https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schoolhouse_Rock! offers students edutainment, which often leads to long term retention and better understanding of ideas.
https://blogs.loc.gov/now-see-hear/2023/01/happy-anniversary-schoolhouse-rock Jan 18, 2023 "“Schoolhouse Rock” was a series of three-minute musical interstitials airing just before the top of the hour between ABC’s Saturday morning kiddie shows beginning in January of 1973. In a 2017 TEDx talk, “Schoolhouse Rock” composer Bob Dorough recalled the genesis of what would become an enduring classic spanning multiple generations:" Library of Congress Blogs
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/04/07/return-schoolhouse-rock-could-pave-way-better-knowledge-history "Schoolhouse Rock,” the animated Saturday morning children’s television series that ran on ABC mostly from 1973 through 1979 (though there were also new episodes in 1995-1996 and 2009), has reached millions of viewers over the past half-century...Its history-centered season, “America Rock,” ran from September 1975 through July 1976, as the United States was celebrating its bicentennial." Washington Post
No More Kings - Episode 1
Episode 1 "No More Kings"
Singer: Lynn Ahrens
Song Writer: Lynn Ahrens
Original Air Date: September 20, 1975
This song shows the Pilgrims settling in America and eventually Americans throwing a Boston Tea Party to protest British tyranny. It was voted #13 on the 30th Anniversary DVD Top 25.
Rockin' and a-rollin', splishin' and a-splashin'
Over the horizon, what can it be?
The pilgrims sailed the sea
To find a place to call their own
In their ship Mayflower
They hoped to find a better home
They finally knocked
On Plymouth Rock
And someone said, "We're there
It may not look like home
But at this point I don't care"
Oh, they were missing Mother England
They swore their loyalty until the very end
Anything you say, King
It's OK, King
You know it's kinda scary on your own
Going to build a new land
The way we planned
Could you help us run it until it's grown?
They planted corn, you know
They built their houses one by one
And bit by bit they worked
Until the colonies were done
They looked around
Yeah, up and down
And someone said, "Hurray!
If the king could only see us now
He would be proud of us today"
They knew that now they'd run their own land
But George the Third still vowed
He'd rule them until the end
"Anything I say, do it my way now
Anything I say, do it my way
Don't you get to feeling independent
Because I'm going to force you to obey"
He taxed their property
He didn't give them any choice
And back in England
He didn't give them any voice
(That's called taxation without representation
And it's not fair!)
But when the Colonies complained
The king said: "I don't care!"
He even has the nerve
To tax our cup of tea
To put it kindly, King
We really don't agree
Going to show you how we feel
We're going to dump this tea
And turn this harbor into
The biggest cup of tea in history!
They wanted no more Mother England
They knew the time had come
For them to take command
It's very clear you're being unfair, King
No matter what you say, we won't obey
Going to hold a revolution now, King
And we're gonna run it all our way
With no more kings . . .
We're going to elect a president! (No more kings)
He's going to do what the people want! (No more kings)
We're going to run things our way! (No more kings)
Nobody's going to tell us what to do!
Rockin' and a-rollin', splishin' and a-splashin'
Over the horizon, what can it be?
Looks like it's going to be a free country
Fireworks - Episode 2
Episode 2 "Fireworks"
Singer: Grady Tate
Song Writer: Lynn Ahrens
Original Air Date: July 3, 1976
This song teaches about the Declaration of Independence.
Oh, there's going to be fireworks (fireworks!)
On the Fourth of July (red, white, and blue!)
Red, white, and blue fireworks
Like diamonds in the sky. (diamonds in the sky!)
We're going to shoot the entire works on fireworks
That really show, oh yeah
We declared our liberty 200 years ago
Yeah!
In 1776 (fireworks!)
There were fireworks too (red, white, and blue!)
The original colonists
You know their tempers blew (They really blew!)
Like Thomas Paine once wrote:
It's only common sense (only common sense)
That if a government won't give you your basic rights
You'd better get another government
And though some people tried to fight it
Well, a committee was formed to write it:
Benjamin Franklin, Philip Livingston
John Adams, Roger Sherman, Thomas Jefferson
They got it done (Oh yes they did!)
The Declaration, uh-huh-huh
The Declaration of Independence (oh yeah!)
In seventeen hundred seventy six (right on!)
