Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Song for Day 83 - "Can't Go Back to Kansas" by John Stewart

Day 83 - "Can't Go Back to Kansas" by John Stewart

Kingston Trio 1961:  John Stewart, Nick Reynolds, Bob Shane.
     In the 4th Kansas district yesterday, Republican Ron Estes defeated Democrat James Thompson
by 53.3%-45%.  Dolt 45 won the 4th by 27% in November, and the outgoing Rep. Mike Pompeo, who will now direct the CIA [shudder], won it in 2010 with 59%, in 2012 with 62%, in 2014 with 66.7%, and in 2016 with 60.6% of the vote.  Each time, Pompeo faced a different Democratic opponent--sometimes more than one.  (Please, no more Duo Democrats!)

     This is one of the reddest districts in the country.  For those who don't understand momentum, this means that our worst loss between now and November 2018 may be single digits.  Statistically, that virtually guarantees a landslide in 2020.  Do the math.  Oh, and this is before we factor in recent legal decisions against gerrymandering.

Kingston Trio 1957: 
Dave Guard, Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds
     The result is remarkable in its own right--so much so that the margin isn't mentioned in most Republican accounts.  On the circuit, this is where the more ornery among us would turn to an opponent, smile, and ask:  "Do you feel something slipping?"

     For the 50-state strategy to continue to work we need to raise money, yes, but we also need to "think outside the bucks", raising the profile and goodwill of our [potential] candidates, as with regular meet-and-greets.  Not in 2018 or 2020 but today and every day.  Find some venue:  swap meets, farmers' markets, craft shows, music mini-festivals, et cetera.  Get musicians' permissions to use their videos in your food courts;  ask them if they would make one in support of the candidate(s).

     All volunteer.  $0.

     That said, what money the Democratic Party does spend on red states invariably gets more "bang for the buck" than in blue districts.  As Bill Clinton would say:  "It's called 'arithmetic'."

     Would it be too much to ask that MSNBC, at least, do stories--plural--on the races of James Thompson (Kansas 4th), Jon Ossoff (Georgia 6th), and Rob Quist (Montana)?  Can we at least organize Wikipedia pages for all of our candidates?

     In 2018 we can and will go back to Kansas.


Lyrics and Chords for "Can't Go Back To Kansas":

(C) (G) (Am) (C7) (F) (G) (C) (G)
(C) Time (G)moves like a (Am)river,(C7)
(F) You can (G)either sink or (C)swim.(G)
(C) And a wise man (G)learns to for(Am)give her(C7)
(F) For (G)all she's done to (C)him.(C7)
And (F)no-one's getting (C)younger,
And a (F)few aren't (G)getting (C)old,
It's (Am)all in what you (Em)feel,
And (D)not in what you're (G)told.

Oh, you (Am)can't go back to (Em)Kansas,
I was (F)there just (G)yester(C)day,
Oh, you (Am)can't go back to (Em)Kansas,
It just (D)up and blew a(G)way.
Oh, but (F)I will go on (C)loving you,
It's (F)easi(G)er that (C)way,
But you (Am)can't go back to (Em)Kansas,
'Cause (F)that was (G)yester(C)day.
(G) (Am) (C7) (F) (G) (C) (G)

(C) I see the (G)sun rise and (Am)fall,(C7)
(F) And I feel the (G)earth beneath my (C)shoes.(G)
(C) Still I´m (G)stuck in my be(Am)lieving(C7)
(F) That some were (G)born and cursed to (C)lose.(C7)
But (F)nothing´s gonna (C)happen here,
That´s (F)all I´ve (G)got to (C)say,
It´s (Am)nothing to be (Em)down about,
It´s (D)always been that (G)way.

Oh, I (Am)can't go back to (Em)Kansas,
I was (F)there just (G)yester(C)day,
Oh, I (Am)can't go back to (Em)Kansas,
It just (D)up and blew a(G)way.
Oh, but (F)I will go on (C)loving you,
It's (F)easi(G)er that (C)way,
But you (Am)can't go back to (Em)Kansas,
'Cause (F)that was (G)yester(Am)day. (Em) (F)(G)(C)
(Am) (Em) (D) (G) (F) (C) (F)(G)(C) (Am) (Em) (F)(G)(C)

Oh, you (Am)can't go back to (Em)Kansas,
I was (F)there just (G)yester(C)day,
Oh, you (Am)can't go back to (Em)Kansas,
It just (D)up and blew (G)away.
Oh, but (F)I will go on (C)loving you,
It's (F)easi(G)er that (C)way,
But you (Am)can't go back to (Em)Kansas,
'Cause (F)that was (G)yester(C)day.
(G) (Am) (C7) (F) (G) (C)

When you play this alternate version, please WATCH OUT:
The distinctive high-notes run is written out
John plays during the chord change from (G) to (C)
only once, see first line of intro.
Play most of the runs on the bass-strings,
“it´s easier that way.”

(C) (Em7/B) (Am7) (Am7/G) (F) (G, highlight high notes:g-b-c-d)
(C) "And across the (G)plains of Wichita,
(C)at the farms being (Em7/B)sold at auction,(Am7)
they listened to the (Am7/G)clear New England voice (F)
cut the cold (G)Kansas sky."(C) (Em7/B)

(C) Time (Em7/B)moves like a (Am7)river,(Am7/G)
(F) You can (G)either sink or (C)swim. (G)
(C)And a wise (Em7/B)man learns (Am7)to forgive her(Am7/G)
(F) For (G)all she's done to (C)him. (C7)
(F) No one's getting (Cj7)younger,
(Dm7) But a (G)few aren't getting (C)old, (high notes:e-d)(Am)
It's all in what you (Em)feel (D)
It's not in what you're (G)told.(G/F) (G/E) (Bass run: G-A-B-D)

(Am) But you can't go back to (Em)Kansas,
(F) I was (G)there just yester(C)day.(Bass run: G-A-B-D)
(Am) You can't go back to (Em)Kansas, (D)
It just up and blew a(G)way. (Fj7)
So I will go on (Cj7)loving you, (F)
It's (G)easier that (C)way,(run, start on G-string:g-a-b-d)
(Am) And you can't go back to (Em)Kansas, (F)
'Cause (G)that was yester(C)day. (Em7/B) (Am7) (Am7/G) (F) (G) (C) (G)
(C) (Em7/B) (Am7) (Am7/G) (F) (G) (C) (G)

(C) I see the (Em7/B)sun rise and (Am7)fall,(Am7/G)
(F) And I feel the (G)earth beneath my (C)shoes. (G)
(C) There's no (Em7/B)need in you be(Am7)lieving(Am7/G)
(F) That you were (G)born and cursed to (C)lose.(C7)
(Fj7) So why not go on (Cj7)dreaming then?
(F) Yeah, take (G)anyone you (C)choose. (Am)
There's nothing to be (Em)down about, (D)
'Cause you either (G) win or lose.(G/F) (G/E) (Bass run: G-A-B-D)

(Am)You can't go back to (Em)Kansas,(high notes:g-f-e-d-f)
(F) I was (G)there just yester(C)day.(high notes:g-g g-g g-g)
(Am You can't go back to (Em)Kansas, (D)
It just up and blew (G)away. (Fj7)
So I will go on (Cj7)loving you, (F)
'Cause it's (G)easier that (C)way,(single notes:g-a-b-d-a)
(Am) But you can't go back to (Em)Kansas, (F)
'Cause (G)that was (C) yesterday.
(Em7/B) (Am7) (Am7/G) (F) (G) (C)


 

No comments:

Post a Comment