.

.

Biden Blues

When I was just a kid,
I’d shout and I’d refuse.
My mama taught me, be polite,
Taught me the words to use:
No thank you, Joe; no thank you, Joe.
I’d rather sing these no thank you blues.

(Refrain:)
No thank you, Joe; no thank you, Joe.
I learned my manners well,
So I won’t tell
You where to go.
This trip you’re tripping on,
I don’t care to go.
So thank you, no,
No thank you, Joe,
No thank you, Joe.

Oh, Mr. President,
You seem a bit confused.
You seem to think that it’s your job
To tell me what to do.
No thank you, Joe; no thank you, Joe.
My conscience does a better job than you.

My mama taught me never
Take candy from a man
Who says he wants to keep me safe
And hold me by the hand.
No thank you, Joe; no thank you, Joe.
There’s no way I’m taking candy from your hand.

(Refrain)

You say it’s not about
Our freedom or our choice.
You demonize each one of us
Who dares to use his voice.
No thank you, Joe; no thank you, Joe.
It’s my freedom, it’s my choice, and it’s my voice.

You say what am I waiting for,
The evidence is clear.
I’m not waiting, Joe, I know my mind:
I’ve chosen not to fear.
No thank you, Joe; no thank you, Joe.
I’ve done my research and it’s clear, no need to fear.

.

.

Jack DesBois is a singer, actor, and storyteller. He gives annual Epiphany season performances of “The Western Star,” which he wrote in 2016. He self-published a chapbook of short poems in 2018. As a singer, Jack has had the good fortune to solo in several of the great works of Baroque Oratorio, including Handel’s Messiah (Bass) and Esther (Haman) and J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion (Jesus). Jack lives in Topsfield, Massachusetts. 

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24 Responses

  2. Mike Bryant

    WOW! This is just tremendous! Perfectly written and performed in the spirit of the 60s protest songs. Did you put it on Rumble. Just love this.

    Reply
    • Mike Bryant

      An interesting attempt to denigrate freedom.
      Fred Schueler. You are in violation of the comment policy. This is not the first time.

      Reply
  4. Joe Tessitore

    Two in a row, Jack.
    You nailed it both times!
    This is so good, and so comprehensive!

    Reply
  5. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Jack, I love this musical and poetical take on the government’s grab for our freedoms. It begs to be shared and I will most certainly be sharing your powerful and, above all, polite voice of protest. Thank you very much!

    Reply
  6. Paul Freeman

    Unfortunately, in my opinion, a lot of people are taking candy from agenda-laden websites that say they want to keep us safe.

    Thanks for the entertainment though, Jack.

    Reply
  7. Jeff Eardley

    Jack, as one who first picked up a guitar with the protest songs of the 60’s, this is quite wonderful to hear. You are a fine vocalist Jack and you reminded me so much of the legendary Pete Seeger.
    Keep on doing what you do so well. From one musician to another. Well done.

    Reply
  8. Yael

    Great song, thank you, I enjoyed it!
    I really like the candy-from-a-stranger analogy, and the refrain just nails it for me: a solid but sweet and polite protest song. I like your choice of chords too, sounds good to me.

    Reply
  9. Sally Cook

    So good to see everyone using multiple talents to express
    disfavor of the horrors our poor country is being forced to endure.
    I, too, love Baroque music of every sort. Used to sing with a madrigal groip, and love playing early Baroque (piano). Hope you will keep on objecting to stupidity, wherever youi find it.

    Reply
  10. Sally Cook

    PS – Can you imagine Handel’s Messiah being sung by masked vocalists, standing six feet apart , muffled on the low notes, and choking on the high ones ? So much for vocal performers !

    Reply
    • Jack DesBois

      This is precisely what my former undergraduate choir tried to do – well, not the Messiah. Their Spring 2021 program included “I Celebrate Myself” with words of Walt Whitman. “Socially distanced” and masked, with no audience. Digitally edited to mix two asynchronous groups of singers. In a chapel stripped of religious iconography.

      The attack on singing is unconscionable. Singing – one of the greatest therapies for natural immune system optimization, precisely because it is a hallowed manifestation of the connection between body and soul, indivisible until death. (No, I do not have scientific papers to back up this claim; it is based on my own life experience.)

      The attack on singing is an attack on our souls.

      Reply
  11. Mike Bryant

    Jack, your wonderful protest song has been posted on Whatfinger.com. Whatfinger is the second largest news aggregator after Drudge, but they are catching up fast. It is run by Sgt Pat and many other ex military men, including Sgt K and Sgt L. These guys are pro-conservative, anti-authoritarian patriots who want the best for this country and the world. Jack, you know that is FREEDOM, and that is what Whatfinger AND The Society of Classical Poets are both pursuing. It is sad that the demonic authoritarians have found so many ways to divide us. I think it is incumbent on each of us that do hold up freedom, to minimize our differences and celebrate freedom and independence.
    Evan sent your song along to them, and Sgt Pat recognized that we have come full circle from the 60s as the protest songs of today are written and performed by conservatives.
    This is how he described your song:
    “AWESOME tune – notice how the right has all the protest songs now – a new awakening EVERYWHERE“ — Sgt Pat

    Reply
  12. Jim Naso

    Protest songs against LBJ, Nixon and “the establishment” were embraced by record companies, radio stations, and college-age liberals.

    Today, this song will likely be deemed insurrectionist or, at least, factually inaccurate, by tech companies and radio stations, and many of those aging 60s liberals will be okay with banning it.

    Hanging the flag the right way instead of burning it is going to look suspicious to our progressive witch-hunters.

    Excellent song. Makes the point with clever analogy and without rancor or vulgarity.

    Reply

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