The Continental Congress said that we were free (we're free!)
Said we had the right of life and liberty
. . . And the pursuit of happiness!
Oh, when England heard the news (kerpow!)
They blew their stack (they really blew their cool!)
But the colonists lit the fuse
There'd be no turning back (no turning back!)
They'd had enough of injustice now
But even if it really hurts, oh yeah
If you don't give us our freedom now
You're going to see some fireworks!
And on the Fourth of July they signed it
And 56 names underlined it
And now to honor those first 13 states
We turn the sky into a birthday cake
They got it done (oh yes, they did!)
The Declaration, uh-huh-huh
The Declaration of Independence (oh yeah!)
In seventeen hundred seventy six (right on!)
The Continental Congress said that we were free (we're free!)
Said we had the right of life and liberty
. . . And the pursuit of happiness!
We hold these truths to be self-evident
That all men are created equal
And that they are endowed by their creator
With certain inalienable rights
That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
And if there's one thing that makes me happy
Then you know that it's (oh)
There's going to be fireworks!
The Shot Heard Round the World - Episode 3
Bob Dorough
Song Writer: Bob Dorough
Original Air Date: October 18, 1975
This song teaches about the American Revolution. It was voted #10 on the 30th Anniversary DVD Top 25.
"The British are coming! The British are coming!"
Now, the ride of Paul Revere
Set the nation on its ear
And the shot at Lexington heard 'round the world
When the British fired in the early dawn
The War of Independence had begun
The die was cast, the rebel flag unfurled
And on to Concord marched the foe
To seize the arsenal there you know
Waking folks searching all around
Until our militia stopped them in their tracks
At the old North Bridge we turned them back
And chased those Redcoats back to Boston town
And the shot heard 'round the world
Was the start of the Revolution
The Minutemen were ready, on the move
Take your powder, and take your gun
Report to General Washington
Hurry men, there's not an hour to lose!
Now, at famous Bunker Hill
Even though we lost, it was quite a thrill
The rebel Colonel Prescott proved he was wise
Outnumbered and low on ammunition
As the British stormed his position
He said, "Hold your fire until you see the whites of their eyes!"
Though the next few years were rough
General Washington's men proved they were tough
Those hungry, ragged boys would not be beat
One night they crossed the Delaware
Surprised the Hessians in their lair
And at Valley Forge they just bundled up their feet!
And the shot heard 'round the world
Was the start of the Revolution
The Minutemen were ready, on the move
Take your blanket, and take your son
Report to General Washington
We've got our rights and now it's time to prove
Well, they showed such determination
That they won the admiration
Of countries across the sea like France and Spain
Who loaned the colonies ships and guns
And put the British on the run
And the Continental Army on its feet again
And though they lost some battles too
The Americans swore they'd see it through
Their raiding parties kept up, hit and run
At Yorktown the British could not retreat
Bottled up by Washington and the French Fleet
Cornwallis surrendered and finally we had won!
The winner!
Hurray!
From the shot heard 'round the world
To the end of the Revolution
The continental rabble took the day
And the father of our country
Beat the British there at Yorktown
And brought freedom to you and me and the U.S.A.!
God bless America, let freedom ring!
The Preamble - Episode 4
Watch and practice The Preamble song.
Singer: Lynn Ahrens
Song Writer: Lynn Ahrens
Original Air Date: November 1, 1975
This song teaches about the United States Constitution and sets its Preamble to music. The words "of the United States" are removed from the Preamble in this song version. It was voted the 6th best song on the 30th Anniversary DVD Top 25.
Hey, do you know about the U.S.A.?
Do you know about the government?
Can you tell me about the Constitution?
Hey, learn about the U.S.A.
In 1787 I'm told
Our founding fathers did agree
To write a list of principles
For keeping people free.
The U.S.A. was just starting out
A whole brand-new country
And so our people spelled it out
The things that we should be
And they put those principles down on paper and called it the Constitution, and it's been helping us run our country ever since then. The first part of the Constitution is called the preamble and tells what those founding fathers set out to do.
