{spoken}
In days of yore this quaint locale
Was thought by its people more fair than foul
Their lives the stuff of simple propriety
But for a mild case of garbage anxiety
With stories and songs the long hours were filled in
And one was the stand-alone fave of the children:
"Tell us the fable of waste that will move us;
Tell us the story of Marion Früvous".
The folks of Toronto, they had it all
Paper thick as New York's and sushi on call
Disposable cans of aerosol
And no one in town seemed to mind at all
Except for Marion Früvous.
Somewhere along the Don she creeps
Where yuppies they drive Cherokee jeeps
By PCB stashes and styrofoam heaps
Hiding by walls where asbestos seeps
Thus spake our Früvous:
"Thrive as you may with extravagent ways
Toronto, enjoy your disposable days
One day you'll rot in your urban malaise"
Said Marion Früvous, then she rode off again.
Citizens cowered at Marion's threats
Politicians lost votes and folks had regrets
'Cause the longer we wait the worser it gets
And the Leafs' top defencemen has gone to the Jets
"Whoa! Hey!" said Fruvous.
"Thrive as you may with extravagent ways
Toronto, enjoy your disposable days
One day you'll rot in your urban malaise"
Said Marion Fruvous, then she rode off again.
(spoken)
My colleage and I have been talking this over for
about a week and we think we have come up with a plan
that is going to takecare of the garbage problem.
That's right, with our plan, Toronto will become the
world-class, cosmopolitain city we keep calling it.
We have got a plan, we have had some talks
Have to put the garbage in a small blue box
Fill it up with glass or fill it up with tin
We'll recycle everything that they put in
Take it to the curb on Wednesday
Rest assured you're nature's friend
People all around the world will have a blue box in the end.
What a thing to do, love the colour blue!
An end to all our troubles when the box comes through
Recycling is here! There's nothing left to fear
Etobicoke to Scarborough was set in gear
Shelter for the poor and homeless
Drugs and crime will soon be gone
Pacify the population and purify the Don!
How peacefully Metro folk now slept
But Marion sat by a curbside and wept
Said "the program's a hoax; the stuff must be kept
In a humoungus pile 'til properly prepped
'Til the industries change, 'til we become adept
At rejecting the junk that we've learned to accept"
The words of Marion Früvous.
"Thrive as you may with extravagent ways
Toronto, enjoy your diposable days
One day you'll rot in your urban malaise"
Said Marion Fruvous, then she rode off again.
We will create consumer paradise Teach all ye citizens the need A sale is a sale, no matter what the price Teach all ye citizens the holy need Everyone's equal before the mighty buck Train all ye citizens to buy It's crap, and it's crooked, but we don't give a Come join our Bargainville and you'll say aye! With pockets bulging we regale thee Our True North domain Who's natural wealth and opportunity Sings loud 'cross the plain Every ringing register will bring us One step closer to the prize In each child's eyes the gleaming glimmer Streamlined shimmer of the newly acquired And duly admired For a citizen's a citizen who buys! So... Cast aside your gloomy prospects Wealth flows down from above Come fill your bags with plastic spatulas Board games, juicers and love There will always be trinket-sprinkled products intermingled You may be singled out for cash rewards To be spent towards the [pile?] From plastic swords to [???] The heaving hoards of happiness That our Bargainville can supply!"During the Canadian Bargainville tour, the guys opened the show by coming out in blazers and bowlers as the "Bills" - the self-professed 'captains of industry'. The Bills are alarmed because of the economic recession, and the fact that profits are down. They finally hit upon the solution that is going to "turn downturn into upturn...Bargain stores across the land - Bargainville, Bill!" And thus Bargainville was created."
-Sarah Hoffmann
(Chorus together) Blow, winds blow, all my troubles away, Blow, winds blow, until judgement day. (Dave) Well, it's hardly fair, that Murray cut his hair those golden locks went on the [?] But tonight, if we ask him right He will regale us all with Blur songs (chorus together) (Jean) The world's biggest dope, Has got to be the pope For Christ's sake, where does he get his views from. He gave the conference a pass, He's got his head up his ass, And he's probably not using a condom. (Chorus together) (Murray) Well, for most of our shows, I wear my casual clothes, so don't mistake me for Phil Collins. But London's tough, so we're all in stuff that makes us look like Henry Rollins (chorus together) (Mike) Our name is Moxy Fruv And as we prove we may be milder than you may have planned. But hey, don't you freak, because three nights a week, we're a brooding, fuck-you grunge band. (chorus together) THE ORIGINAL LYRICS: Blow, winds blow, all my troubles away, Blow, winds blow, until judgement day.
