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
Official printable NoTrumpZone signs
Just double-click on the sign and print it out on your inkjet printer for a perfect window sign.
Free for noncommercial use only!
