My O My O Myomectomy

by Carole Rose Livingston
(c) 1993

Refrain:

My o my o myomectomy,
I don't need a hysterectomy.
Doctor, do not bash or batter me.
Do not mess with my anatomy.

1.

My womb is made for childbearing.
Probably I won't need a caesarean.
I can't push the baby outta me.
I won't need an episiotomy.

Refrain.

2.

My nourishing breasts don't need reduction
So I don't need lyposuction,
And in this erogenous zone
I surely don't need silicone.

Refrain.

3.

If a knife-wielding mugger leapt out of an alley,
Cut up my face and stole my money,
He wouldn't call himself an MD,
And advertise it on TV.

Refrain.

4.

Doctor, do not do me injury
With unnecessary surgery.
If you harm my parts obstetrical,
I'll sue you for an arm and a leg -- and a testicle.

Refrain.

Coda:

My o my o myomectomy. (2X)

At least half of all hysterectomies are entirely unnecessary. The majority of the unnecessary ones are performed because of the presence in, or on, the uterus of benign tumors called fibroids.

The operation to remove fibroids from the uterus is called a myomectomy. It is not a new procedure; myomectomies have been performed since 1921. Yet most people have never heard this word.

It galls me that practically everyone in the world knows the word "hysterectomy" and almost no one has ever heard the word "myomectomy." I live for the day that everyone knows what a myomectomy is, and most people look bewildered when they hear the word "hysterectomy."

A myomectomy can be performed even when the fibroid is "the size of a grapefruit." This I know from personal experience. In 1980, four fibroids were removed from my uterus. The largest was the size of a grapefruit.

Not all fiborids need to be surgically removed. Some remain small, causing no discomfort. Some shrink and disappear by themselves. Some may do so after dietary changes.

Many women are told that for the removal of a fiborid their only option is a hysterectomy. Any woman so advised has not been provided with sufficient information to give her informed consent to surgery.

Moon Daughter

(a menstruation chant)

by Carole Rose Livingston
(c) 1995

1.

Moon daughter, moon daughter,
Flood of menstruation.
Moon daughter, moon daughter,
Mother of creation.
I am a moon daughter,
Flood of menstruation.
I am a moon daughter,
Mother of creation.

2.

Flow river, flow river,
Flood of menstruation.
Flow river, flow river,
Mother of creation.
Waxing and waning,
Flood of menstruation.
Waxing and waning,
Mother of creation.

3.

Pulse beating, pulse beating,
Flood of menstruation.
Pulse beating, pulse beating,
Mother of creation.
Listen to my heart beat,
Flood of menstruation.
Listen to my heart beat,
Mother of creation.

The Mensch Song

1.

Any fool can be a soldier.
Any jerk can fire a gun.
Nazi, Tonton Macute, or the Klan,
Any clod can.

Chorus:

But it takes guts to throw the gun away and fight no more.
Brains to find a better way to make war cease,
It takes a mensch to bear the olive branch of peace.

2.

Bang bang bang bang - dumb, dumb, dumb.
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat - dumb, dumb, dumb.
Any moron chewing bubble gum
Can fire a gun.

Chorus:

3.

A here's not all rough 'n tough.
A hero's made of sweeter stuff.
And when the army says, "Ya gotta go,"
A hero says "No."

Chorus:

Final chorus [at half-speed]:

Yes, it takes guts to throw the gun away and fight no more,
Brains to find a better way to make war cease,
It takes a [a tempo] mensch to bear the olive branch of peace.
It takes true grit to bear the olive branch of peace,
It takes a mensch to bear the olive branch of peace.

"Mensch" is a very high priase word; it means "a real human being."

words & melody by
Carole Rose Livingston
(c) 1988

Little Furry Things (Lullabye to a Cat)

(c) 1981
words & tune by Carole R. Livingston
written 1979

1.

Little furry things,
Little furry things,
Little furry, little furry,
Little furry things.

2.

Little bright-eyed furry things,
Little bright-eyed furry things,
Little bright-eyed, little bright-eyed,
Little bright-eyed furry things.

3.

Little gentle, bright-eyed, furry things,
Little gentle, bright-eyed, furry things,
Little gentle, little gentle,
Little gentle, bright-eyed, furry things
Sleep in my lap.

Let the Light Shine On

1.

Let the light shine on,
Let the light shine on,
It is darkest just before the dawn,
Let it shine,
Let the light shine on.

2.

Ireland will be free,
Ireland will be free,
Ireland will again united be,
Let it shine,
Let the light shine on.

3.

For the struggle goes on,
For the struggle goes on,
In the name of many thousands gone
Let it shine,
Let the light shine on.

