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Lyrics
The day after Thanksgiving is known in
the United
States as the biggest shopping day of the year. A few years back, at a
confluence of an economic boom time and the voluntary simplicity movement
(funny how simplicity is more fun when its voluntary), someone suggested that
to counteract rampant consumerism and to restore meaning to the holiday
season, we celebrate that Friday as Buy Nothing Day. In Vermont, we spent the morning hanging out at the front
doors of Wal-Mart handing out flyers with suggestions of how to "spend
time, not money" with friends and family, including ideas for homemade
gifts and low-cost, fun activities. Wal-Mart’s business didn’t
crumble due to our influence, but we had a good time wearing silly paper hats
and singing alternative versions of popular holiday songs. I wrote words for
a few in November of 1997 and we sang them in 1997 and 1998. I’m delighted that my lyrics have
spread throughout the worldwide web, and am quite happy to permit anyone to reprint
and distribute (as well as sing) them for any project that promotes
thoughtfulness and discourages consumerism.
Please do credit me for them, and I’d ask that they not be used
for any profit-making endeavor – but then, that wouldn’t make any
sense.
Buy and Sell (to the tune of "Silver Bells")
City Sidewalks busy sidewalks
lined with advertising
It's the big retail season of Christmas
Children begging for each new thing
toys for mile after mile
and the mood of the season is clear
Buy and Sell (Buy and Sell)
Buy and Sell (Buy and Sell)
It's Christmas time for consumers
Ching-a-ching (Ching-a-ching)
Cash registers ring (Cash registers ring)
Must we spend Christmas this way?
Maxing credit, running debits
buying things we don't need
with money we don't really have
Children crying, parents sighing
no time for family
and the reason behind it is clear
Buy and Sell (Buy and Sell)
Buy and Sell (Buy and Sell)
It's Christmas time for consumers
Ching-a-ching (Ching-a-ching)
Cash registers ring (Cash registers ring)
Must we spend Christmas this way?
Consumer Wonderland (to the tune of "Winter Wonderland")
The TV's on / are you watching?
Another product / that they're hawking
one more thing you need
to make life complete
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland
In the stores / you will hear it
"Pricey gifts / show holiday
spirit"
That's what they call it
to get to your wallet
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland
At the mall we can go out shopping
and buy lots of stuff we can't afford
we'll have lots of fun with our new toys
until we realize that we're still bored
When you shop / ain't
it thrilling
until / you get the billing
the money you still owe/ the stuff broke
long ago
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland
Carol of the Toys (to the tune of "Carol of the Bells")
High voices: Barbie Dream House Mi-ickey
Mouse Beanie Babies Tamagotchis
Low Voices: Too Much stu- -uff
High voices: Cabbage Patch Dolls Ninja Turtles Super
Nintendo Tickle-me-Elmo
Low voices: Too much Stu- -uff
Repeat, changing key each time
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