melanie

Look What Trump’s Done (song)

August 16, 2025September 6, 2025by Stephen J Frankenberry9 Comments

Now in January of last year I did a version of Melanie’s “What Have They Done To My Song” from back in 1970 with “Look What They’ve Done To Our Trump” which a good friend of mine commented at the time that she thought was the best parody tune I had done yet which was high praise because one: I had done a ton at that point and was still counting ’em and two: I didn’t really think she liked any of my parody tunes.

Who knew?

But hers is an opinion I value, still do and dearly so, so I took that, as I said, as high praise.

Well, things have changed dramatically since then, as we all know, and not for the better and I thought I’d revisit the song then and update the lyrics and do some liberal “borrowing” from the first one, freakin’ self plagiarist that I am!

Hey!! I said this is just an update!

Well, a slow tap of a foot and bop of a head again and some current thoughts.

Look what Trump’s done to his Trump, Ma

He’s the nightmare now that goes

bump

He finds fascism’s all he wants do just right

So he and despot pals are tight, Ma

Look what Trump’ s done to his Trump

Look what Trump’s done to the court, Ma

They’re just bought and paid for cohorts, now

He’s got six of ‘em dismissing precedents

And legislating from the bench, Ma

Look what Trump’s done to the court

He just wants a good country for whites to live in, Ma

Says he’s a true proud Ameri-can, Ma

Who just wants dismantle from the inside out

Destroy democracy for autocratic clout

Look what Trump wants for coun-try

NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

Cmon everybody NA NA NA with me

Maybe even LA DE DA

Look what Trump does for his Trump

But this’ll surely work for the right, Ma

Who’ll trade our freedoms for their piece of pie

They’ll justify a thuggish po-lice state

If it don’t come for them “well that’d be just great”

Until he finds their loyalty doesn’t rate

Now Trump’s just foll-owing a simple plan, Ma

Where he’s the Man to all his Stans, Ma

And he revels how easy this all has been

To revisit bleak history’s darkest sins

Look what our vote now calls a win

Look what Trump does for his Trump, Ma Ma Ma

He’s found just how to grift us all his chumps, Ma

He dances rooftops once re-vered houses white

While tastelessly gold gilding everything in sight

Look what Trump does for his Trump

He has a brand new day in mind does Trump, Ma

Not one where we all have an equal say

Life, Liberty and Happiness

The pursuit of such some DEI nonsense

Not part of his white Christian pretense

Look what Trump’s done to our ‘stead, Ma Ma Ma

Look what he does with nationalist in-tent

Well, fascism’s all he wants to do just right

With masked jackboots

Helping him sleep at night

This is what Trump calls himself a win

While singing dark songs

Brand New Trump Key (song) Revisit and Nonsensical Cats

June 7, 2025July 4, 2025by Stephen J Frankenberry8 Comments

Ok, I am going to stretch here just to get to where I want to go, which is to eventually re-visit my version of a Melanie tune from a year ago because it still works and stuff needs be reminded … plus, I got nothin’.

My good buddy Rick, a lifelonger just minus the first 18 years or so (though I’m sure he would have gotten along famously with those first 18 or so) posted this beyond troubling meme to his Facebook page a couple of days ago, a one whose facts we troublingly know too well …

… to which I replied …

Sadly, none of the current Facebook response circle emoji’s really cut it here. I don’t wanna Like it or Love it or Care for it or Laugh at it (as this shit ain’t funny … well it is, but in a tragically sad comic bang my head bloody against the stupid until I am moved to the “soft room” in the wing that people only whisper about or OOOOOH it like “Whoaaa?” this is some sort of surprise, or be Saddened by it as that is just too obvious or Anger at it as that is more obvious still.

No, and I know there are emoji’s that can convey this, but we need an additional circle added here to the Facebook response choices, a “What the Fuck!?” emoji circle, one specifically designed for this current administration or just in general really, one that doesn’t just say “What the Fuck!?” but is understood to say, instead, “What the Fuck U Boxes of Rocks?!” while also implying apologies to Boxes of Rocks everywhere for dragging them into this conversation at all and unfairly associating them here as their “intelligence” far outweighs anything we see on a daily … and they are rocks (sorry, again, no slight intended Rocks … “None taken, we’re rocks, we get it” … cool).

Ok, this all a little too involved, but ya know what, maybe that’s it. A new response emoji circle, not a “What the Fuck!?” but one that is just a confused looking Rock, like a pet one from back in the 70’s that wondered just what the hell you were doing (appreciate the comfy bed of straw an’ all but I’m a rock). Plus, boxes of rocks need be paid their due as they have unknowingly really stepped up their game for the comparisons these days.