We the people
In order to form a more perfect union
Establish justice, insure domestic tranquility
Provide for the common defense
Promote the general welfare and
Secure the blessings of liberty
To ourselves and our posterity
Do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America
In 1787 I'm told
Our founding fathers all sat down
And wrote a list of principles
That's known the world around
The U.S.A. was just starting out
A whole brand-new country
And so our people spelled it out
They wanted a land of liberty
And the Preamble goes like this:
We the people
In order to form a more perfect union
Establish justice, insure domestic tranquility
Provide for the common defense
Promote the general welfare and
Secure the blessings of liberty
To ourselves and our posterity
Do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America
For the United States of America . . .
Sufferin Till Suffrage - Episode 5
Episode 5 "Sufferin' Till Suffrage"
Singer: Essra Mohawk
Song Writer: Bob Dorough, Tom Yohe
Original Air Date: February 21, 1976
This song teaches about the steps women took to get their right to vote.
(Yeah! Hurray!)
Now you have heard of Women's Rights
And how we've tried to reach new heights
If we're "all created equal"
That's us too!
(Yeah!)
But you will probably not recall
That it's not been too, too long at all
Since we even had the right to
Cast a vote
(Well!)
Well, sure, some men bowed down and called us "Mrs." (Yeah!)
Let us hang the wash out and wash the dishes (Huh!)
But when the time rolled around to elect a president
What did they say, Sister (What did they say?)
They said, uh, "See you later, alligator
And don't forget my, my mashed potatoes
Because I'm going downtown to cast my vote for president"
Oh, we were suffering until suffrage
Not a woman here could vote, no matter what age
Then the 19th Amendment struck down that restrictive rule (Oh yeah!)
And now we pull down on the lever
Cast our ballots and we endeavor
To improve our country, state, county, town, and school
(Tell them about it!)
Those pilgrim women who
Who braved the boat
Could cook the turkey, but they
They could not vote
Even Betsy Ross, who sewed the flag, was left behind that first election day
(What a shame, Sisters!)
Then Susan B. Anthony (yeah!) and Julia Howe
(Lucretia!) Lucretia Mott, (and others!) they showed us how
They carried signs and marched in lines
Until at long last the law was passed
Oh, we were suffering until suffrage
Not a woman here could vote, no matter what age
Then the 19th Amendment struck down that restrictive rule (Oh yeah!)
And now we pull down on the lever
Cast our ballots and we endeavor
To improve our country, state, county, town, and school (Right on! Right on!)
Yes, the 19th Amendment
Struck down that restrictive rule (Right on! Right on!)
Yes, the 19th Amendment
Struck down that restrictive rule
(Yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah!
Right on!
We got it now!)
Since 1920
Sisters, unite!
Vote on!
I'm Just a Bill - Episode 6
Singer: Jack Sheldon, John Sheldon
Song Writer: Dave Frishberg
Original Air Date: March 27, 1976
This song uses the perspective of a bill singing a song about being stuck in committee to explain how a bill becomes a law. It was voted #2 on the 30th Anniversary DVD Top 25.
Boy: Woof! You sure got to climb a lot of steps to get to this Capitol Building here in Washington. But I wonder who that sad little scrap of paper is?
Bill: I'm just a bill
Yes, I'm only a bill
And I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill
Well, it's a long, long journey
To the capital city
It's a long, long wait
While I'm sitting in committee
But I know I'll be a law someday
At least I hope and pray that I will
But today I am still just a bill
Boy: Gee, Bill, you certainly have a lot of patience and courage
Bill: Well I got this far. When I started, I wasn't even a bill, I was just an idea. Some folks back home decided they wanted a law passed, so they called their local Congressman and he said, "You're right, there ought to be a law." Then he sat down and wrote me out and introduced me to Congress. And I became a bill, and I'll remain a bill until they decide to make me a law.
I'm just a bill
Yes, I'm only a bill,
And I got as far as Capitol Hill
Well, now I'm stuck in committee
And I'll sit here and wait
While a few key Congressmen discuss and debate
Whether they should let me be a law
How I hope and pray that they will
But today I am still just a bill
Boy: Listen to those congressmen arguing! Is all that discussion and debate about you?
Bill: Yeah, I'm one of the lucky ones. Most bills never even get this far. I hope they decide to report on me favorably, otherwise I may die.
Boy: Die?
Bill: Yeah, die in committee. Oh, but it looks like I'm going to live! Now I go to the House of Representatives, and they vote on me.
Boy: If they vote yes, what happens?
Bill: Then I go to the Senate and the whole thing starts all over again.
