Sometimes it’s hard to write your speeches

Puttin’ all your faith in just one man
You’ll have bad times
And he’ll have good times,
Doin’ things that you don’t understand.

But if you want him, you’ll forgive him,
Even though his racist heart beats strong 

And if you need him, oh be proud of him,
‘Cause after all he’s just a man.

Stand by your man,
Give him some hope to cling to,
His hate-filled views to spew to

When U.C.P. salutes him… 

Stand by your man

And show the world you love him

No matter ALL the groups he’s panned

Stand by your man

Stand by your man

And show the world you love him

Keep givin’ all support you can 

Stand by your man

When will Mr. Kenney stop defending racist views? 

Calgary Raging Grannies, Summer 2020, tune by Tammy Wynette

Tune:  We Shall Not Be Moved

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MywZyOZRsY

We are not, we’re not giving up

We are not EVER giving up

We know we’re in this struggle for the long haul

We’re not giving up

Even during Covid, we’re not giving up

Although we’re growing older, we’re not giving up

We know we’re in this struggle for the long haul

We’re not giving up

Though we feel like crying, we’re not giving up

We’ll stand up to lying, we’re not giving up

We know we’re in this struggle for the long haul

We’re not giving up

We are not, we’re not giving up!

We are not EVER giving up

We know we’re in this struggle for the long haul

We’re not giving up

We fight the Almighty Dollar, we’re not giving up

For public good, we’ll holler, we’re not giving up

We know we’re in this struggle for the long haul

We’re not giving up

We are not, we’re not giving up

We are not EVER giving up

We know we’re in this struggle for the long haul

We’re not giving up

Original song by Mississippi John Hurt, reworked by The Calgary Raging Grannies spring, 2020

If you want the right to choose, honk your horn

If you want the right to choose, honk your horn

If you want the right to choose it

And you do not want to lose it

If you want the right to choose, honk your horn.

Sometimes we just chanted this, sometimes we dressed it up with a bit of melody

Calgary Raging Grannies, October 3, 2020 at rally against abortion organized by Life Chain

Save us from Life Chain, please

We wish their noise would cease

For this we sing.

They think abortion’s wrong

Our right to choose, too strong

In their religious throng

The man is king.

If they prevail, we fear

Our rights will disappear

That’s a bad thing.

As for these bods we own

They’re ours and ours alone

Your rules we can’t condone

That’s not our thing.

Save us from Life Chain, please

My voice, my body heeds

For this we sing.

As for these bods we own

They’re ours and ours alone

Save us from Life Chain clones

For this we sing.

Calgary Raging Grannies, 2020 – based on “Save Us from Kavanaugh” by Peggy Rosenthall, Rochester Raging Grannies

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KR_IukhFXE&t=49s

Tune:  If You’re Happy and You Know It

(Start off slowly)

If you want the right to choose, join with us

If you want the right to choose, join with us

When we hear the word abortion

It so often shows distortion

Grannies know we sometimes need to make a fuss.

In the past when men controlled these female bods

And made decisions for us – kind of gods

Took away our right to choose

There were hangers and abuse

We fought so hard for women-centred laws.

With abortion, it’s the women’s voice we trust   

She knows her choices best…. this is a must  

Although it may bring consternation

To religions or a nation

Our bodies simply must belong to us.

We abhor those gory photos now in use

The pregnant person has the right to choose  

You may like it or may lump it

Even Parliaments can’t trump it

A human right – and one we dare not lose.

(rousing last verse)

If you want the right to choose it, clap your hands

If you DO not want to lose it, clap your hands

If you trust in women’s choices….  

(slowly) Over patriarchal voices

Time to fight again and clap your hands!

Calgary Raging Grannies – September 2020

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW9g8jI2XuM

We love democracy,  we need democracy

We will dissent when our morals say

We have our voices  and we will use them

Please don’t take democracy away

And we object to your squelching protest

We love discussion, we love debate

And we will value  different opinions

We abhor a heavy-handed state

In our democracy, it’s OUR democracy

There is no room for Bill One’s flaws

We love our Charter… and Bill One scares us

We abhor this heavy handed law

So in Alberta, we have to fight for

The right to gather and disagree

When those elected… will not protect it…

We will fight for our democracy. 

Written by the Calgary Raging Grannies, revised in July 2020 in response to the UCP passing a vaguely worded bill banning protest in public and private spaces.  It was first written in April 1999 in response to government pronouncements that the Opposition serves no purpose, and teachers may lose their right to strike.  It was first revised in March 2015 for a rally against Bill C-51, Harper’s secret police bill. 

We’re Grannies and we’re really raging.

Alberta’s the land of the rich

Then tell us why we’re cutting service

Kicking vuln’rable folks to the ditch.

Let’s show our support for the people

Who need more help than you might.

Let’s stand against cuts to their programs

Tell Tories: back off from this fight.

Bring back, bring back, bring back that funding to me, to me

Bring back, bring back, we need that funding you see.

Our province claims an advantage

For people who live and work here

But on whose back is this budget balanced?

Will disabled folk take up the rear?

We’re Grannies and we’re really raging

We call upon those of you here

To rise up, tell those you’ve elected

To take care of those we hold most dear.

Bring back, bring back, bring back that funding to me, to me

Bring back, bring back, we need that funding you see.

Granny Diana, Calgary Raging Grannies, May 2013

We’re the Raging Grannies and we’re here to take a stand,

To keep choice free for women all across our land.

We won’t go back to hangers if our right to choose is banned!

We’re Rising Up, we’re rising up, our anger has been fanned.

We stand here in Calgary and wonder at your disgrace

That you want women’s and lgbtq rights to melt without a trace

What makes you think you can mess with us, as if we had no rights?

Try it, and you’ll fail –in two million fights!

Spoken That’s how many of us there are!

 We’re mothers, sisters, aunts and daughters, kickin’ up a fuss.

Your wishes end today, there’s no- more -to- dis-cuss!

Adapted from Vicki Ryder (Durham, NC)

G-S-As
Here to stay…

Alberta youth will show the way

POL-i-ticians, give your head a shake

Youth their own decisions make.

Don’t be dense, don’t be cruel

We cannot have teachers rule

Not about this, such a private thing

Safety’s what the YOUTH can bring.

Here’s to Youth!

Grans so proud!

Alberta youth are OUT and LOUD

POL-i-ticians, give your head a shake

Youth know best, for heaven’s sake!

Granny Lynn, Calgary Raging Grannies, 2019

Now that I’m older, losing my health

In my golden years (kazoo – toot-toot-toot-toot-toot)

Can I still be counting on some Medicare?

Or a two-tiered system – patient beware!

If I’m in need of emergency care,

Will they lock the door?

Will they still heed me, will they still treat me

When I’m eighty-four?

I could be clever, stock up on pills

Vitamins galore (kazoo – toot-toot-toot-toot-toot)

Jog a mile or so, a hundred push-ups too

Eat some bran and delicious tofu

Turn up my nose at deep apple pie

And buttered-dripping scones

Will they still heed me, will they still treat me

If I break some bones?

Send them a postcard, drop them a line

Stating point of view (kazoo – toot-toot-toot-toot-toot)

Indicate precisely what you mean to say

Else you’ll find you’re wasting away

Ask for an answer, not just a form

A citizen’s just due

Will they still heed me, will they still treat me

When I`m ninety-two?

Copyright tune: The Beatles

Adapted by Lethbridge Raging Grannies, revised Calgary 1999