Peace Camper resident, Otter, wrote this song for fellow peace camper, Estelle Coleman's Croning ceremony. According to Otter and Estelle, it is based on an incredibly true peace camp adventure. The responders in this call & response song are Sita, Sera, Dorothy, Hershe, Estelle, Alice and Laura. Recorded at Peace Camp GatherSing, Ithaca, NY, September 13, 2008.
A Peace Camp Ballad
by Otter aka Karen Escovitz
PeHP Source: Peace Camp GatherSing, 2008.
One night the women were cutting the fence
PeHP Source: Peace Camp GatherSing, 2008.
One night the women were cutting the fence
Ta-roo, ta-roo, were cutting the fence
Even though they knew 'twas a federal offense
Ta-roo, ta-roo, 'twas a federal offense
Up came a lone officer waving a gun
Ta-roo, ta-roo, waving a gun
Who said stop there ladies and don't try to run
Ta-roo, ta-roo, and don't try to run
I finally caught you and now you must pay
Ta-roo, ta-roo, and now you must pay
Put down the bolt cutters and do as I say
Ta-roo, ta-roo, and do as I say
But among them there was a fiesty old crone
Ta-roo, ta-roo, a fiesty old crone
Who said, back off now sonny, and leave us alone
Ta-roo, ta-roo, and leave us alone
We do not acknowledge your authority
Ta-roo, ta-roo, your authority
Your power's illegitimate to those who love peace
Ta-roo, ta-roo, to those who love peace
You can shout all you want but we're going home tonight
Ta-roo, ta-roo, we're going home tonight
And she led them away 'neath the full moon's light
Ta-roo, ta-roo, 'neath the full moon's light
He followed them yelling and waving his hands
Ta-roo, ta-roo, and waving his hands
All the way back to the peace camp lands
Ta-roo, ta-roo, to the peace camp lands
Then the crone she did the most kick-ass thing
Ta-roo, ta-roo, the most kick-ass thing
She had him arrested for trespassing
Ta-roo, ta-roo, for trespassing
The women asked later how she'd been prepared
Ta-roo, ta-roo, how she'd been prepared
To do what she did and not get scared
Ta-roo, ta-roo, and not get scared
She said of course the guard gave me a terrible fright
Ta-roo, ta-roo, a terrible fright
But I knew what I knew and I knew I was right
Ta-roo, ta-roo, I knew I was right
If I've learned one thing it's you must take a chance
Ta-roo, ta-roo, you must take a chance
If you walk on thin ice you might as well dance
Ta-roo, ta-roo, you might as well dance
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