Boy: Oh no!
Bill: Oh yes!
I'm just a bill
Yes, I'm only a bill
And if they vote for me on Capitol Hill
Well, then I'm off to the White House
Where I'll wait in a line
With a lot of other bills
For the president to sign
And if he signs me, then I'll be a law
How I hope and pray that he will
But today I am still just a bill
Boy: You mean even if the whole Congress says you should be a law, the president can still say no?
Bill: Yes, that's called a veto. If the President vetoes me, I have to go back to Congress and they vote on me again, and by that time you're so old . . .
Boy: By that time it's very unlikely that you'll become a law. It's not easy to become a law, is it?
Bill: No!
But how I hope and I pray that I will
But today I am still just a bill
Congressman: He signed you, Bill! Now you're a law!
Bill: Oh yes!
The Great American Melting Pot - Episode 7
Episode 7 "The Great American Melting Pot"
Singer: Lori Lieberman
Song Writer: Lynn Ahrens
Original Air Date: May 1, 1976
This song teaches about Immigration in America. It was voted #19 on the 30th Anniversary DVD Top 25.
My grandmother came from Russia
A satchel on her knee
My grandfather had his father's cap
He brought from Italy
They'd heard about a country
Where life might let them win
They paid the fare to America
And there they melted in
Lovely Lady Liberty
With her book of recipes
And the finest one she's got
Is the great American melting pot
The great American melting pot
America was founded by the English
But also by the Germans, Dutch, and French
The principle still sticks
Our heritage is mixed
So any kid could be the president
You simply melt right in
It doesn't matter what your skin
It doesn't matter where you're from
Or your religion, you jump right in
To the great American melting pot
The great American melting pot
Oh, what a stew, red, white, and blue
America was the New World
And Europe was the Old
America was the land of hope
Or so the legend told
On steamboats by the millions
In search of honest pay
Those 19th-century immigrants sailed
To reach the U.S.A.
Lovely Lady Liberty
With her book of recipes
And the finest one she's got
Is the great American melting pot
The great American melting pot
What good ingredients
Liberty and immigrants
They brought the country's customs
Their language and their ways
They filled the factories, tilled the soil
Helped build the U.S.A.
Go on and ask your grandma
Hear what she has to tell
How great to be an American
And something else as well
Lovely Lady Liberty
With her book of recipes
And the finest one she's got
Is the great American melting pot
The great American melting pot
The great American melting pot
The great American melting pot
Elbow Room - Episode 8
Episode 8 "Elbow Room"
Singer: Sue Manchester
Song Writer: Lynn Ahrens
Original Air Date: May 22, 1976
This song teaches about Westward Expansion, starting from the 13 original colonies, showcasing the Louisiana Purchase, and quickly showing the Oregon Trail, wagon trains, California Gold Rush, and transcontinental railroad. It was voted the 25th best song on the 30th Anniversary DVD Top 25.
One thing you will discover
When you get next to one another
Is everybody needs some elbow room, elbow room
It's nice when you're kinda cozy, but
Not when you're tangled nose to nosey, oh
Everybody needs some elbow, needs a little elbow room
That's how it was in the early days of the U.S.A.
The people kept coming to settle though
The east was the only place there was to go
The president was Thomas Jefferson
He made a deal with Napoleon
How'd you like to sell a mile or two
(Or three, or a hundred, or a thousand?)
And so, in 1803 the Louisiana Territory was sold to us
Without a fuss
And gave us lots of elbow room
Oh, elbow room, elbow room
Got to, got to get us some elbow room
It's the west or bust
In God we trust
There's a new land out there
Lewis and Clark volunteered to go
Goodbye, good luck, wear your overcoat!
They prepared for good times and for bad (and for bad)
They hired Sacagawea to be their guide
She led them all across the countryside
Reached the coast
And found the most
Elbow room we've ever had
The way was opened up for folks with bravery
There were plenty of fights
To win land rights
But the West was meant to be
It was our Manifest Destiny!
The trappers, traders, and the peddlers
The politicians, and the settlers
They got there by any way they could (any way they could)
The Gold Rush trampled down the wilderness
The railroads spread across from east to west
And soon the West was opened up for - opened up for good
And now we jet from east to west
Goodbye New York, hello L.A.