4.

Let the light shine on,
Let the light shine on,
For the generations yet unborn
Let it shine,
Let the light shine on.

Let it shine,
Let the light shine on,
Freedom light shine on.

Carole Rose Livingston
(c) 1985

Joe Doyle's

As I was a'walking to work one day,
On a bright and sunny morning,
I met a laddy upon his way,
And he was his mammy's darling.
He whistled a merry tune in the air,
He whistled it up to the sky,
His feet were a wonderful dancing pair,
And he had a twinkling eye.

"Oh, where are you going this fine summer day?
Oh, where are you going, my honey?
Oh, come with me to the fields to play,
And forget about earning money."
He caught my waist in both of his arms,
And his voice it rang with laughter,
And sure he had the most powerful charm,
For I've gone with him ever after.

1980
words & music by
Carole Rose Livingston
coopyright 1980

Ireland's Struggle Is Women's Struggle (round)

words & tune by
Carole Rose Livingston
(c) 1989

Oh Ireland's struggle is women's struggle
and women's struggle is Ireland's struggle,
the same struggle, the same struggle.

If You Lie Down

1.

If you
If you lie down
If you lie down on the ground,
If that's
If that's all that
If that's all that you can do,
Don't be
Don't be surprised
Don't be surpised if someone
Takes you for a carpet,
And walks all over you.

2.

Takes you for the roadway,
And rides roughshod over you.

3.

Takes you for a junkyard,
And throws garbage over you.

4.

Takes you for a meadow,
And plants daisies over you.

words & tune by
Carole Rose Livingston
(c) 1981 (July 9th)

I'm a Friend of the Foetus

Ref.

Oh, I'm a friend of the foetus,
A friend of incomparable worth.
Yes, I'm a friend of the foetus,
Right up to the moment of birth.

1.

I am no friend to the fathers and mothers,
And I am no friend to the sisters and brothers.
And I am no friend to the weak and distressed,
And I am no friend to the poor and oppressed.

Ref.

But I'm a friend of the foetus, etc.

2.

Once it's a baby, I will not go near it,
I will not feed it and I will not rear it.
And when it is crying I won't even hear it,
For I have no room in my heart for a human.

Ref.

But I'm a friend of the foetus, etc.

3.

I will not care for it, I won't be there for it,
I will not weep for it, I won't lose sleep for it.
I'll back away from it, I won't go grey from it,
I won't even pray for it, and I won't pay for it.

Ref.

But I'm a friend of the foetus,
A friend of incomparable worth.
Yes, I'm a friend of the foetus,
Right up to the moment of birth.
When it needs friends (Wail),
Right up to the moment of birth.

Carole Rose Livingston
(c) 1982
(29 May)

available on tapes by
Dave Lippman
Rebel Voices
Joe Glazer
& me

I Am A Working Woman

1.

I am a working woman
I lead an active life
I'm doing what I want to do
I will not be your wife.

Refrain:

Go 'way from my window
Go 'way from my door
Go 'way from the telephone
And bother me no more.

2.

I'm doing work I care about
I do the best I can
I'd rather work for humankind
Than for one lazy man.

3.

I'm doing work I'm good at
I'm earning decent bread
If you think I will stay at home
You've got rocks in your head.

4.

I will not mind the baby
And do the housework, too
And cook your meals and wash your socks
I will not marry you.

5.

I will not be below you
I will not be above
When you believe in equal rights
Then come to me for love. (No refrain)

6.

When you will be my comrade
My partner and my peer
And share in all life's work with me
Why then I'll be your dear.

Final refrain:

Then I'll open up the window
I'll throw down the key
You won't need the telephone
You come live with me. (2x)

Words: Carole Rose Livingston
(c) 1982
Tune: "Old Joe Clark"

Hey, Man!

words & tune by
Carole Rose Livingston
(c)1994

Chorus:
Hey, man! We need you with us.
Come join the circle. (2X)

1.
I don't need you to open my doors,
I don't need you to earn my living,
I don't need you to carry my load,
But I need you to join the circle.
Chrous.

2.
Oh I need you to share the homework,
And I need you to share the children,
And I need you to share your feelings,
And I need you to join the circle.
Chorus.

3.
Oh I need you to share your power,
And I need you to share your profits,
And I need you to share your true love,
And I need you to join the circle.
Chorus.

4.
Oh we need you to share our knowledge,
And we need you to share our struggle,
And we need you to share a new world,
And we need you to join the circle.

Final chorus:
Hey, man! We need you with us.
Come join the circle. (4X)

Hey, Little Birdie

(c) 1982 Carole Rose Livingston

1.

