Come to the 2023 NW Folklife at the Seattle Center to sing, dance and enjoy Memorial weekend.

Come sing along with our neighborhood folk bank, Just Us Singers, on Sat. May 27th at 3 pm at the Cornish Courtyard at the Seattle Center.

As usual, Beth, Kris, Mike and Riley will sing classic and original meaningful songs about peace and justice, accompanied by guitars, clarinet, accordion and percussion. See the song list below.

Here are the lyrics to sing along!

Just Us Singers  Song Sheet     

Classic & original songs for a just world.  (206) 769-4204, Rainier Valley, Seattle. Listen to songs at Mike Wold/Singing to Remember https://bit.ly.singingtoremember

  1. Down by the Salish Sea

African American spiritual, new lyrics: Seattle Peace Chorus Action Ensemble

  1. Gonna sing for peace around the world..

[Chorus] I ain’t gonna study war (6x)

  1. Gonna lay down those fossil fuels,

[Chorus] I ain’t gonna study war (6x)

  1. Gonna sing for justice everywhere,

[Chorus] I ain’t gonna study war(6x)

  1. Rise Up Singing by May Erlewine

If you are weary, trying to find your way home,

Well don’t give up my friend,

‘cuz you are not alone.

In a world full of trouble,

You know trouble may find you.

But I’ve got your medicine, people,

This is what you do:

[Chorus]

You’ve got to rise up, rise up singing. 

In time this too shall pass.

You’ve got to rise up, rise up singing. 

You know trouble ain’t built to last.

When you’re left standing

With no hope inside.

‘Cuz at the end of the tunnel

Someone’s been dimming out the light.

Well you can lose your way,

And end up far from home.

Till the day you lose your voice,

You cannot lose your song.

[Chorus] You’ve got to rise up…

You know life ain’t easy

And life will make you cry.

But so long as you’re breathing,

You know you are still alive.

When you’re standing at the station,

Waiting for your train,

Don’t you think you’ll be singing,

Oh that sweet refrain.

[Chorus]

You’ve got to rise up, rise up singing. 

In time this too shall pass.

You’ve got to rise up, rise up singing. 

You know trouble ain’t built to last. 2X

You know trouble ain’t built to last.

  1. Can You Breathe? by Mike Wold

Can you breathe

when a man dies in a choke hold?

Can you breathe

when they clear protest off the street?

Can you breathe when the verdict is foretold?

Can you breathe

when they knock folks off their feet?

[Chorus] Can you breathe? Can you breathe?

While all around you all the people grieve?

Can you live as you choose,

What is it you believe?

If after all that you have seen

You can breathe?

He was drivin’ down the street

mindin’ his business,

when the police pulled him over for a stop.

They say he offered them too much resistance

But murder’s just the same done by a cop.

His death was “unfortunate, an accident”       They thought his hand was pullin’ out a gun  They treated it like just another incident          And his killer still is walkin’ in the sun.      [Chorus] Can you breathe….

Now you know that we’re all in this together

And a total system change is what we need

There are lots of different ways

our lives are fettered

& those chains are reinforced

by corporate greed.

Can you breathe

when they lock folks up for lifetimes?

Can you breathe

while they build that border wall?

Can you breathe

when they build another pipeline?

Can you breathe while the rich take it all?

[Chorus] Can you breathe….

Now I won’t say that I don’t believe in progress

And it’s clear the good that civil rights did bring

But still this society’s in regress

And it’s time to give that pendulum a swing

If you want to breathe,

then tell them black lives matter.

If you want to breathe,

then come out, take a stand.

If you want to breathe,

then let’s create the answer

Let’s roll justice out right across this land.

[Chorus] Can you breathe…..

  1. If you want peace, work for justice by Charlie King

[Chorus] If you want peace work for justice

(3x), No justice no peace

1.You can’t have peace in a world of hunger, with one dog over, one dog under

You can’t have peace in a world of hunger;

not in this world.

