These lyrics are a parody of Tom Lehrer’s marvellous tragi-comic song, So Long Mom.
…and here is a link to the lyrics and chords.
I wrote my version during the metaphorical-interregnum between George H Bush and Bill Clinton.
It returns to my mind at the time of writing this (November 2016) with some trepidation while we await Donald Trump’s succession from Barack Obama. Oh dear.
♬ SO LONG MA’M ♬
(To the Tune of “So Long Mom”)
CHORUS 1
So long Ma’m,
I’m off to bomb Saddam,
So don’t wait up for me;
And while he’ll swelter,
In his air raid shelter,
Baghdad will be,
A pile of debris.
Saddam’s aggressive malarkey,
Means we shall slaughter Iraqis,
We don’t mind killing poor darkies,
To get our point across;
He’s upset George Bush and Billy Clinton,
And he’s made them jointly very cross.
VERSE
Bill Jefferson Clinton is the US Pressie,
And no frightened jessie is he;
He and Bush agreed to write a massive hit list,
Forget pacifist,
Tendencies;
Bill is creating his mark,
Annihilating Iraq.
CHORUS 2
So long Ma’m,
I’m off to bomb Saddam,
So don’t wait up for me.
Perhaps I shall choose,
Tornado or cruise,
In order to free,
A Kurd and Sunni.
Now Bill is smoking less pot,
He’d like to kill a despot,
We’ll blanket bomb the best spot,
Within our range and space;
Annul Saddam and come back once over,
When another loony takes his place.
copyright © Ian Harris 1993
Here is a small update from late June 1993:
SO LONG MA’M – VERSION TWO
(To the Tune of “So Long Mom”)
CHORUS 1
So long Ma’m,
I’m off to bomb Saddam,
So don’t wait up for me;
And while he’ll swelter,
In his air raid shelter,
Baghdad will be,
A pile of debris.
Saddam’s aggressive malarkey,
Means we shall slaughter Iraqis,
We don’t mind killing poor darkies,
To get our point across;
He’s upset George Bush and tried to kill him,
Which has made Bill Clinton very cross (yeh).
VERSE
Bill Jefferson Clinton is the US Pressie,
And no frightened jessie is he;
He and Colin Powell drew up a massive hit list,
Forget pacifist,
Tendencies;
Bill is now making his mark,
Annihilating Iraq.
CHORUS 2
So long Ma’m,
I’m off to bomb Saddam,
So don’t wait up for me.
Perhaps I shall use,
Tornado or cruise,
But don’t take offence,
This is self defence.
Now Bill is smoking less pot,
He’d like to kill a despot,
So blanket bomb the best spot,
Within our range and space;
Annul Saddam then come back once over,
When another loony takes his place.
I wrote a more substantial update 11 October 1994:
SO LONG MA’AM – AUTUMN 1994 REMIX
(To the Tune of “So Long Mom”)CHORUS 1
So long Ma’am,
I’m off to bomb Saddam,
So don’t wait up for me;
And while he’ll swelter,
In his air raid shelter,
Baghdad will be,
A pile of debris.Saddam’s aggressive malarkey,
Means we shall slaughter Iraqis,
We don’t mind killing poor darkies,
To get our point across;
He’s upset Kuwait and massed his forces,
Which has made Bill Clinton very cross (yeh).VERSE
Bill Jefferson Clinton is the US Pressie,
And no frightened Jesse is he;
He and pal Al Gore drew up a massive hit list,
Forget pacifist,
Tendencies;
Bill is now making his mark,
Annihilating Iraq.CHORUS 2
So long Ma’am,
I’m off to bomb Saddam,
So don’t wait up for me.
Perhaps I shall use,
Tornado or cruise,
But don’t take offence,
This is self defence.Now Bill is smoking less pot,
He’d like to kill a despot,
So blanket bomb the best spot,
Within our range and space;
Annul Saddam then come back once over,
When another loony takes his place.