Tom Lehrer wrote and performed National Brotherhood Week in 1967. Since we're experiencing such a euphoric atmosphere of love thy neighbor throughout the nation, I thought this might be an opportune time to take a few moments to reflect on how far we've come since the late 60s.
Lyrics following the video.
Oh, the white folks hate the black folks,
And the black folks hate the white folks.
To hate all but the right folks
Is an old established rule.
But during National Brotherhood Week, National Brotherhood Week,
Lena Horne and Sheriff Clarke are dancing cheek to cheek.
It's fun to eulogize
The people you despise,
As long as you don't let 'em in your school.
Oh, the poor folks hate the rich folks,
And the rich folks hate the poor folks.
All of my folks hate all of your folks,
It's American as apple pie.
But during National Brotherhood Week, National Brotherhood Week,
New Yorkers love the Puerto Ricans 'cause it's very chic.
Step up and shake the hand Of someone you can't stand.
You can tolerate him if you try.
Oh, the Protestants hate the Catholics,
And the Catholics hate the Protestants,
And the Hindus hate the Moslems,
And everybody hates the Jews.
But during National Brotherhood Week, National Brotherhood Week,
It's National Everyone-smile-at-one-another-hood Week.
Be nice to people who
Are inferior to you.
It's only for a week, so have no fear.
Be grateful that it doesn't last all year!
Yay! I love Tom Lehrer - it was so much fun introducing my daughter to his songs!
ReplyDelete(Last year for Valentine's Day I posted his "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" at my page :-)
I missed this one along the way, so thanks for the lyrics. Happy Valentine's to one and all.
ReplyDeleteI love Tom Leher!
ReplyDeleteMy fav, as an irreverent Catholic, was "The Vatican Rag"!
such a euphoric atmosphere of love thy neighbor throughout the nation,
ReplyDeleteActually, there is -- provided the nation you're talking about is Egypt:-)
A truly brilliant man. Great truths are often expressed in music, lyrics, and comedy. It is exciting when all three are combined.
ReplyDeleteI could spend days watching Lehrer videos - and start all over when I finished.
ReplyDeleteMy 12th grade English teacher played this for the class. I can still remember the beautiful Andrea Goldstein cracking up and losing control when she heard...."and the Hindus hate the Moslems....and everybody hates the Jews".
ReplyDeleteI don't think a teacher could get away with playing this in class in 2011. Kind of sad, isn't it? No sense of irony or satire in people anymore. Who says political correctness is a liberal thing? Tom Lehrer, Norman Lear, Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Bill Maher- all left of center and not a "politically correct" bone in their bodies, alive or dead.