(Jian)
Little boy Luke stops a goal, that's no fluke
This kid knows what he wants to be
Mom, do you think that in some future rink
That superstar goalie is me?
She knows these things are so easily said
She says "we'll see about that, it's time for your bed"
You can't prearrange all these hopes that may change
On a dime... just give yourself time.
It's not easy to run
When you carry a load
Let the questions be done
And follow the road
Suzie's no bore, she just turned 24
And she's trying to get out of her head
I need some cash for my rent, I can stash
I need a new job or I'm dead
And my aspirations of traveling nations
And living my dreams are too crazy it seems
Right now I've a date for which I'm running late
There's no time... I've got ladders to climb.
It's not easy to run
When you carry a load
Let the questions be done
And follow the road
Steve's 43, he says "hey, look at me..
I'm proud of the business I've done.
I'm wealthy in life, I've got me a good wife
And a 10-year-old goal-scoring son
And who needs a break, do you know what I make?
I've built my career, we vacation each year
And so there's a price, I'll admit it'd be nice
To have time... While I'm still in my prime."
Grandma Odet has some spunk in her yet
Though of late even she's slowing down
"You should visit me more, have I become such a chore?
Bring the kids by when you go to town.
And I've seen so much, now I'm so out of touch
With the dreams that I had, I shouldn't make myself sad
I know I can cope just as long as I hope
I've got time... Is that such a crime?"
It's not easy to run
When you carry a load
Let the questions be done
And follow the road
It's not easy to run
When you carry a load
Let the questions be done
And follow the road
Follow the road
Follow the road
We think that any government would be a bunch of crooks If they had the audacity to place a tax on books But now the hated GST's attacking what we read Cutting into learning, the basic tools we need So here's a simple question, answer as you shall Will you ax the tax on books...and be our bestest pal?
This song was created for MuchMusic's 1993 election coverage. A group of musicians were selected and asked to write "Musical Questions" which would be put to the leaders of various parties who were then required to answer them. This is what Moxy came up with.
This morning, all full of fear and trembling Constituents were assembling With quotes from Mr. Angus Ried in hand Joe Clark struck up the band for a televised love-in link-up Wherein average folks could think up ways to save our troubled land. Then later, three trucks with big antennas Folks dressed like Frank McKenna's And cub reporters showed up on my lawn Flashbulbs shook the dawn and a teleprompter told me To speak the words out boldly for a CanSave telethone. I think I love you, can they hear that out in Moosejaw Here's a simple guy from Oshawa With a heaping homespun hunk of national pride I think I love you, get some makeup on the neighbours... It's a humble, folksy plea...pick it up on camera three... They gave me coffee and made me sit with others Whom, if they'd had their druthers would rather be home watching NFL But I guess it's just as well that we find a common zeitgeist Before Preston pulls a seat-heist in a parliament from hell. The CanSave satellite send word from downtown Gander Where folks refused to pander to ultimatums sent by Neighbour Kim We were about to pack it in when our Brian started prayin' Let's all act like Sir John A. - in other words, let's hit the gin. Then came Alberta with a message from the Saddledome Said Canada's their true home There's just some slight adjustments (instructions) for us all They'd like to build a massive wall, top it with a bubble, pronto So they could call Toronto the all-new East Edmonton Mall. We'll sing we love you, you're a jumbo hero sandwich Top it off with Peter Mansbridge Two huskies and a bucket of poutine Canada we love you so much it doesn't matter You're a frigid, spineless pawn for Wall Street and the Pentagon... But, geez, we love you!
We were thinking of our shrinking Fruvous budget And we could sit and curse and angrily begrudge it Or we could spend the week-end in Fort Erie having fun And while we're at it make a speedy border run. Yes, we'll be stocking up on simple little pleasures And then we'll speed through the express lane with our treasures This border shopping is a lot more fun than one might think In fact, until last week we didn't smoke or Drinks are duty-free, smokes are duty-free This is gonna be quite a shopping spree Toys and gasoline, nylon, Neoprine Toilet paper and soap. Start packing the car, we're leaving today I'm gonna buy a ton of it in old New York Canadian goods, they're yesterday's news These days I'm buying stars and stripes, Check out these shoes. I want to buy it in a city that sells it cheap And find I've gone for a drive, saved me a heap (saved him a heap!) There's a bold new future high on the horizon And a VCR I kinda had my eyes'n But does this border shopping have a darker side, And are we being taken for a ride? Say, what's all the fuss, Free Trade's gotta grow But it's a fear of fiscal consequence for Canada, And that our companies will move to Mexico. But we've got no choice, more taxes each year But if we're spending all our money in the USA, Then our social programs may just disappear There's lots of merchandise at Super Duper what a price And Carvel ice-cream will entice, it's shopping that you simply ignore, in store Spend Sunday in your Honda fighting crowds in Tonawanda More exhausting than Jane Fonda And you've only got ten minutes more to score You rush to Onondaga, race across to Cheektowaga Feeling like your shopping saga's worthy of a spot on Channel 4, News 4 Then driving home you wonder if your pillage and your plunder Hasn't been a massive blunder! All right, let's be frank, we lose at the bank Free Trade is shutting business down, so Moxy propose We trade the GST for Jan and Wayne Gretzky And keep our cash in that country OHIP, Medicare, Welfare, we can share, Univeristy, UI subsidy OHIP, Medicare, Welfare, we can share, University, UI subsidy dropped!
