Malvina Reynolds: Song Lyrics and Poems  

Notes: words and music (according to Sing Out! 26(1) (1978), page 33, "to the tune of 'When Johnny Comes Marching Home'") by Malvina Reynolds; copyright 1977 Schroder Music Company, renewed 2005. In 1977 a decision by one Judge Simonson of Madison, Wisconsin, relieved some young men of responsibility for a sex crime they committed on the basis of rather dubious reasoning. The story was quickly picked up by the national news. Malvina's song was written in response to his decision and contributed to a recall campaign that eventually removed Simonson from the bench.

The judge said "Screw 'em!
Boys, you're only human.
They brought it on themselves
By being born a woman.
Like a mountain's there to climb
And food's there to be eaten,
Woman's there to rape,
To be shoved around and beaten."

Chorus:
The judge took his position,
The judge he wouldn't budge,
So we've got out this petition,
And we're going to screw the judge.

Now if you beat a horse or dog
Or violate a bank,
Simonson will haul you in
And throw you in the clink.
But violate a woman,
Your equal and your peer,
The judge will slap you on the wrist
And lay the blame on her.

(Chorus)

To draw a true conclusion
From what Simonson has said,
Woman has to live in fear
And cover up her head.
She has to dress in purdah
And lock herself in cages,
And this kinky judge in Madison
Is from the Middle Ages.

The judge took his position,
The judge he wouldn't budge,
So we've got out this petition,
And we're going to dump the judge.

Malvina Reynolds songbook(s) in which the music to this song appears:
---- [none]

Other place(s) where the music to this song appears:
---- Broadside No. 137 (October-December 1977)

Malvina Reynolds recordings of this song:
---- Mama Lion
---- Ear to the Ground
---- What Now, People? Number Three (Smithsonian Folkways P-2003, 2001/1978)
---- Cassandra Records CS-54 (7-inch disc, 1977; flip side "Young Moon")
---- listen to youtube.com video

Recordings by other artists on which this song is performed:
---- Rosalie Sorrels: No Closing Chord; The Songs of Malvina Reynolds (Red House Records RHR CD 143, 2000)