seems to me more appropriate as America flirts with fascism in the age of Trump. Maybe I’ll be inspired to give it another rewrite myself as the Trumpies try to take over everything.

Woody sings both of his versions of “So Long It’s Been Good to Know You” in the YouTube links below:

 

Zoloft, It’s Been Good To Know You

Sung to the tune of “So Long, It’s Been Good To Know You” (with apologies to Woody Guthrie).

 

This tune was written by Woody Guthrie

About the Great Depression back in the Thirties

Now the millenium’s come it’s a new century

And depression is now a great growth industry

They sing Zoloft, it’s been good to know you

Prozac, puts a smile on you

Zoloft, it’s been good to know you

Just ask your doctor and you can be strong

And we’ll all be driftin’ along

When I was a kid I was restless and loud

I was always in trouble because of my mouth

Now if I were a kid in the system today

They’d keep me doped up so I’d always obey

They’d sing Zoloft, it’s been good to know you

Ritalin, shuts boys up for you

Zoloft, it’s been good to know you

Just double their dosage and they will be calm

And we’ll all be driftin’ along

Now Paxil or Xanax might do it for you

And there’s dozens of others to try if you’re blue

Their customer base grows with every new sale

But if you grow your own they will throw you in jail

Singin’ Zoloft, it’s been good to know you

Nicotine really does hook you

And alcohol can truly abuse you

But demand is soaring and profits are strong

So let’s all be driftin’ along

Singin’ Zoloft, it’s been good to know ya

Cannibus will be illegal for you

Zoloft it’s been good to know you

We’ll keep it a crime so profits stay strong

And we’ll all be driftin’ along

Singin’ Zoloft, it’s been good to know you

Prozac, puts a smile on you

Zoloft, it’s been good to know you

We’ll keep advertising so profits stay strong

And you’ll all be driftin’ along

Scott Morrison P.O. Box 2503 Petaluma, CA 94953  • © 2004 Skeptico Music BMI

 

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