But it took those early folks to open up the way
Now we've got a lot of room to be
Growing from sea to shining sea
Guess that we have got our elbow room (elbow room)
But if there should ever come a time
When we're crowded up together
I'm sure we'll find some elbow room . . . up on the moon!
Oh, elbow room, elbow room
Got to, got to get us some elbow room
It's the moon or bust
In God we trust
There's a new land up there!
Mother Necessity - Episode 9
Episode 9 "Mother Necessity"
Singer: Bob Dorough, Blossom Dearie, Essra Mohawk, Jack Sheldon
Song Writer: Bob Dorough
Original Air Date: July 10, 1976
This song shows important American inventors and inventions. It was voted #20 on the 30th Anniversary DVD Top 25.
Mother Necessity
With her good intentions
Where would this country be
Without her inventions?
Oh, things were rotten in the land of cotton
Until Whitney made the cotton gin
Now old times there will soon be forgotten
For it did the work of a hundred men
Mother Necessity, where would we be?
Mother Edison worked late each night
It went well until the fading light
Little Thomas Alva Edison said, "I'll grow up to be
A great inventor and I'll make a lamp to help my mommy see,
Wowee! What an excellent application of electricity!"
He worked hard and pulled the switch
He was smart and very rich
Mother Necessity, help us to see
Now, the mother of Samuel Morse
Always sent the lad out on a horse
"Take a message to Ms. Peavy on the far side of the pike
Spread the word about the quilting bee next Saturday night!"
Little Samuel started thinking of a way to send a message
Though he never met a horse he didn't like, uh!
Mother Necessity!
Elias, can you help me with my sewing?
Mother dear, I'll fulfill your fondest wishes
Elias, how?
This machine I've made will keep your sewing really flowing
In fact, we'll keep the whole nation in stitches, ah!
Mother Necessity, where would we be?
Ring me on the Alexander Graham Bell
Thank you Alexander for the phone
I'd never get a date, I'd never get a job
Unless I had a telephone
Mother Necessity!
"Orville, Wilbur, go outside this minute
And there continue with your silly playing!
Take these plans and take those blueprints
Take that funny looking thing
Take that wheel, take that wing
I can't hear a thing that Mrs. Johnson's saying
Orville! Wilbur! Come back, boys! Orville! Wilbur!"
Mother Necessity, where would we be?
When Robert Fulton made the steamboat go
When Marconi gave us wireless radio
When Henry Ford cranked up his first automo
When Samuel Slater showed us how factories go
And all the iron and oil and coal and steel and Yankee don't you know
They made this country really grow, grow, grow, grow
With Mother Necessity and where would we be
Without the inventions of your progeny?
Three Ring Government - Episode 10
Episode 10 "Three Ring Government"
Singer: Lynn Ahrens
Song Writer: Bob Dorough
Original Air Date: February 3, 1979
This song uses a three-ring circus to show how the three branches check and balance the powers of the United States Government.
Going to have a three-ring circus someday
People will say it's a fine one, son
Going to have a three-ring circus someday
People will come from miles around
Lions, tigers, acrobats, and jugglers and clowns galore
Tightrope walkers, pony riders, elephants, and so much more
Guess I got the idea right here at school
Felt like a fool when they called my name
Talking about the government and how it's arranged
Divided in three like a circus
Ring one, Executive
Two is Legislative, that's Congress
Ring three, Judiciary
See it's kind of like my circus, circus
Step right up and visit ring number one
The show's just begun, meet the President
I am here to see that the laws get done
The ringmaster of the government
On with the show!
Hurry, hurry, hurry to ring number two
See what they do in the Congress
Passing laws and juggling bills
Oh, it's quite a thrill in the Congress
Focus your attention on ring number three
The Judiciary's in the spotlight
The courts take the law and they tame the crimes
Balancing the wrongs with your rights
No one part can be
More powerful than any other is
Each controls the other you see
And that's what we call checks and balances
Well, everybody's act is part of the show
And no one's job is more important
The audience is kind of like the country you know
Keeping and eye on their performance
Ring one, Executive
Two is Legislative, that's Congress
Ring three, Judiciary
See it's kind of like my circus, circus
Going to have a three-ring circus someday
People will say it's a fine one, son
But until I get it, I'll do my thing
With government, it's got three rings
I'm Gonna Send Your Vote To College - Episode 11
Episode 11 "I'm Gonna Send Your Vote To College"
Singer: Jack Sheldon, Bob Dorough
Song Writer: Bob Dorough, George Newall
Year: 2002
This song teaches about the electoral college.