… and then there were texts to my sister of pictures of cats and even texts to my nephew Matt of pictures of cats … and that one cool pic of an old ruby red muscle Mustang that I saw at the grocery store on way my home Friday night, stopping for some cat litter and a twelve pack and a dried out dozen wings for dinner, that I missed taking a pic of (though I would at least tell him about it)

… and then I would go on and on and on about what pissed me off on a production guy Friday to either of them or even to cats (there is always something by the way, to piss you off, as a production guy, on a production guy Friday that you can tell Sisters or Nephews or cats about when you get home).

… and then it was to taking pictures of cats while sitting in bathrooms who were wanting for company and marveling at that new clean shower curtain you bought at Dollar General a day earlier, the one that wasn’t trying to become it’s own ecosystem, finally (though the old’s former rainbow of colors were quite pretty).

… and then you would get to that version of that Melanie tune from a year ago and feel like you’d accomplished something even though you had nothin’ other than that old Melanie tune you started with and were stretching this post for to get to, but one that still works.

So “Brand New Trump Key” … a re-visit then it is.

////////////////////////////////////////

Brand New Trump Key

I rode my motorcade to your city last night

To spin some lies and give you all such a fright

To harp on victim-like and rail conspiracies

I know you trust me know I’m just what you need

Well, I’ve got brand new world in mind here now

Take heart my unhinged screed

I’ll be proven right my ranting now

You just need to wait and see

I know what you need it’s a Donnie me

A fascist change of scene

Well, I’ve got a brand new world in mind here now

It just ain’t democracy

I ride my plan of year twenty of twenty five

I got my dee-scipes proving be worthy scribes

Of new world order in these United States

If you don’t subscribe you’ll surely be less than great

Oh yeah

Hah hah hah hah

Oh you will face my wrath

Hah hah hah hah

Oh yeah yeah yeah you’ll wish you hadn’t said that

I ask my people to stand up and be strong

Kiss my ring say they knew it all all along

That I was chosen by the man sittin’ way up high

To lead a fascist state while democracy dies

Well, I’ve got a brand new way to look at things

Won’t believe what I’ll bring

A brand new U.S.A. prosperity

‘long as you call me King

La la la la la la la la la la la la la

Well, I’ve got a brand new world in mind here now

It just ain’t democracy

////////////////////////////////////////

… and then there were cats.

Election Day Trump Parody Song Countdown: T-Minus 3: “Look What They’ve Done To Our Trump”

November 2, 2024November 3, 2024by Stephen J FrankenberryLeave a Comment

Now in the process of my posting these tunes of mine, words well worked in anger at the pained obvious, well wrought obvious, words red flagged in an attempt at a head’s up, “Do you see?” things that are my stand up I waver … I flit between serious dread and that the lesser dread that seems just kinda silly, but still dread. I mean it couldn’t be right? This is just another election with a possible reset just another four years off right? in case we get things wrong, a future time to possibly mend mistakes right?

But I know that that is not the case, this is no regular election and there are no Pollyanna thoughts of how this has always worked continuing in a still existent democratic future.

My problem with Trumpers is, though I don’t fault you your opinions, well, Ok, I do, as they ain’t mine and i could never be that easily susceptible to a con, but that they are too often misinformed, wholly misinformed and I don’t understand your need to “own” the other side like it is some sort of childish game, to grab the mantle of Orange grievance like it is your own, as if he were a guy who actually lived a life with you.

He hasn’t, never has, lived that life, he has never been that guy, nor is he heaven messiah sent as he glories to be, he IS the elite he warns you of. You spend so much time and glee on owning the other side that you miss the bigger picture. You become cult and you won’t be able to break away until it’s too late, and there will be a time where that comes.

(still trying Rick)

To Melanie’s “What Have They Done To My Song?”