Until the last chain falls,

hunger will make fools of us all. [chorus]

2.You can’t have peace in a world of war,

Where the rich get richer & the poor stay poor

You can’t have peace in a world of war,

not in this world.

Until the last chain falls,

war will make fools of us all. [chorus]

  1. You can’t have peace in a world of race hate, poverty, prison, and police states. You can’t have peace in a world of race hate,

not in this world,

until the last chain falls,

race hate will make fools of us all [chorus]

  1. Corporate Welfare, by Anne Feeney

Chorus: It’s time to end welfare as we know it. And get those greedy chiselers off the dole

It’s time to end welfare as we know it                               

Teach them a little self-control

For far too long we’ve allowed these  corporate hogs to belly up to the public trough No more welfare as we know it

No more hand-outs, cut them off!

Now we should all be irate

at the huge welfare state

Right here in this mightiest of nations

AFDC is disgraceful to me

I’m talking Aid for Dependent Corporations

Free enterprise – hah! the cruelest of lies

It cost us trillions just last year

If they paid their fair share

We’d have trillions to spare

It’s time to tell them the bucks stop here.

They’ve been picking every pocket

from sea to shining sea.

We must intervene to break this cycle

of dependency.

Wall Street banks, big ag & pharma,

oil money flowing,

weapons profiteers & that welfare line

keeps

growing, growing, growing

Now Congress says we can’t afford

to subsidize the needy

But before we slash the safety net,

let’s tell the truly greedy:

[Chorus]

Spoken:  And we mean business!

No more handouts, cut them off!

Spoken: It’s for their own good!

No more handouts, cut them off!

  1. Power of the Union by Si Kahn

Some people never say no to the boss

They take what they get for their labor

Others will stand up whatever the cost

And fight for the rights of their neighbor

[Chorus] Every day, every night,

will you fight for the things that you believe in? Will you stand, hand in hand,       

Hand in hand with the power of the union?

Some people never say what’s on their mind

In a hard time you hardly can find them

Others will stand up the first in the line

And hold on till there’s hundreds behind them

[Chorus] Every day,….

Some people never say yes to a dream

They say change can wait until later

Others will keep on until they succeed

Then fight for a dream even greater

[Chorus] Every day…

  1. Working Folks Hymn by Joshua Davis

Some people hunger for the greenback bill

Some folks hunger for the top of the hill

Some people just tryin’ to get a decent meal

Well I know that we can turn it around

Some people sleepin’ in a fine feather bed

Some folks are dreamin’ of an old homestead

Some just need a place to lay their head

Well I know that we can turn it around

[Chorus] I know that we can turn it around

There’s one thing that I’ve found

If there’s a voice in the dim

singin’ a working folks’ hymn

I know that we can turn it around

From Rainier Valley up to Lake City Way

One soul’s joy is another one’s pain

But the sun keeps shinin’ through the drivin’ rain

And I know that we can turn it around

[Chorus 2x  repeat last line]

  1. Locally Grown John Forster & Tom Chapin

If I were an apple, I’d be very unhapple

Traveling 4000 miles or more,
From far off Tasmania, in a shipping contain-ia,

To a shelf in a Washington store.

Why should I be tortured

When some Washington orchard,
Would be totally thrilled to the core

To pick me & crate me & load me & freight me, not 4000 miles, but 4?
An apple should be not far from the tree

where it ripens in the fall.
[Chorus] Locally grown and locally eaten

is globally good, good, good for us all. (2x)

If I were a berry, I expect I’d be very         contrary and hardly inclined
To ship out from Chile to a store in Tukwilly.
Hey, I’d have to be out of my mind.

It seems paradoxic and carbon dioxic
That we force all our food to commute,       wasting gallons of fuel,

which we know isn’t cool for people or planets or fruit.
A berry is fine not far from its vine, near the farmer’s market stall.
[Chorus] Locally grown and locally eaten, is globally good, good, good for us all. (2x)

So when you’re walking the aisle

past a beautiful pile
Of the fruit you might want to take home.

