"We Will Strike You"

(in the style of “We Will Rock You” by Queen)

AMPTP, you’re payin’ us cheap

When you act like the money’s all yours to keep

But the Guild’s on the case

You big disgrace

Now it’s a strike you have to face

WE WILL, WE WILL STRIKE YOU!

WE WILL, WE WILL STRIKE YOU!

AMPTP, we won’t be fooled

Lookin’ out your windows now…

You’re gonna be schooled

‘Cause we won’t be replaced

You big disgrace

Wavin’ our signs all over the place

WE WILL, WE WILL STRIKE YOU!

WE WILL, WE WILL STRIKE YOU!

AMPTP plays hardball

Let us help you recall – your shows, we write them all

You got egg on your face

You big disgrace

Writers Guild gonna put you back into your place

WE WILL, WE WILL STRIKE YOU!

WE WILL, WE WILL STRIKE YOU!

"The Writers Guild Strike"

(in the style of “Blitzkrieg Bop” by The Ramones)

Hey! Ho! Let’s go!

Hey! Ho! Let’s go!

Hey! Ho! Let’s go!

Hey! Ho! Let’s go!

The studios are balking

The leadership's done talking

That’s why we’re out here walking

THE WRITERS GUILD STRIKE

The management is raiding

The shows that we’re creating

It’s justice we’re awaiting

THE WRITERS GUILD STRIKE

Hey… ho… Let’s go…

They’ve stabbed us in the back now

What they want, we don’t know

Now it’s time to shut down the show

Residuals they’re stealing

It’s not a pretty feeling

So let’s create some healing

THE WRITERS GUILD STRIKE

Hey! Ho! Let’s go!

Hey! Ho! Let’s go!

Hey! Ho! Let’s go!

Hey! Ho! Let’s go!

"Give Us Our Share"

(in the style of “Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi)

Tommy used to work on a show

Union’s been on strike

The management wants all the dough

Yeah, it blows

Gina wrote her spec scripts all day

Now she’s marching the streets

With the W-G-A today

For fair pay

We’ve gotta hold on to what we’ve got

We’ve put our pencils down ‘cause they won’t pay us squat

We’ve got the advantage ‘cause management cannot

Write shows with a plot

Whoa – We’re halfway there

Whoa! Give us our share!

Shake my hand and we’ll make the deal fair

Whoa! Give us our share!

Tommy’s on a four-hour walk

Now he’s marching strong

‘Cause the studios refused to talk

What a crock…

Gina dreams up stories all day

But she won’t write them down

‘Cause the bosses of this town won’t pay

No way…

We’ve gotta hold on to what we’ve got

We’ve put our pencils down ‘cause they won’t pay us squat

We’ve got the advantage ‘cause management cannot

Write shows with a plot

Whoa – We’re halfway there

Whoa! Give us our share!

Shake my hand and we’ll make the deal fair

Whoa! Give us our share!

"Smells Like New Media"

(in the style of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana)

Load up on signs and red shirts too

The Writers Guild has come for you

The studios hoard the revenues

Go on, put on your striking shoes

Hello, hello, hello, hello

No dough, no dough, no dough, no dough

No show, no show, no show, no show

A.F. A.F. L.C.I.O.

With our striking

We will drain you

We’re the ones who

Entertain you

No, the reruns

Won’t sustain you

We’re the ones who

Entertain you

You can’t do what we do best

Treat us unfairly, we protest

We will not break, we will not bend

We’ll keep on striking ‘til the end

Hello, hello, hello, hello

No dough, no dough, no dough, no dough

No show, no show, no show, no show

A.F. A.F. L.C.I.O.

With our striking

We will drain you

We’re the ones who

Entertain you

No, the reruns

Won’t sustain you

We’re the ones who

Entertain you

We will drain you

We will drain you

We will drain you

We will drain you

"Strike 2"

(in the style of “Song 2” by Blur)

WOO-HOO!

WOO-HOO!

WOO-HOO!

WOO-HOO!

I got my blue check

But I’m still in debt

Because the Internet

Is not included yet

No?

WOO-HOO!

Writers Guild’s got the mettle

WOO-HOO!

Management, you must settle!

WOO-HOO!

Well it could be so easy

All you must do is ensure we’re paid along with you

Admit it’s true

The strike has begun

We won’t be outdone

Now it’s your problem

Now it’s your problem

WOO-HOO!

Writers Guild’s got the mettle

WOO-HOO!

Management, you must settle!

WOO-HOO!

Well it could be so easy

All you must do is ensure we’re paid along with you

Admit it’s true

YEAH YEAH!

YEAH YEAH!

YEAH YEAH!

OH YEAH!

"These Guys Won't Pay Me"

(in the style of “She Drives Me Crazy” by Fine Young Cannibals)

You can’t stop

The Writers Guild

‘Til our demands

Are fulfilled

Tell you what we’ve got in mind

Coming at you, with our signs

Will you ever pay what’s fair?

‘Til you do, we must declare:

THESE GUYS WON’T PAY ME

THE MONEY I EARNED

WE’RE STRIKING, BABY

THE ONLY WAY THEY’LL LEARN

You won’t get

Any rest

We won’t stop

Our protest

Pretty soon, you’ll have no shows

We create them, don’t you know?

None of us will have to fight

If you’ll just do what’s right

THESE GUYS WON’T PAY ME

THE MONEY I EARNED

WE’RE STRIKING, BABY

THE ONLY WAY THEY’LL LEARN

Strike Related Song Parodies by Quirky Situations

I've been out picketing several gates this week. Many of my fellow writers also happen to be talented musicians who bring their guitars with them.

After several failed attempts at freestyling some pop song adaptations with strike related lyrics on the picket line, I went home to my rhyming dictionary and composed a few proper song parodies.

Feel free to share them.

And thanks to all the writers of the memorable originals.

Much love...