(originally posted January 27, 2024)

Look What They’ve Done To Our Trump

Look what they’ve done to our Trump Ma

Look what they’ve done to our Trump

Well, fa-scism’s all he can do half right

And somehow they say that’s wrong Ma

Look what they’ve done to our Trump

Look what they say ‘bout his brain Ma

Like using it’s a real strain

They point out that it’s a jumbled mess

All those liars in the press Ma

Look what they’ve done to our Trump

He just wants a good country for whites to live in Ma

One where his subjects will all call him … King

If he can rig a vote like ’16 true

All the libs will come to rue

Just what

Just what they’ve said of our Trump

NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

C’mon everybody NA NA NA with me

Maybe even LA DE DA

Look what they’ve done to our Trump

But maybe it’ll work for the right Ma

Maybe Democracy’ll lose this fight Ma

Well his dee-sciples still buy his lies

And threatened violence well that could work out nice

Look what they’ve wrought in our Trump

Now this part here’s supposed to be in French Ma

But that wouldn’t be his intent Ma

Because he don’t sing of nothing but the US of A

And English speaking’s gotta be the only say

But he’s OK with fries made a French way

Look what they’ve done to our Trump Ma Ma Ma

They’ve turned him into such an orange grump Ma

He can’t even win a primary

Without them talking about that Haley

Look what they’ve done to our Trump

Hear what they say about our Trump Ma

They say the meanest things about our Trump Ma

They even have the gall to point out his lies

But never give him credit for how hard he tries

To straight face through them all of the time

Look what they’ve done to our Trump Ma Ma Ma

Look what they’ve done to our Trump

Well, fa-scism’s all he can do half right

And somehow they say that’s wrong Ma

But he wins this time there’ll be a new song

And a dark one

Election Day Trump Parody Song Countdown: T-Minus 9 : “Brand New Trump Key”

October 27, 2024by Stephen J FrankenberryLeave a Comment

Back in January I visited Melanie’s “What Have They Done To My Song” for another of my parodies, I’ve been working this angle for going on 7 years now with quite a lot of tunes, a boatload, and blah blah blah Steve, yes, your editorials in song as blah blah blah, no one is going to read any straight up editorial blah blah blah but if you put them to tune blah blah blah … you’ve told us.

But that is what it is and what I do though, I gotta say, in my own defense, they are all pretty toe tap worthy, biting and spot on and just darned good in that biting and spot on and toe tappingness.

Anyway, visited Melanie again and her “Brand New Key” now, a tune reminded the other day out of the corner of my ear at work from the ‘Magic’ station playing at my boss’s desk.

So, “Brand New Trump Key” then.

///////////////////////////////////////

Brand New Trump Key

I rode my motorcade to your city last night

To spin some lies and give you all such a fright

To harp on victim-like and rail conspiracies

I know you trust me know I’m just what you need

Well, I’ve got brand new world in mind here now

Take heart my unhinged screed

I’ll be proven right my ranting now

You just need to wait and see

I know what you need it’s a Donnie me

A fascist change of scene

Well, I’ve got a brand new world in mind here now

It just ain’t democracy

I ride my plan of year twenty of twenty five

I got my dee-scipes proving be worthy scribes

Of new world order in these United States

If you don’t subscribe you’ll surely be less than great

Oh yeah

Hah hah hah hah

Oh you will face my wrath

Hah hah hah hah

Oh yeah yeah yeah you’ll wish you hadn’t said that

I ask my people to stand up and be strong

Kiss my ring say they knew it all all along

That I was chosen by the man sittin’ way up high

To lead a fascist state while democracy dies

Well, I’ve got a brand new way to look at things

Won’t believe what I’ll bring

A brand new U.S.A. prosperity

‘long as you call me King

La la la la la la la la la la la

Well, I’ve got a brand new world in mind here now

It just ain’t democracy

Look What They’ve Done To Our Trump (song) … Ma

January 27, 2024November 2, 2024by Stephen J Frankenberry6 Comments

Back in June I discovered The MonaLisa Twins and their absolutely wonderful two studio albums “Orange” and “Why?” (highly recommended by the way).

Well, they recently came out with an album of acoustic covers of some classics and also some acoustic versions of their originals, but one of the covers was of Melanie’s “What Have They Done To My Song?” from back in ’70, and that one has proven to be a really cool sing-along in the car to surely some quizzical looks in morning traffic.

Anyway, with it being stuck in my head then I got’s to thinkin’s of one of things that I like to do.

I’ve mentioned this before, but no one is going to read any opinion piece of mine, no editorial, no matter how much it might eloquently or ineloquently drive home a point of warning, but, if I put it to tune?

Well a tap of a foot and a bop of a head might keep someone around.

Look What They’ve Done To Our Trump

Look what they’ve done to our Trump Ma

Look what they’ve done to our Trump

Well, fa-scism’s all he can do half right

And somehow they say that’s wrong Ma

Look what they’ve done to our Trump

Look what they say ‘bout his brain Ma

Like using it’s a real strain

They point out that it’s a jumbled mess

All those liars in the press Ma

Look what they’ve done to our Trump