IF BABOONS CAN WORK IT OUT…

I just attended the Charlie King and Rebel Voices (Susan Lewis and Janet Stecher) concert at the Unitarian Church in Davenport. It was a fund-raiser for the Worker House in Rock Island that provides hospitality for women and children who find themselves temporarily homeless.

One of the songs, "If Baboons Can Work It Out" really struck me. It was written by Charlie and has a message and a point of view we don't often hear. After getting home from the concert I looked up the words on Charlie's web site.

IF BABOONS CAN WORK IT OUT…
© 2004 Charlie King Pied Asp Music (BMI)

CHO: Are you ready for a better way to be?
There's an answer swinging in our family tree
Everybody lives more fully when there isn't any bully
If Baboons can work it out then so can we

Act one, a culinary bungle in the wilds of Kenya
A tourist camp there in the jungle serves a toxic menu
They throw their garbage in a heap, the Alpha Baboon males compete
The prize they win is poison meat, they die like Alpha men do (CHO)

Act two, the female ratio doubles in the ape assembly
Surviving males who want no trouble take their places humbly
Instead of dominance and subjection, mutual grooming! Group affection!
It's the natural selection for this Baboon family (CHO)

Act three, now twenty years have passed, they're still cooperating
New males arrive, they're learning fast: "No fighting, we're all dating!"
Stress is lower. Hearts are stronger. Loving more and living longer.
Hop in line and join the conga, time for celebrating

Now a human bully's harder to defeat
I mean, you can't just send the White House poison meat!
But you can vote, sign a petition, organize a coalition
Hey hey! Ho ho! We say Rumsfeld's got to go!

'Cuz everybody lives more fully when there isn't any bully
If Baboons can work it out then so can…
Bush and Cheney? What a quandary, better put your trust in Gandhi
If Baboons can work it out then so can…
Popeye's eating all that spinach, shoulda voted for Kucinich
If Baboons can work it out then so can…
Him & her and you & me, as smart as any chimpanzee
If Baboons can work it out then so can we.