Song Parodies -> "Sir John A"

Original Song Title:

"Sloop John B"

^(MP3)

Original Performer:

"Sir John A"

Parody Written by:

The Lyrics

The original song is a folk tale from the Bahamas, "The Wreck of the John B." (Why do I like songs about wrecked boats? I've never even tried sailing, although I like ferries.) Carl Sandburg was the first to publish it in the U.S., in 1927. The Kingston Trio did it on their first album in 1958, and the Beach Boys put it on "Pet Sounds" in 1966. A hundred years before that, John A. Macdonald was working to build a nation. Did I say I wasn't going to do parodies of all of Canada's Prime Ministers, like I did for all of America's Presidents? In America and Canada alike, a man has the right to change his mind. Although the original is set in "Nassau Town" in the Bahamas, Sir John A, as he's known, called Kingston, Ontario home, not Kingston, Jamaica. And while he did drink a bit too much, and was literally connected with the railroads, if not for him, the Ten Provinces would, today, be part of the Sixty States. Of course, they'd probably have gone Democratic in 2000 (except for redneck-dominated Alberta), saving us a lot of trouble, but that's for alternate-history websites. He's also on the Canadian ten-dollar bill, though the portrait shows him looking puzzled over the fact that he's on a piece of lavender currency.

I sing a song of Sir John A.
A Founding Father, I say.
Around Kingston he did roam.
Drinking all night.
But he saw the light.
And his country woke up
and built a new home.

So hoist up a John A hail.
Confederation's set.
Call the Old Chieftain
he's sure to lead our great home.

Lead our great home.
He's gonna lead our great home.
Well, he's built a nation.
He'll lead our great home.

The first term, he got drunk.
Eased ways for the Grand Trunk.
The railroad scandal made us send him away.
Yay, yay.
But Mackenzie
a bad job did he.
Wow-ee.
Well, let's call the Tories
and tell 'em come home.

So hoist up a John A hail!
(Host up a John A hail.)
Confederation's set!
(Confederation's set.)
Call the Old Chieftain
he's sure to lead our great home!
Lead our great home!

Lead our great home!
(Lead our great home!)
He's gonna lead our great home.
(Hoist up a John A hail!)
(Hoist up a John A hail!)
Well, he's built a nation!
He'll lead our great home!
(Lead our great home!)

The National Policy fits.
High tariffs, unlike the Grits.
From this way, our economy was born.

Led our great home.
(Whoa...)
Macdonald led our great home.
(Whoa-whoa-whoa...)
This is the first guy.
Ten dollars, he's on.

So hoist up a John A hail!
(Host up a John A hail.)
Confederation's set!
(Confederation's set.)
Call the Old Chieftain
he's sure to lead our great home!
Lead our great home!
(fadeout)

This leaves the years 1873-78 and 1891-2003 uncovered. That's a lot of work, but I've done it before.

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AFW - March 22, 2006 - Report this comment

From the title, I thought this was going to be about, Sir John A Barry..but it turned out to be a very interesting slice of Canada's nautical history..

John Barry - March 22, 2006 - Report this comment

John Barry, "father of the American navy." I was impressed with your POTUS series. Looking forward to this one too.

alvin rhodes - March 22, 2006 - Report this comment

interesting study

Tommy Trebec (aka Turtle) - March 22, 2006 - Report this comment

Same first reaction as AFW, and the OS history was as interesting as the Trebeckian. Two easily-fixed scansion slips in first three lines, but they don't have a 4.9 button; well-compensated, so 555

Larry Hensley - March 23, 2006 - Report this comment

Well, that's very interesting. 5's

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