Hey, little birdie,
High in a tree,
Fly on down here
And sing your song to me.

Oh no, no, no,
That'll never be.
I'll stay right here,
Safe in my tree.

2.

Hey, little birdie,
Won't you come with me?
I'll give you a cage
Of gold and ivory.

Oh no, no, no,
That'll never be.
I'll stay right here,
Safe in my tree.

3.

Hey, little birdie,
What will you do
If I get a little net
And throw it over you?

Oh no, no, no,
That'll never be.
I'll fly higher up,
Safe in my tree.

4.

Hey, little birdie,
What will you sing?

I'll sing of winter
Turning into spring.
Safe in my tree
And far from any harm,
I'll sing of cold days
Turning into warm.

5.

Hey, little birdie,
Your song is so sweet.
I'll get a little rope
And tie it 'round your feet.

Oh, no, no, no,
That'll never be.
I'll fly far away
To another tree.

6. (Repeat Stanza 1.)

Got the Sun in the Morning and the Wind at Night

(tune: Got the Sun in the Morning)
(words: Carole Livingston, +...)

The word is out across the nation
We're saying NO to radiation

Got the sun in the morning and the wind at night

We're saying NO to radiation
We don't want your nuclear power station

Got the sun in the morning and the wind at night

We don't want your nuclear power station
We've got better sources of illumination (refrain)

We've got better sources of illumination
We don't need nuclear electrification (refrain)

We don't need nuclear electrification
We don't want to gamble with annihilation (refrain)

We don't want to gamble with annihilation
To make more profit for your corporatiion (refrain)

What good will stockholders' profits be
If they have two heads or three?

The people all around the nation
Support the Shoreham demonstration

Got the sun in the morning and the wind in the evening
We're all right.

The Free Parade

(Spoken)
1.
Long ago in ancient Ireland
A miracle occurred, they say.
When all the serpents and the vipers
Were banished clean away.

(chorus)
Walk today if you're for freedom.
Stay at home if you've been paid
Purged of hypocrites and traitors
Is this St. Patrick's Day parade.

2.
Now today in New York City
The miracle has been replayed,
For all the serpents have departed
From this St. Patrick's Day parade.
3.
Keane and Moynihan and Carey
Will not be here with us today,
For Flannery, the new St. Patrick,
Has sent them slithering away.
4.
Look around you at the faces,
Not a serpent will you see,
Irish men and Irish women
Today march proud and free.

words & tune by
Carole Rose Livingston (c) 1983)
(March 13th for March 17th)

The Ballad of Bobby Sands

words and music by
Carole Rose Livingston (c) 1981

Inside the prison at Long Kesh
They threw Bobby Sands in his prime
For fighting to free his own country
The English they count it a crime

"I'll not be named a criminal or thief
By the thieves who have plundered our land
Not a morsel more of food or drink
Will I take from the tyrant's hand"

He held to his fast for sixty-six days
Till his young frame grew shriveled and old
But the weaker that his body became
The stronger the light of his soul

"We have battled before with the weapons of war
With the gun and the bomb and the knife
And Ireland's a colonized nation still
Now my weapon will be my life"

Bobby's mother came to his prison cell
She said, "Oh my son, I must try
To save your life, if ever I can
For how can I watch you die?"

"Oh mother, do not mourn for me
For I'm fighting to set Ireland free
I am making a gift to my country
Of the gift that you first gave to me.

"Oh sister, you loaned me your voice
When they silenced the sound of my own
And after I am dead and gone
You will speak out as loud and as strong"

He turned his body to the wall
And the breathing it left his face
But for every lad who perishes so
Another will take his place

Of heroes Ireland has more than her share
They are known throughout all of the lands
And in heaven now, Mac Swiney takes the hand
Of our brave young Bobby Sands.

As-salaam (round)

tune by
Carole Rose Livingston (c) 1988

As-salaam 'alaykum.
Wa-'alaykum as-salaam. (2x)

Peace be upon you.
And upon you be peace. (2x)

Ma as-salamah. (4x)

May you go in peace. (4x)

Introducing "As-salaam":

I wrote "As-salaam" because I think it is racist to imagine that Israelis yearn for peace and Palestinians don't.

"As-salaam" is in Arabic. It can be sung as a round, and it can be accompanied very effectively on an Arabic drum. You can also dance the hora, to "As-salaam." I did not write it this way by accident. The hora, a circle dance, is the national dance of Israel, and the unifying dance of Jews around the world. I'm truly hoping that what goes around comes around.