E-L-E-C-TOR-AL
Electoral College - we've got a tale to tell!
So what if we don't have a football team?
At least we never have to write a theme
No classes, no professors, no tuition
Yet we're the goal of every politician
Because everyone who graduates becomes the president
(Ta da!)
I'm gonna send your vote to college
When you vote for president
And if you'll let me share some knowledge
You'll understand this big event!
The folks who wrote our Constitution
Had the idea for this plan
And it's been used in our elections
Since our government began
When you pull down on my levers for the person of your choice
You're also choosing state electors, who will have the final voice
They're called the electoral college, and they'll meet to stipulate
Who the voters have selected to be the winner in each state
Now, the number of electors
That your state is going to get
Is based on total population
That's a formula that's set
And when the popular vote is counted
To find a winner in each state,
Each state will pledge all of its electors
To choose the winning candidate!
I like it! I like it!
E-L-E-C-TOR-AL
Electoral College - and we deserve a yell!
And even if the vote is close
And someone wins by just a little, tiny hair
Electors give that person all their votes
And it's considered fair and square!
I'm gonna send your vote to college
When you vote for president
And now the electoral college
Will work the way our founders meant
So what if they don't have a big macho football team?
It's every politician's special dream!
Because everyone who graduates
Yes, everyone who graduates
Everyone who graduates becomes the president!
Presidential Minute - Episode 12
Episode 12 "Presidential Minute"
Singer: Jack Sheldon
Song Writer: George R. Newall, Tom Yohe Jr.
Year: 2008
This song teaches about the process of electing a president.
Presidential Minute
Four years have passed
It's time again to state the main event
Election Day is drawing near
We'll pick our president
Republicans and Democrats hold national conventions
They built their party platforms to broadcast their intentions
The candidates they nominate will surely have potential
They'll have to campaign long and hard to prove they're presidential
With whistle stops and photo ops
And great debates and TV spots
Posters, pics, even dirty tricks
They run for president
The key states are the bigger ones with larger populations
They have the electoral votes it takes to win elections
Abe Lincoln, Grant, and FDR, they all got here this way
Be sure your mom and dad get out to vote Election Day
After whistle stops and photo ops
And great debates and TV spots
Election Day, we'll have our say
And pick a president
Exercise your votes!
Tyrannosaurus Debt
"Tyrannosaurus Debt"
Music by Tom Yohe
Lyrics by Tom Yohe
Performed by Bob Dorough and Bob Kaliban
January 6, 1996
TOUR GUIDE: To your left, folks, is the Washington Monument, to your right, the White House. And over there, just beyond the Capitol, is the National Debt!
TOURISTS: Ooh! Wow!
There's something huge
Red, white, and blue
That's grazing in D.C.
It's gobbling up the taxes
That are paid by you and me
It doesn't seem to notice
We really can't afford
The billions that it's costing us
To pay its room and board
It doesn't roam
But seems content
To dwell on Capitol Hill
As long as trucks keep pulling up
With tons of greenback bills
We've got to feed the big guy
We really can't forget
It has an awesome appetite
Tyrannosaurus Debt
TOUR GUIDE: The debt was born in 1790 when our new government took over 75 million the colonies spent in the Revolutionary War.
We've got to feed the monster
So it doesn't get upset
It's got an awesome appetite
Tyrannosaurus Debt
TOUR GUIDE: Alexander Hamilton, our first Secretary of the Treasury (he's on the 10, you know), wanted a federal debt to provide a reason to establish taxes to support our new nation.
The debt was young, they kept it small
They didn't know back then
In 1812 another war would make it grow again
By '66 the Civil War had cost the nation millions
The government in Washington now had a debt of billions
TOUR GUIDE: The Civil War ran up a debt of almost three billion dollars that still wasn't paid off by World War One.
We're spending money we don't have
Or so it would appear
The deficit is that amount we overspend each year
Though congressmen and senators
Make vows to cut its size
Despite their honest efforts
The debt just seems to rise
TOUR GUIDE: Now the debt's over 4 trillion dollars and still growing . . .
