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Song Parodies -> "The Presidents (of the United States)"

Original Song Title:

"The Elements (of the Periodic Table)"

Original Performer:

Tom Lehrer

Parody Song Title:

"The Presidents (of the United States)"

Parody Written by:

Barry J. Mitchel

The Lyrics

White House staffers recently were suspected of editing Wikipedia pages of former presidents to reference the incumbent. I used TOS, which listed 108 chemical elements, to catalog 44 presidents in 24 hexadecametric lines plus a 2-line "kicker" at the end.
George Washington was followed by John Adams, Thomas Jefferson,
And also James (main author of the Constitution) Madison,
Then James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew "Old Ir'nsides" Jack-son,
Succeeded by Van Buren (Martin), William Henry Harrison.

John Tyler filled his term, then James K. Polk and Taylor (Zachary),
Veep Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan. Blacks were freed
By Lincoln during Civil War that almost split the Un-i-on,
Veep Andrew Johnson took his place when he was shot by loony's gun.

Ulysses Simpson Grant stepped down and Rutherford B. Hayes did run.
James Garfield, Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benj'min Harrison
And Grover Cleveland once again, then Bill McKinley till he passed;
Veep Teddy Roosevelt stepped in and through another term did last.

Next, William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson; Warren Harding gave
Remaining years to V.P. Calvin Coolidge who four more did crave.
Post Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt was President for life,
Till Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower led through Cold War strife.

Then John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson aerial-warred,
And Richard Nixon's second term was finished by Veep Gerald Ford.
Next, James L. Carter lost a second term for having fed malaise,
And Ronald Wilson Reagan from despond the nation's heads all raised.

George Herbert Walker Bush, though good at war, we clearly read his lips.
Bill Clinton is remembered for the interns who made steady trips.
George Walker Bush brought on two wars to ferret out each terrorist;
Barack Hussein Obama sent his drones for those by error missed.

These are the forty-four whom "We the People" have elected,
And there soon will be another when the last one is rejected!

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Voting Results

 
Pacing: 4.3
How Funny: 3.6
Overall Rating: 4.0

Total Votes: 7

Voting Breakdown

The following represent how many people voted for each category.

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User Comments

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Dana Mathewson - May 25, 2012 - Report this comment
Love it, Barry. I love the original, too, as well as the work in which it appears. I have the video of the pumped-up version which stars Linda Ronstadt. The late George Rose whips his way through this song in fine fettle; then Kevin Kline, as the Pirate King, says "I say, can you sing that again, really fast?"
Barry J. Mitchel - May 25, 2012 - Report this comment
DM: Thanks; you mean the ORIGINAL original by Gilbert and Sullivan.
Barry J. Mitchel - May 27, 2012 - Report this comment
I see that the liberal 111-voter found this. At least I know (s)he read it all.

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