In 1989, the War Resisters League had a twleve-hour dance marathon--everything from salsa to square dancing. One portion of the event was a twelve-minute long "Peace Hora," danced to a medley of songs in Hebrew, Yiddish, Arabic, and English. "As-salaam" was in the medley, along with "Hava Nagila," "Hevenu Shalom Aleichem," "Zum Gali Gali," "Shalom Chaverim," "Lomir Alle Freillach Zein," and another of my songs, "Shalom ve Salaam." On another memorable occasion, "As-salaam" was sung by the congregation at a Jewish feminist shabbot (sabbath) service.

Apartheid No, Liberation Yes

Apartheid no,
Liberation yes.

Listen to the voices rising over Africa.

Apartheid no,
Liberation yes.

Listen to the people singing of Azania.

Apartheid no,
Liberation yes.

Apartheid no, liberation yes.

Apartheid no,
Liberation yes.

Carole Rose Livingston (c) 1983
(January, following the S.A.M.R.A.F. demonstration in front of the South African Airways office on Fifth Avenue in New York City)

This is a song for a large group, preferably walking in a demonstration. The main body of the group sings the chorus, over and over. The soloist (or second team) sings the chorus 3x, then the first verse 3x, then the chorus 3x, then the second verse 3x, chorus 3x, third verse 3x, chorus 3x. Then, by repeating the "liberation yes" half of the chorus once, the soloist converts the song into a round. After aa time, the soloist signals the ending by retarding and singing the slightly altered final notes.

Ideally, this song should be accompanied by six African drums. And it welcomes additional verses.

The Anti-Choice Terrorists

words: Carole Rose Livingston @1994

tune: Get Thee Behind Me, Satan

1.
They love your foetus,
But they hate your guts.
They say they're right-to-lifers,
But they're violent nuts.

Chorus:
Oh what hypocrisy!
With all their piety
They are a violent menace,
A menace to society.

2.
They're crazy aas a coot.
They hear voices in their head
Preaching, "Save the foetus.
Kill the woman instead."
Chorus.

3.
They don't give a damn for life.
Their dogma is above
They commit murder
In the name of love.
Chorus.

4.
They terrorize the doctors,
Harass their kids at school.
This is how they're practicing
The Golden Rule.
Chorus.

5.
They're bullies and they're bombers.
They are arsonists.
They're stalkers and they'rre snipers.
They are terrorists.
Chorus.

6.
Well, now my song is ending,
And here's the point of it.
The right-to-life movement
Is a lying crock of shit.

Alternate chorus:
With all their piety--
Oh what hypocrisy!
They are a violent mance,
A clear and present danger,
A menace to democracy.
Chorus.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SONGS

The Anti-Choice Terrorists (tune: Get Thee Behind Me, Satan)
Apartheid No, Liberation Yes (2 parts round)
As-salaam
The Ballad Of Bobby Sands
The Free Parade
Got the Sun In The Morning And The Wind At Night (tune: Got The Sun In The Morning)
Hey, Little Birdie
Hey, Man!
I Am A Working Woman (tune: Old Joe Clark)
I'm A Friend Of The Foetus
If You Lie Down
Ireland's Struggle Is A Women's Struggle
Joe Doyle's
Let The Light Shine On
Little Furry Things (llulabye To A Cat)
The Mensch Song
Moon Daughter (a menstruation chant)
My O My O Myomectomy
No More
Nobody Needs A Nuke (a.k.a. Everyone Needs A Hug And A Kiss)
Penelope's Lament
Power To The People
Queen Among The Roses
The RU 486 Waltz
Sauce For The Goose
Shalom ve Salaam
Silkwood
Sun Power, Wind Power
This Is Not A Prison
This Tree
Two Prayers
Update
We Are Branches
When I Was Just A Girl (Carl's Waltz)

POETRY

Nameless
Sparrow Flight
At Night
Epithalamia
Daddy's Little Audience
When I Am Old and Dry
Woman-Cenetering
I Write for Women
Forty-five in the Washroom Mirror
Peace
Glory at the Movies
And the Winners ARe...
That Boy
Theft Insurance
My City
Cassandra: A Bedtime Story
To Make a Better World
Sonnet: Affirming Atheism
Post Mortem
Amphibian
Elegy on a Cigarette
I've Been Many Kinds of Addict
I Want Visceral Rewards
The Stone Speaks
You Touched Me Everywhere
The Drunken Soliloquy of Prince Charming as the Clock Strikes One
And on the 1002nd Night
Lay
Galatea
To Carry Haiku
My Cherished Friend: The Charming Stranger
Mr. Right
Journeywoman

ORACLE

A Hyacinth for the Urban Soul
A Hyacinth for the Departed Soul
James and the Twenty-Seven Bicycles