Do not buy for your table,

‘Til you check out the label

and determine how far it did roam.
Aside from the karma of helping the farma,

who lives in your county or state.

The very best reason to buy what’s in season:

the taste is incredibly great!

So keep buying foods

from your regional dudes,

Keep your carbon footprint small.
[Chorus] Locally grown…) (2x)

  1. Power from Above by Dan Berggren

Sinners are you ready for a little redemption

To receive forgiveness for what we’ve done?

The time has come to break bad habits

It’s time to turn to the wind and sun

[Chorus] Just a little more power from above

Just a little more faith respect and love

For this old earth our only home

It may take strength to say no

to that power from below.

But there’s salvation in the power from above

There’s a better way than barrels of oil

There’s a better way than lumps of coal

There’s a better way to work together

Renewable power, that’s our goal

[Chorus]

What will we do for a better world?

Get on our knees to hope and pray?

Well that’s not enough unless we change

The judgment day is every day

Wars have been fought over who owns oil

Lives have been lost and fortunes won

But you and I will someday win

‘Cause no one owns the wind or sun

[Chorus]

Yes there’s salvation in the power from above

  1. Rainy Garden Song by Riley

We’re sittin’ ’round waitin’,

waitin’ for the sun to shine.

We’re sittin’ ’round waitin’,

just hopin’ for a little sunshine.

We haven’t seen the sun

since ’long about last July.

Merry little breezes

won’t-cha blow these clouds away,

and if it’s not too inconvenient,

we were hopin’ you could do it today.

We don’t see any reason

they should over-extend their stay.

We ran between the raindrops

to plant our peas and greens,

cleaned all the closets, and read our magazines.

We’ve been to the movies and the coffee shop,

Now we’re sittin’ ’round waitin’

for the drip, drip, drop to …stop!

We’re very optimistic;

we got cantaloupe, eggplant, and corn.

But let’s be realistic;

gotta have more sun to make the soil warm.

So merry little breezes wouldja pucker up & blow,

till every little cloud is gone?

We’re sittin’ ’round waitin’,

waitin’ for the sun to shine.

We’re sittin’ ‘round waitin’,

just hopin’ for a little sunshine.

We haven’t seen the sun since

we can’t remember when—but, my, it’s been a long, long time!

 

  1. Nobody’s Body by Mike Wold
[Chorus] Not the church’s, not the state’s,

Not your partner’s, not your date’s.

Not your baby’s, if you have one

Not your father’s, not your son’s.

It’s nobody’s body but yours.

(Nobody’s body but mine.)

They can bloviate about human life.

Claim that every embryo got equal rights

But just because it can become a human being, Doesn’t mean you can’t be disagreeing.

Cause it’s nobody’s body but yours.

(Nobody’s body but mine)

So they can offer up some good advice.

Lay out the alternatives, treat you real nice

But they don’t get to force your decision.

Or have a right to lock you up in prison

Cause it’s nobody’s body but yours.

(Nobody’s body but mine)

[Chorus]

Long ago we outlawed slavery.

Pregnant people aren’t their property .

To call it pro-life is a mockery.

It’s an intimate form of robbery .

Cause it’s nobody’s body but yours.

(Nobody’s body but mine)

We don’t care what politicians say.

They can’t give us orders, we won’t obey.

You can call on friends who won’t betray,

if the outcome’s an abortion or a baby.

Cause it’s nobody’s body but yours.

(Nobody’s body but mine.)

[Chorus] Not the church’s, not the state’s,

Not your partner’s, not your date’s. 

Not your baby’s, if you have one,

Not your father’s, not your son’s.

It’s nobody’s body but yours.

