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Some folk songs make history, and some folk songs put history in perspective while it’s happening. You be the judge.

In February 2011, I uploaded a brand-new satirical ditty about the goings-on in Cairo. It’s called “Egyptian Revolution Blues” – and it puts a whimsical (if worried) spin on the question that’s on everyone’s mind these days: What’s next for the Middle East?

I don't know what the "view" count" at YouTube will be by the time you're reading this here, but after just a day and a half, "Egyptian Revolution Blues" had been seen by some 3,500 people. That's more than 100X the size of my average folk music audience. Gotta love the Internet.

Here's the video, with lyrics below

EGYPTIAN REVOLUTION BLUES
Words and Music by Sandy Cash, 2011

When we rose up we knew what for
It was all civil rights and end to war
So when we saw them fill our screen
Their square, and all streets in between
The palace of that potentate and
His not-so-secret police state
We turned unto each other and said "Great."
We said: "That's great."

It's power to the people, see
They want the same as you and me
Indigenous democracy will kick the butt of tyranny
The land of Pharoah's slavery
Hey, that's just ancient history…..Kind of poetic, dontcha know.
Yeah. Let my people go.

Al-Jazeera, Skye and CNN
It's like the thrill of Tiananmen
Footage that the whole world sees
Right from the Hotel Raamases
With huddled masses breathing free
While Mubarak twists in effigy…..A Star of David on his forehead
Well, never mind.

The opposition's great brown hope
He has a dream, and he's no dope
The moderate El Baraday
Was Head of the UN's AEA
He inspected Tehran's nuclear stacks
And told us all, hey dudes, relax!
Well maybe not the folks in Tel Aviv

Sure, oppression's bad and freedom's good
Tell that to the Muslim Brotherhood
Could be that we shall overcome
And see Egypt free for everyone
For unveiled women, gays as well
Full civil rights for infidels But now it pains me to relate
Chalk up one more for the caliphate.