Originally done by Gordon Lightfoot In the early morning rain With a dollar in my hand With an aching in my heart And my pockets full of sand I'm a long, long way from home And I miss my loved ones so In the early morning rain With no place to go. Out on runway number nine Big 707 set to go But I'm stuck here in the grass Where the cold winds blow Well the liquor tasted good And the women all were fast There she goes, my friend She's rolling down at last Hear the mighty engine roar Speed the silver bird on high She's away and westward bound Out among the clouds she'll fly Where the morning rain don't fall And the sun always shines She'll be flying o'er my home In about three hours time This old airport's got me down It's no earthly good to me 'Cause I'm stuck here on the ground Cold and drunk as I could be You can't jump a jet plane Like you can a freight train So I'd best be on my way In the early morning rain You can't jump a jet plane Like you can a freight train So I'd best be on my way In the early morning rain.
So our Minnie, she checked out the national papers Keeping informed of those coast to coast capers Tired of the biased views that they were bringing Said she'd rather hear some Fruvous scat singing Uh 1, uh 1, uh 1, 2, 3, 4. Clever Ebon Harris the Reigning Mutton Baron packed a lamb in saran, saran. How is clever Ebon ever gonna get to heaven if he turning lamb into spam in a can?
Here are the lyrics to part 2 of the Killer Tents saga as performed at the "Songs of Woody Guthrie" workshop Falcon Ridge Folk Festival July 22, 2000 Talking Falcon Ridge Tent Pole Blues Now it wasn't too very long ago That folks was wandering to and fro Every summer weekend, answering the call A phonomenon known as the folk festival Wearing toe rings Tie Dyed Shirts And "Bring Back Dan Bern" buttons Slatherin' on the sunblock Running thru the fields Trying to get a glimpse of David Howard of The Nields Picking up a bus at the Contra Dance tent Rollin' up a hooley watching Iris Dement Places like Newport Here at Hillsdale Or even some guys Appel Farm in New Jersey Now if you didn't like hotels, or sleeping in the car There was always an accomodation quite above par Good for the kiddies, good for the lovers Folks trying to get Vance Gilbert under covers Talking about tents Real economical-like Wake up all sticky and sweaty in the morning Well history tells us that all changed The year the tents went all deranged Like some crazy film of Terry Gilliam's They're chewing up anyone named Dar Williams Tents turned evil Went on a rampage Ate lots of folks, but left that Mox-i-Fruv-i-ous feller Well the tents and Fruvous teamed up so well They created a faux-folks viewing cartel But they got real cranky playing high stakes games Some Fruvous tents started calling each other names Like Dorkapella Zipper Mouth And Bags of Mostly Water Well that love affair had lost it's smile Soon they were going at it Gladitor style To figure out who'd win doesn't take McGuyver It's on next week's version of Survivor Fruvous and the tents going head to head Dukin it out till one side's dead Fruvous beating their chests with pride But the tents got Marty Sexton on their side Big sideburns Piercing yodel Four deaf Canadians (not that no one could tell) Well a terrible bloodbath you know ensued And the tents consumed the entire Fruvous brood Sexton applying the barbecue dressing For what turned out to be a Hillsdale blessing Ahh, the tale turns around Like the latest Harry Potter or Welcome Back Cotter You see the moral of the story, we might say Is the tents were the good guys at the end of the day True, eating people may cause a sensation But it's a good way to regulate the festival population On a new Falcon Ridge millenium what the tents would ingest Were some posers that poisoned the fest A few Ani fans, John Gorka's kid The tents swallowed them whole, like an arachnid Finally got rid of that geriatric Spiderman Along with Meg Griffin And all that radio riffin So the next time you pass by a tent this year Clap your hands, stomp your feat Or just stand and cheer Make some noise, have a drink, raise a little hell Like you've just heard a third encore from Richard Shindell Lick the tarp, pull the zipper, massage that back pole Show the tent your excitement Go in the tent whole But before you get in there too deep always remember.. One way or another, it'll put you to sleep
