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October 20, 2011 07:25.48 PM
We spent yesterday recording, mixing and mastering "Occupy the USA!" with Charlie Pilzer of Airshow Mastering and fab DC-area musicians Ken Quam (drums), Avril Smith (electric guitar) and Ira Gitlin (bass) . . . and here it is!Click here for the free download of "Occupy the USA!"
DJs, click here for the broadcast quality aiff audio file of "Occupy the USA!"
Share the song and sing it at the Occupy nearest you! Lyrics and chords below.
And check out this week's Washington Post article, "Occupy Wall Street inspires a new generation of protest songs", about our song and songs by David Rovics and Rebel Diaz.
Occupy the USA
(c) 2011 Pat Humphries, Sandy O
Written Oct 6, 2011; Recorded Oct 20, 2011
Moving Forward Music, BMI
www.emmasrevolution.com
From the new cd, "Revolutions Per Minute" (Release 11/11/11)
(We sing this in Ab. Pat plays G shapes with a capo on the first fret)
C - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -G
Welcome to the US Occupation
- - D
To win the hearts and minds
- - G
Defend all humankind
- - - - - - C - - - - - - - - - - - - G
Tell the banks and the corporations
- - - - - - - - - D - - - - - - - - G
We're here to occupy the USA
G- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - D
Congress and the hedge funds stole our houses and our pensions
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - G
Conspired to steal our healthcare at Conservative conventions
- - - - C - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - G - - - - - - - - - - Em
We're here to stand our ground we demand our jobs with justice
- - - - A
We're 99% in charge
- - - D
Now you'll just have to trust us
Stop the XL pipeline in its tracks across the Heartland
Reject the filthy energy extracted from the tar sands
Clinton and TransCanada exposed before the nation
Corruption forces us to organize
A new invasion
chorus
This occupation won't be won with guns or ammunition
Armed with creativity and righteous indignation
We do all the work so we have the power to stop it
No workers, no work
Not until we share the profit
chorus
We support our unions and our right to organize
Students, homeless, immigrants are strengthening their ties
We have struggled far too long now let this be a sign
1% in power
Meet the other 99!
Welcome to the US occupation
To win the hearts and minds
Defend all humankind
Tell the banks and the corporations
We're here to occupy the USA
Democratize the USA
We're here to occupy the USA!
Comments
YES!!!!!
I LOVE IT!!!! Will share it with our OccupyHendersonville (NC) group on Saturday. Hopefully at least some of us can learn it and sing while we're hangin' out at 7th & Main in front of the B of A!
GREAT! Occupy A;lbany NY starts tomorrow. Ill bring it!!!
real nice lyrics / no violence no hurry but stop the lobbied law system
Inspirational & motivating, deep but fun & light to keep the importance of voice alive!! You continue to be a blessing!
Your music continues to zero in on the most relevant issues of any day. Thank you!
Ahoy Pat, I saw your "Occupy the USA" song on You Tube and sent it on to the Occupy people here in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. May be they will start to sing it now too and possibly in a somewhat different way/with a somewhat different text that will fit in this country. Great that you are still writing songs with a heart for people. In the same way as I remember you doing when we worked together for Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. Love, Gerty
hi, all. thanks for these great notes. we're so glad you love the song and that you're singing it wherever you are. love to you all and ahoy to the netherlands, indeed! : ) peace, sandy & pat
From across the seas: Well, this is what they think your song at Occupy Amsterdam after hearing it. "Hello Gerty,I'm loving the music. Are you one of the members of the band, or do you know the band and is this band available to play in Amsterdam oncoming Saturday? Please send me a more detailed e-mail, so I can try to program this band, if possible." I explained in an e-mail, also where you are, but if you are touring this way: Occupy Amsterdam Entertainment Coördinatie <entertainment@occupyamsterdam.nl>
Thank you so much. Your words are great and the melody as well. We will learn it and pass it on. Thank you for all you do for Justice.
Great song Emma,s Revolution. Love it!!!! Please come back to Portland , we would love to hear your music again live. Chuck and Paula
thanks so much - of course you two are the ones to create the song for a movement - blessings on you both -
We LOVED your song when we heard it on You-Tube, and "Inner Voices" (an "a cappella" women's group from Eliot UU Chapel in Kirkwood) sang it at 2:00 p.m. on Sat., Oct. 29th, at "Occupy St. Louis." (We were told someone video-taped it & would put it on You-Tube, but we haven't seen it there yet.) We also sang, "Keep On Movin' Forward," "Peace, Salaam, Shalom," and several other songs: "This Land is Y/our Land," "Hard Times," "Chinese Proverb," "Woke Up This Morning," and "This Little Light of Mine." Hope to see/hear some of these on You-Tube one of these days.....and Thanks for writing such great songs!!!
Why aren't I hearin' this on MSNBC????
This is awesome!!!
Heard you two in Madison at the Democracy Convention in August and again at Freedom Plaza, in D.C. Catchy, timely, and inspiring. Thank you thank you thank you!
Thanks for all these fabulous responses, folks! We're so glad you're enjoying the song and singing it, too. Look forward to coming back to Portland and Kirkwood and Madison and . . . it would be great to make it to Amsterdam for an Occupy, too. Perhaps it can! We are ever optimistic. : )
I love this song. Thanks for pointing me to it on Facebook!
Thanks for sharing your song and the lyrics. I'll share it with Occupy Iowa City, IA friends. Perhaps some of us can drive to CR to hear you at CSPS