The post Tuesday Morning Patriots has a little back story!
On a lovely early autumn Sunday in 2004 I was in Kenosha, Wisconsin working for Democrats in the upcoming election. John Kerry was the Democratic candidate for President running against George W. Bush.
We had spent most of the weekend going door to door canvassing and handing out literature for Democratic candidates -- not only for the presidency but for state and local offices as well.
This was an area that could go either way, and we went from door to door ringing doorbells, handing out literature, and asking people whom they were likely to support. With this information our Election Day workers could go to homes likely to support Democrats, reminding them to the polls, and checking to see if they needed rides or any other assistance to do this.
After many hours of going door to door that day, we had assembled in a large and were enjoying refreshments and a program with several speakers, including some candidates, giving some pep talks. After this, the emcee at the microphone asked if anyone in the audience would like to speak. Several people were called on to come up to the microphone and gave some short pep talks.
During this time a song idea came into my head. It was to the tune of Battle Hymn of the Republic (that's how most songs come into my head). I wrote down the words as they came to me and quickly made up another tune.
Then I raised my hand and was called on. I ran up to the microphone and gave the emcee my name (Joan Levin) and said I'd written a song I'd like to sing. He asked me if it had bad words and I assured him it didn't, so he announced over the loudspeaker that "our own Joni Mitchell is going to sing for us!)
I explained that the song had a chorus and sang through it once, inviting them to sing along after every verse.
By the second verse everyone was singing along and clapping and stamping their feet! It was amazing! A really energized crowd at the end of a long working day!
Sadly - it wasn't enough to put John Kerry into office - but the song is posted here for anyone who wants to use it!
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