Nobody’s body but mine (2x)

 

 

  1. Stand Up” by Trina Willard

In a democracy, we have responsibility,

when we disagree, we must stand up,

so when our government on doing harm is bent,

We must voice our dissent, we must stand up

[Chorus] And I will stand up for freedom

I will stand up for justice

I will stand up to say not in my name.

And I will stand up for peace

I will stand up for democracy

I will stand up to say not in my name.        

When the rights of one are infringed upon

All of our freedom is gone, we must stand up.

Let the imprisoned hear, freedom will persevere.

We will not live in fear, we will stand up.

[Chorus] And I will stand up….

This land is your land, this land is my land,

From California to the New York Island

From the Redwood Forest,

to the Gulf Stream Water,

This land was made for you & me

  1. Sing About Love” by Riley

We’re gonna give life to love, sing about love. Gonna spread it all around, sing about love. When we give love a voice we make it stronger, So sing, sing about love.

[Chorus] I hear music, all around.

I hear singing, happy voices,

And I will hear music for all of my days,

When I sing, sing about love.

  1. We’re gonna give life to hope…

[Chorus] I hear music…

  1. We’re gonna give life to joy…

[Chorus] I hear music…

 

  1. Fight for Tomorrow by Luke Wallace

Hope it can come in all shapes and all sizes.

From all people, all places, sunsets, sunrises.

Carry on, my friends, forget about the sorrow.

Carry on, my friends, in this fight for tomorrow.

Surely there’s hope in the hearts of the broken.

Love in the words of all those who’ve awoken.

Carry on, my friends, forget about the sorrow.

Carry on, my friends, in this fight for tomorrow.

Let’s fight for tomorrow…fight for tomorrow

Let’s fight for tomorrow…fight for tomorrow

Surely it’s love that’ll douse all the hatred.

The future is yours, go on and take it.

Carry on, my friends, forget about the sorrow.

Carry on, my friends, in this fight for tomorrow.

 

Let’s fight for tomorrow…fight for tomorrow

Let’s fight for tomorrow…fight for tomorrow

Surely one day we’ll all wake up together.

The weight of the world

Will seem light as a feather.

Carry on, my friends, forget about the sorrow.

Carry on, my friends, in this fight for tomorrow.

Let’s fight for tomorrow…fight for tomorrow

Let’s fight for tomorrow…fight for tomorrow Let’s fight for tomorrow.

  1. Throwing Happiness by Mike Wold

One day I went up to the park

There were people all around

Spring had come at last,

Flowers sprouting from the ground

We were spinning, dancing, singing,

A most harmonious sound

We were throwing happiness

Throwing happiness

Throwing happiness all around

The happiness was flying

Little sparkles in the air

Swirling on the breeze

Caught in people’s hair

Happiness in buckets,

tossed by handfuls everywhere

We were throwing happiness

Throwing happiness

Throwing happiness into the air

And the people came from near and far

This happens every year

You can take a special training

So happiness is raining

You can scoop the happiness

right up off the ground

So let’s throw happiness.

Throw happiness

Throw happiness all around

The children were there too

They met us at the park

They were just growing up

They were happy to take part

They threw their happiness,

it landed in our hearts

They were throwing happiness

Throwing happiness

Throwing happiness into our hearts

So let’s throw happiness. Throw happiness

Throw happiness in everybody’s heart

  1. Singing Through the Hard Times

by Utah Phillips

Sometimes our living gets so dark & lonesome

It seems like there’s nothing we can do

So we reach out to each other

& raise a song together

And let our voices carry us through

Chorus:

We are /Singing thru the hard times (2x)

Working for the good times to come (repeat)

And when the war clouds gather,

it’s so easy to get angry

And just as hard not to be afraid

But you know in your own heart,

no matter what happens

You just can’t turn your back and walk away

Chorus: We are singing….

So hand in hand together,

we help each other carry

The light of peace within us every day

If we can learn to live it, to walk & talk & give it

That world of peace won’t be so far away

Chorus: We are singing….