Subsidized ethanol blues

Bio Willie, make way for Jeff Parnell 6

Political songwriter Jeff Parnell has just composed a jaunty little ditty called "Subsidized Ethanol Blues." (Click on link to play.) As Parnell sings it: "Sacrifice the water and land, and what do you gain? Line the pockets of cronies, playing that subsidy game!"

The rest of the lyrics are found below the fold:

Subsidized Ethanol Blues
By Jeff Parnell

I got the 51-cents-per-gallon, subsidized ethanol blues,
I do.
The water table's dropping,
The land is worth less than my shoes.
We used to have something called free enterprise
But if you know the right people
You'll get sub-si-dized.
I got the 51-cents-per-gallon, subsidized ethanol blues.

When it sells for less than it costs, how can that be?
I ask you.
When it sells for less than it costs, how can that be?
Follow the money, this don't pass the smell test, you see.

I got the 51-cents-per-gallon, subsidized ethanol blues,
I do.
The water table's dropping,
The land is worth less than my shoes.
We used to have something called free enterprise
But if you know the right people you'll get sub-si-dized.
I got the 51-cents-per-gallon, subsidized ethanol blues.

Sacrifice the water and land, and what do you gain?
I ask you.
Sacrifice the water and land, and what do you gain?
Line the pockets of cronies, playing that subsidy game!

I got the 51-cents-per-gallon, subsidized ethanol blues,
The water table's dropping,
My land is worth less than my shoes.
We used to have something called free enterprise
But if you know the right people you'll get subsidized.
I got the 51-cents-per-gallon subsidized ethanol blues.

I suggest that David Roberts turn up the volume of his computer and get all his colleagues to sing along.

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  1. Biodiversivist's avatar

    Biodiversivist Posted 3:15 pm
    08 May 2007

    Great tuneI wonder what prompted him to write that.

    In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world
  2. Ron Steenblik Posted 12:26 am
    03 Apr 2008

    Link update, and a new songI just learned that the song-writer of "Subsidized Ethanol Blues", Jeff Parnell, is now running for the U.S. Congress, in Missouri's 4th Congressional District. (This posting is not a political endorsement, by the way.)
    He has a new web site, but forgot to include the aforementioned song. However, there is still a link to the song here, available through a web site maintained by Missouri Citizens Against Ethanol.
    Meanwhile, somebody else has written an anti-ethanol song and put it to a raggae beat. Listen to it by clicking here.
    Irie reggae, mon'!

    These are only my personal opinions.
  3. Biodiversivist's avatar

    Biodiversivist Posted 2:09 am
    03 Apr 2008

    Hey mon'!I got the buck a gallon subsidized biodiesel blues...
    The new song is about biofuels, not just ethanol. This is new. Most of us enviro types have felt safe bashing corn ethanol because it represented big ag. Although there were some major debates with some ethanol enthusiasts. Few would touch biodiesel because it had developed such a huge cult following and who needs to draw friendly fire when there's enough of the unfriendly kind? The original idea that it would be homegrown on spare land didn't pan out. This is finally starting to sink in.

    In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world
  4. amazingdrx's avatar

    amazingdrx Posted 2:29 am
    03 Apr 2008

    Even waste biodieselBiodiesel from waste cooking grease is not carbon neutral either.  Think about it.  That waste grease ought to go into a biodigestor and be converted into fertilizer to feed as much of the carbon as possible in the grease back into the soil.  Just like all food waste should be.
    Burning the grease adds carbon to the atmosphere that biomass extracted in the real, natural carbon cycle.
    Renewable electric fuel is the only carbon neutral fuel.

    http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog
  5. Ron Steenblik Posted 3:24 am
    03 Apr 2008

    Here are the lyrics to the reggae versionAfter transcribing the lyrics from listening to the song several times, I just found a web site with lyrics (and other information) provided by the original artist.
    Bio Fuel, crazy idea (Lyrics)

    by Livebroadkast
    Ad-lib: Hey, forget the Supermarkets.

    Let us use Corn and Sugarcane to make Bio Fuel.

    This is more profitable! Ha, ha, ha, haaaaa!
    Bio fuel... will make us more hungry... bio fuel... crazy idea.
    Evil men, with that wicked intention...

    Where is your plan... for the next generation?
    Evil men, with that wicked intention...

    I say, "Where is your plan... for the next generation?"
    Bio fuel use... is gonna burn up all my food Deforestation... can only mash up our nation.
    Evil men, with that wicked intention...

    I say, "What is your plan... is it life or destruction?"
    Interlude: Bio fuel ... will make us more hungry ... bio fuel ... crazy idea.
    Sitting very passive ... will only make things more massive.

    We have got to stop them ... from destroying all creation.
    Evil men, you have a wicked intention ...

    I say, "Where is your plan ... for the next generation?"
    Bio fuel ... will make us more hungry ... bio fuel ... crazy idea.
    Burning up the food ... is gonna make more people hungry.

    Cutting down the trees ... will only poison our air.
    Evil men, with that wicked intention ...

    I say, "Where is your plan ... for the next generation?"
    Bio fuel... will make us more hungry... bio fuel... stupid idea.
    Bio fuel use ... is gonna make food more expensive.

    Deforestation ... is gonna mash up our nation.
    Evil men, you have a wicked intention ...

    I say, "What is your plan ... is it life or destruction?"
    Bio fuel ... will make us more hungry ... bio fuel... stupid idea.
    Bio fuel... will make us more hungry... bio fuel... crazy idea.
    Bio fuel... will make us more hungry... bio fuel ... stupid idea.
    Bio fuel... will make us more hungry... bio fuel... stupid idea.
    fade...........

    These are only my personal opinions.
  6. amazingdrx's avatar

    amazingdrx Posted 3:57 am
    03 Apr 2008

    We need aNice folk song for plugin bikes, cars, mass transit, all plugged into renewable distributed smart grids.
    Hmm, what tune to use?  A Woody Guthrie classic?  Or maybe "Subteranean Homesick Blues".
    That's my guess.

    http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

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