A balanced budget would be great
To spend within our means
To stop the monster in its tracks
Before we bust our seams
It feeds on just the interest
Its appetite is whet
It never, ever stops to rest
Tyrannosaurus Debt
TOUR GUIDE: And this is the U.S. Treasury. It sells Treasury Bonds, bills, and notes, and savings bonds to finance the debt. The U.S. government promises to pay the owner interest plus the value of each bond at a future date.
We've got to try to tame the debt
And bring it down to size
To let it grow unchecked like this
Is certainly unwise
The debt's a monster problem
That we really can't ignore
I guess we should be grateful
That it's not a carnivore
We've got to keep on servicing
Our trillion dollar pet
It's got a monster appetite
Tyrannosaurus Debt
A fiscal misadventure
With trillion dollar dentures
Tyrannosaurus Debt
"Tax Man Max"
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Performed by Patrick Quinn
January 7, 1995
Welcome to the new variety, sit and relax
I'm that song and dance phenomenon, Max
Let me sing for you, do my thing for you
Until they give me the axe
Here's the song I'm doing, going to fill you in about tax
Tax is that familiar melody, sinful and true
Hum it if you've earned a dollar or two
Bucks are being spent by the government for whatever they do
Anyone who earns a living gives more than a few
So our schools can be their best, so our roads will have no cracks
Someone fix those train tracks!
I hear you calling Uncle and I'm paying my tax
Oh, these are my girls, hello girls
Hello, Max, nice outfit
There are many different ways we pay what we owe
Ladies if you'll form a lovely tableau
Income, property, sales, utility, candy bars in my show
Licenses for dogs and cats, and that's not all you know
Out of almost every dollar a person can make
City, State and Federal governments take . . .
Take what?
What they think is fair you giving your share
Now and then there's a break
Max is talking taxes
Hey, have I kept you awake!
For the things your town may need
For the things a country lacks
All good things take greenbacks
We hear you calling Uncle and we're paying our tax
People do complain
Say their taxes are high
What am I to get in return?
Look around you friend, Max is showing you why
With your taxes you support
How we live and how we learn
Now here's the good news
Many things are tax deductible
Which means their cost can be subtracted from the amount of income you'll be taxed on. Things like medicine, doctor bills, and supplies for your work.
So keep those receipts
Be kind to your parents at tax time
And remember April 15th, April 15th
What a showman you are Max
Entertaining us with tax
In those snazzy plaid slacks
These slacks are for my business
I tell you I'll deduct them
I hear you calling Uncle, and I'm paying my tax
His tax, our Max
And I'm deducting my sax
This for That
When we lived in caves
There were no shopping malls
And people's manners were Neanderthal
No bodegas, no delis, no corner stores
Shopping trips turned into tugs of war
When not having pull got this man mangled
He thought he'd try an easier angle
I'll give you this for that
That for this
We'll make a trade called "barter"
I'll give you this for that
That for this
We'll have it made with barter
Now, barter worked well
At least in theory
But a wallet full of yaks
Could make you weary
Making change for a cow
Wasn't easy to master
Unless you were ready
For an "udder" disaster
Shiny shells were far more portable
Why not use them for what's affordable?
I'll give you this for that
That for this
With shiny shells, why barter?
I'll give you this for that
That for this
Shelling out shells is smarter
For farmers in ancient Mesopotamia
The barley they grew was the money mania
When hauling big sacks put their backs in traction
They invented coins to lighten transactions
Now, when a man had a debt to settle
He'd dig out some coins made of precious metal
I'll give you this for that
That for this
Silver or gold or copper
I'll give you this for that
That for this
With coins you're a smarter shopper
Then China made money even more desirous
Printing it on paper made of crushed papyrus
Take one from Column A and one from Column B
The Chinese paid their checks in paper currency
When Columbus set out on that famous charter
He had no paper money, so he had to barter
He took along some beads for currency
So barter played a part in our discovery
Balboa and Pisarro and Sebastian Cabot
Even Coronado had the trading habit
I'll give you this for that
That for this
They loaded up with gold, then parted
I'll give you this for that
That for this
And soon the whole world was charted
Today we use cash and spend with ardor
But that doesn't mean we don't still barter
When a football team needs a pulling guard
Or a kid like you is into trading cards
Take this for that
That for this
Bills and coins are smarter
But when you pay for that
Remember this
It all started out with barter