Rhododendron Honey

from her album,
"FIRESTORM-
Songs of the Third World War"

What do we do for our freedom, oh
What do we do for our corn
For big Boss Jones and his bully boys
came here last Sunday morn.
He marched them into the village square
and grabed everybody in sight
and made a big speech about how he'd come
to set this country right.

He said that he'd come to save us all
from livin' in anarchy
He'd give us government laws again
the way it use to be
He swore he'd make this country great
like it was before the war
and all that he wanted was half our crops
like taxes was before.

When he was finished, he took his boys
and went to the meet'n hall.
They chased out everybody left inside
and moved in one and all.
So we strolled over to the teacher's house
and held town meet'n there.
To talk about what we were gonna do
just how and when and where.

Early next morning the old folks come
all smillin to beat the band.
They told Boss Jones they's glad he's here
and they's proud t'shake his hand.
They fawned on him and his bully boys
and they flattered them left and right
and promised a big feast in their honor
in the meet'n hall that night.

That evening everyone in town showed up
all bringing food and beer.
Boss Jones, he sat at the head of the table
and all his boys sat here.
Oh, they ate and drank and bragged no end
about what they were gonna do.
while they scarfed up Rhododendron Honey
and Amanita Stew.

Now, we'd been carefull of what we ate
so we didn't take no harm.
But the Boss and his bully boys all keeled over
while the coffee still was warm.
We dragged them down to the old mine shaft
that was dug before the war
and dropped them down there with all the others
that tried that trick before.

Yes, we remember the world that was
and the way that it use to be
and we'd just rather be left alone-
we're use to be'in free.
Don't want no more of laws or bosses.
Don't want no government here.
I hope they don't come again too soon,
they've tried three times this year.