Power

(Tom Paxton)

Chorus:
Let the sunshine heat up the water
Let all the water turn into steam
Let the steam drive all the generators
Keeping all the engines humming like a dream

All of the fat cats, fur coats, brass hats
Have a big investment in the energy scam
Go to the banker, buy a super-tanker
Where d'you get the money from - your Uncle Sam
Have your Uncle sign a note and buy yourself a big boat
Take it to the harbour, let it sit awhile
You won't have so long to wait till the price escalates
Then you sell the oil and you've made yourself a pile
Now you can allow yourself to smile

So what the boys don't want, won't stand, can't have
Won't have anybody getting power from the sun
Because there's no way to squeeze tight, corner all the sunlight
Wrap it up and sell it just to charge everyone
Every day it rises in the sky you can bet on it
You can set your watch by it - happens all the time
It shines on all the poor folks, my folks, your folks,
Does it every morning and it doesn't cost a dime
And that to the hustlers is a crime

So we go to the Arab, running up a big tub
Paying through the nose till the hose runs dry
The Arab leans back, buys another Cadillac
Shades his eyes from the sun in the sky
Harness up the sunlight, tell the Arab good night
We don't need his hose, we don't need his spout
Once you learn to use it you'll never lose it
You got yourself a power that will never run out
Now you can allow yourself to shout