Dr. Ben Carson's Immigrant Ship - Audio, video, lyrics

 

It has long been the role of the troubadour to challenge and lampoon Authority through music. This is one such piece. It was inspired by the offensive nonsense spouted by one Dr. Ben Carson, who shortly after assuming the office of U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), spoke of African slaves as "immigrants" who came to "land of dreams and opportunity" in the bottom of slave ships seeking "prosperity and happiness" for their descendants.

Later, Dr. Ben, and $30,000+ worth of dining room furniture at taxpayer expense, floated to the top of the news again. It seemed like a good time to dust off a "quick-n-dirty" guitar and voice recording of this song and make it into more of a high-kicking sea song. The melody is a classic 19th century sea song "10,000 Miles Away". The new sarcastic lyrics are mine.

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Lyrics

Song art image - Immigrant Ship

My true love she was beautiful,
My true love she was fair;
Her skin was lovely chocolate
And curly was her hair.
And curly was her hair, my friends,
As the big ship left the bay
She said Oh shit! They're taking me
Ten thousand miles away!

CHORUS:
And sing - blow the winds high-ho,
A-sailing we will go
We'll stay no more on Africa's shore
Just wasting life away, for...
We're off on an Immigrant chain
And we won't be back again
For we're taking a trip
On an Immigrant ship
Ten thousand miles away

Oh warm and sunny was the day
When they dragged her like a keg,
She'd an immigrant band
Around each hand
And another one around each leg
And another one around each leg, my lads
As the big ship sailed away
Now she's chasing dreams of happiness
Ten thousand miles away

Chorus

INTERLUDE:
"Immigrants spotted ashore, Cap'n!"
"Where away?"
"Six degrees off the starboard beam, sir!"
"All right, lower a boat! We'll go get us a few!"

Now me life seems dull on the African shore
Since they took that girl away
To a land of dreams and happiness
And pros-per-i-tay
Happiness and pros-per-i-tay
And a pretty lass to woo
I'm tellin' yer, Jack, when those men come back
I'll become an Immigrant too

Chorus

TAG:
"Ah, just look at how happy those blighters are!"
"Uhm... makes ya feel good inside, doesn't it!"

Written, performed and produced by Robert Palomo. Copyright © 2017 - All rights reserved.


What folks say about "Immigrant Ship"

They've been pretty quiet about this one! Feel free to send a quote via the form below!”

— Robert