Up in Downsview where the skies are grey I can take my Mazda down the old parkway From what they tell me I just make a right To the place that's jumping every day and night. Well, I'm glad to say I'm on my way To where ducks and jugglers and children play I may be stuck in traffic, but I'm on the hunt Gonna find my harbour down at Harbourfront. Pleasure bound I started walking around It took me half an hour to find some grassy ground I spread my blanket, but I got no sun Just the shadow of the condominium Well, I'm sad to say they blocked the way They took my view and my naivete I saw lots of condos, but to be blunt I didn't see no harbour down at Harbourfront. Hey! Is there no Metro plan? There's no need for a cultural home So tell me what do you say alderman? Build a casino with lots of chrome. Take 10 story, 20 story, 30 story Lunch! There's no need for a cultural home We're gonna solve that intangible budget crunch! Pave the harbour from the shore to the 'Dome. I took my problem to so many doors To the Feds, Queen's Park, and councillors They sent me on to a businessman Who said "son, listen up, I understand" "You see, I'm glad to say you'll get your way Your Authorsfest and your Children's Day That artsy stuff, spring, summer, fall On parking level three of HarbourMall!" Say, see where the art used to be? Back to business at HarbourMall Skydome's a runt next to King Harbourfront Give the business to HarbourMall. So now I see the situation's clear We'll have HarbourFun every day of the year Under HarbourMall's roof I'll get my sun With the tanning salon and Mr. Eggleton. Well, I'm glad to say we got our way The Authorsfest and the Children's Day All that artsy stuff, spring, summer, fall On parking level three of HarbourMall... ...HarbourMall fun in the city!This song was written by the FrüCrew after state funding was cut for Harbourfront, an arts centre in Toronto. Federal funding, at the point of this writing, has been temporarily re-established.
originally by Tom Waites
Edna Million in a drop dead suit
Dutch Pink on a downtown train
Two-dollar pistol but the gun won't shoot
I'm in the corner on the pouring rain
Sixteen men on a dead man's chest
And I've been drinking from a broken cup
Two pairs of pants and a mohair vest
I'm full of bourbon, I can't stand up
Chorus:
Hey little bird, fly away home
Your house is on fire, children are alone
Hey little bird, fly away home
Your house is on fire, your children are alone
Schiffer broke a bottle on Morgan's head
And I'm stepping on the devil's tail
Across the stripes of a full moon's head
And through the bars of a Cuban jail
Bloody fingers on a purple knife
Flamingo drinking from a cocktail glass
I'm on the lawn with someone else's wife
Admire the view from up on top of the mast
Chorus
I said, Chorus
Yellow sheets on a Hong Kong bed
Stazybo horn and a Slingerland ride
"To the carnival" is what she said
A hundred dollars makes it dark inside
Edna Million in a drop dead suit
Dutch Pink on a downtown train
Two-dollar pistol but the gun won't shoot
I'm in the corner on the pouring rain
Chorus
by Beau Dommage Cre-moe, cre-moe pas, Quelque part en alaska Y'a un phoque qui s'ennuie en maudit Sa blonde est partie Gagner sa vie Dans un cirque aux Etats-Unis Quand le phoque est tout seul Y r'garde le soleil Qui descend doucement sure le glacee Y pense au Etats en pleurant tout bas C'est comme ca quand ta blond t'a lachee Ca vaut pas la peine de laisser ceux qu'on aime Pour aller faire tourner des ballons sur son nez Ca faire rire les enfants, ca dure jamais longtemps Ca fail plus rire personne quand les enfants sont grands Quand le phoque s'ennuie, Y r'garde son poil qui brille Comme les rues d'New York apres la pluie Il reve a Chicago Puis a Marilyn Monroe Il voudrait voir sa blonde faire son show C'est rien qu'un histoire On peut pas m'en faire accoire Mes des fois j'ai l'impression que c'est moe Qu'y est assis sur la glace Les deux mains dans la face Mon amour est partie pis j'm'ennuie. Ca vaut pas la peine de laisser ceux qu'on aime Pour aller faire tourner des ballons sur son nez Ca faire rire les enfants, ca dure jamais longtemps Ca fait plus rire personne quand les enfants sont grands.
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