Roll On, BPA (Bonneville Power Administration)
folk song about modern uses of electricity
folk music
childrens music
Story behind the song
This song was written in honor of the 75th anniversary of Bonneville Power Administration, and also the 100th birthday (would have been if he'd lived that long) of Woody Guthrie-- both in 2012.
Lyrics
ROLL ON COLUMBIA
Intro
(spoken)
ROLL ON, COLUMBIA
IT’S BEEN THERE FOR EONS
AND WHEN WOODIE GUTHRIE WROTE HIS TUNES
HE HELPED US TO REMEMBER
WHAT THIS MIGHTY RIVER CAN DO
BUT SINCE WOODY’S DAY
OUR NEED FOR IT HAS GROWN
BECAUSE OF ALL THE THINGS WE DO
AND GADGETS THAT WE OWN . . .
Chorus
THIS IS WHY WE NEED THE POWER COMPANY
WE ALL WANT TO RUN OUR I-PODS AND PC’S
WHEN IT’S GETTING KIND OF LATE
WE TURN ON LIGHT FROM BPA;
THEY’RE KIND OF LIKE THE SUN
BUT THEY NEVER GO AWAY
Verse 1
(spoken)
CELL PHONES EVENTUALLY NEED TO BE RECHARGED
ALL THOSE BIG SCREEN TV’S, THEY PLUG INTO THE WALL
PANDORA’S ALWAYS MAKING MUSIC FROM HER LIGHTED SCREEN
WHILE OUR DIRTY SHIRTS ARE TWIRLING IN THE WASHING MACHINE
Bridge
OH, I-TUNES WOULD NEVER WORK WITHOUT A VOLT
IF WE DIDN’T HAVE GOOGLE, WELL THAT WOULD BE A JOLT
BILL GATES WOULD NEVER MAKE A BUCK,
WE’D HAVE TO SHOP IN STORES
IF WE DIDN’T HAVE BPA POWER ANYMORE
Prechorus 1
LET’S KINDLE A FIRE IN THE FIREPLACE
(OH, THAT’S THE WRONG SONG!)
WE CAN FIND 10,000 BOOKS ON KINDLE FIRE
(THAT’S IT!)
I DON’T SING VERY LOUD WITHOUT A MICROPHONE;
I REALLY LIKE PLAYING THIS ELECTRIC GUITAR Prechorus 2
ADOBE WILL HELP ME TO BUILD THINGS
I CAN SKYPE WHEN I WANT TO PAY A CALL
HOW WOULD I FIND MY WAY AT NIGHT
IF I DIDN’T HAVE THAT NIGHTLIGHT IN THE HALL?
Verse 2
(spoken)
HOW COULD I MAKE COFFEE WITHOUT GRINDING COFFEE BEANS?
WE WOULDN’T HAVE MERINGUE AND WE WOULDN’T HAVE WHIPPED CREAM!
AND OUR ELECTRIC LAWNMOWER WOULD NEVER MOVE A BIT
IF WE DIDN’T HAVE A POWER SOUCE PUMPING INTO IT
Prechorus3
IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT EMAIL (IS THAT GOOD OR BAD?)
A WORLD WITHOUT PODCASTS OR BLOGS
HOW WOULD WE KNOW WHAT OUR FRIENDS WERE DOING
IF FACEBOOK WASN’T THERE AT ALL?
(To chorus)
Verse 3
(spoken)
THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND, AND WOODY’S LAND, TOO
I WONDER WHAT HE’D THINK NOW, ABOUT WHAT
THAT RIVER CAN DO
HE’D PROBABLY LIKE BAND CAMP,
AND MAYBE MUSIC X-RAY, TOO
OR WOULD HE SAY WE’VE BITTEN OFF MORE THAN WE CAN CHEW?
Prechorus 4
HE WAS ALWAYS DREAMING
HIS HEAD UP IN THE CLOUDS
LOOKS LIKE WE’RE GOING ALONG WITH HIM
THAT’S WHERE WE’RE HEADED NOW—(THE CLOUD)
(To chorus)
©DIANE HURST 2012