A Sunday change of pace, for those who are musically inclined. – Jo
The Vicar of Bray (probably now preaching at a college in upstate New York)
An updated version[1] by William York (who is looking for a singer, or group. A counter tenor or others?)
In George Bush Senior’s golden days when climate no harm meant,
A zealous scientist was I, and so I gained preferment.
I saw the rise of CO2
might be a source of funding
And so I wrote computer code that soon defied unbundling.
A zealous scientist was I, and so I gained preferment.
I saw the rise of CO2
might be a source of funding
And so I wrote computer code that soon defied unbundling.
…
chorus: And this be law, I shall insist
Until my dying day, sir
That what so ere the weather ist,
The climate is at fault, sir.
Until my dying day, sir
That what so ere the weather ist,
The climate is at fault, sir.
…
When William Clinton came to power, then climate was in fashion,
And bold Al Gore bestrode the world whose climate was his passion
The IPCC, I found, did fit
Full well my own projections
And I had been a Wall Street quant, but for these good connections.
And bold Al Gore bestrode the world whose climate was his passion
The IPCC, I found, did fit
Full well my own projections
And I had been a Wall Street quant, but for these good connections.
chorus:
When nations signed the Protocol to ease the planet’s grievance,
Our senators refused the law and I swore green allegiance.
A friendly NGO I sought
To look at my prediction,
And give some body to my toil as not a work of fiction.
Our senators refused the law and I swore green allegiance.
A friendly NGO I sought
To look at my prediction,
And give some body to my toil as not a work of fiction.
chorus:
When George Bush junior took control and doubted our credentials,
Another face of things was seen in science referentials.
Only conformist views received
The editors’ approval;
And those who questioned the results were threatened with removal.
Another face of things was seen in science referentials.
Only conformist views received
The editors’ approval;
And those who questioned the results were threatened with removal.
chorus:
When Barack at election time would stop the seas from rising
I knew the times had changed once more, and be more enterprising.
And thus Solyndra was preferred
By the Administration,
And so I turned my funding pleas to help with innovation.
I knew the times had changed once more, and be more enterprising.
And thus Solyndra was preferred
By the Administration,
And so I turned my funding pleas to help with innovation.
chorus:
The gravy train continues on with Presidents’ succession
And though the temperature may fall, the code in my possession
Will always give a gradual rise
My models never falter,
This must remain my guiding light — e’en though the times do alter.
And though the temperature may fall, the code in my possession
Will always give a gradual rise
My models never falter,
This must remain my guiding light — e’en though the times do alter.
chorus:
In good King Charles’ golden days, when loyalty no harm meant,
A zealous high churchman was I, and so I gained preferment.
To teach my flock, I never missed
Kings are by God appointed
And damned be he who dare resist or touch the Lord’s annointed.
A zealous high churchman was I, and so I gained preferment.
To teach my flock, I never missed
Kings are by God appointed
And damned be he who dare resist or touch the Lord’s annointed.
chorus:
When royal James usurped the throne, and popery came in fashion,
The penal laws I hooted down, and read the Declaration.
The Church of Rome, I found, did fit
Full well my constitution
And I had been a Jesuit, but for the Revolution.
The penal laws I hooted down, and read the Declaration.
The Church of Rome, I found, did fit
Full well my constitution
And I had been a Jesuit, but for the Revolution.
chorus:
When William was our King declared, to ease the nation’s grievance,
With this new wind about I steered, and swore to him allegiance.
Old principles I did revoke
Set conscience at a distance
Passive obedience was a joke, a jest was non-resistance.
With this new wind about I steered, and swore to him allegiance.
Old principles I did revoke
Set conscience at a distance
Passive obedience was a joke, a jest was non-resistance.
chorus:
When Royal Anne became our queen, the Church of England’s glory,
Another face of things was seen, and I became a Tory.
Occasional conformists base
I blamed their moderation;
And thought the Church in danger was from such prevarication.
Another face of things was seen, and I became a Tory.
Occasional conformists base
I blamed their moderation;
And thought the Church in danger was from such prevarication.
chorus:
When George in pudding time came o’er, and moderate men looked big, sir
My principles I changed once more, and I became a Whig, sir.
And thus preferment I procured
From our new Faith’s Defender,
And almost every day abjured the Pope and the Pretender.
My principles I changed once more, and I became a Whig, sir.
And thus preferment I procured
From our new Faith’s Defender,
And almost every day abjured the Pope and the Pretender.
chorus:
The illustrious house of Hanover and Protestant succession
To these I do allegiance swear — while they can hold possession.
For in my faith and loyalty
I never more will falter,
And George my lawful king shall be — until the times do alter.
To these I do allegiance swear — while they can hold possession.
For in my faith and loyalty
I never more will falter,
And George my lawful king shall be — until the times do alter.
chorus:
A Youtube version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viw5JXopin0
[1] The Vicar of Bray (an original version)
Very good!
40
Agree very entertaining Jo – made my afternoon in overcast Canberra trying its hardest to rain – I hope a YouTube version light on megabytes comes available.
50
First line doesn’t seem to scan. Needs a stressed syllable after “climate”, to match the three syllables of “loyalty” . “Change” would do it.
30
Or maybe “no great harm meant” in order to scan better.
20
Yes, that would work.
10
Watts this?
It seems our global energy unit could be set to revert to candle-power, or if we are really forward thinking, horse-power!
As Harold Ambler warned us in a recent book, “Don’t sell your coat”.
I now see some (perhaps unintended) prescience of the modern saying “Chill out!”.
30
And you haven’t heard? The globally averaged temperatures for October as well as the January-to-October period were both the highest on record since record keeping began in 1880. We export our MSM ‘news’ to China, don’t you know.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/sci/2014-11/21/c_127235477.htm
30
It’s looking set to be one of the wettest in a while as well, with Warmist’s wetting themselves over hundredths of a Celsius degree in a global average.
30
Outstanding.
10
I can’t see the point of making a parody based on some 19th century song that virtually nobody in 21st century has heard.
Almost nobody has heard of the old late 80s band Living Colour either, but I’m sure a parody based on “Cult of Personality” by Living Colour would be slightly more popular. Read the original lyrics, a climate parody almost writes itself.
20
Now if only the Vicar of Bray was all there is to it… 😉
The IPCC and its acolytes still bray loudly and unceasingly.
40
Frank Zappa says it better.
I am the Slime, about covers the entire cause, especially the media propaganda.
10
Very fine. Added it to my cultural compilation here: http://climatelessons.blogspot.co.uk/p/climate-culture-poetry-and-song-from.html
00