THE WALL COMES A TUMBLIN’ DOWN – Parody of Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho

As of this posting, we’re in day 24 of the government shutdown. This shutdown is now the longest in US history, and negotiations have been frozen for three weeks. So obviously we had to do a parody about it.

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LYRICS to THE WALL CAME A TUMBLIN’ DOWN

Trump, he fights the battle to have it all,
craves six billion to build his wall,
standing unattended and clutching his crown
while his wall comes tumbling down.

It’s an inefficient and Medieval plan.
it would accomplish much less than nothing.
It’s an idea from a foul conman
and his wall is failure bound.

Most illegals are coming here legally
and then deciding they don’t want to leave
A wall will not accomplish diddly
but he’s got a fairy tale to weave.

He looked at speaker Pelosi, then.
Would she support it, if so when?
She countered with a no and threw in a frown
and his wall came a tumbling down.

He decided that he’d shut the country down
‘cause he can’t let a woman win.
His morals may not be the highest calibre
but he’s aware that is a mortal sin.

Federal workers are without pay
but he just seems to think that they

can ask their daddies for a little cash.
He acquired his money that way.

He wants a national emergency,
a power grab for urgency.
But he is causing one instead
with what goes on inside of his head.

Six billion could be used in ways

that aren’t simply insane,

like adjudicating claims more rapidly
with a system that is more humane.

Why would he want it if it will not fix
security issues we struggle with?
He wants what he wants like a big baby
doesn’t care about you or me.

He likes to emblazon his name on stuff.
airplanes, yachts, hotels aren’t enough.
A border wall is where it now belongs

two thousand miles long.

If he’s really gotta have it he could tax the rich
but there’s a reason that will not fly.
The purpose of his party is to funnel money
to the wealthy and that is why.

Most Americans don’t want a wall,
just smarter border policies, that’s all.
His approval rating, like his hand, is small
and his wall comes a tumbling down.


Trump, he fought the battle to have it all
Craved six billion to build a wall
Standing unattended and clutching his crown
while his wall came tumbling down.

HISTORY OF THE SOURCE MUSIC

“Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho”

It is believed that the song was composed by slaves during the first half of the 19th century. Some references suggest that it was recorded by Jay Roberts in 1865. The first recording was made by Harrod’s Jubilee Singers , at Paramount Records in 1922.

Later recordings include those by Paul Robeson (1925), Mahalia Jackson (1958) ), Elvis Presley (1960), Cassandra Wilson (1995) and Hugh Laurie (2011).

Ralph Flanagan adapted it under the title “Joshua”, recording it with his orchestra in the city of New York on March 1, 1950.

Some early recordings include some dialect parts, such as “fit” instead of “fought”. The letter refers to the biblical story of the battle of Jericho in which Joshua guided the Israelites against Canaan (Joshua 6: 15-21). However, as in many other spirituals, a play on words is present in reference to an escape from slavery; in the case of this song And the walls came tumblin’ down (“And the walls collapsed”).

The melody and rhythm provide energy and inspiration. The critic Robert Cummings writes: “The living and energetic melody does not sound like the other pieces of the pre-Civil War era, and it would not be out of place in a ragtime musical or even jazz in the 20th century.”

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