The Unreconstructed Activist

#1...

The Unreconstructed Activist

Clearwater Festival

Marist College, Poughkeepsie,

June 20th, 1998

Roy Lisker

8 Liberty Street #306

Middletown, CT 06457

Beginning in July of 1974, I wandered about, more or less totally crazy , in and out of hospitals in the region between Chicago, Montreal, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Almost exactly a year later I ended up at the Catholic Worker Farm in Tivoli, NY, a sleepy village in Northern Dutchess County on the east side of the Hudson River. A long convalescence there lasted about 4 years, 1975-79.

Since then a number of years have been passed in Ulster County, at roughly the same latitude on the western banks of the river : 1981 to 1983 in News Paltz; 1987-88; 89-90 in Highland, directly across the river from Poughkeepsie; and 1991-92 in Woodstock.

A strong attachment has developed through these years of association with the Hudson Valley. This is expressed in the following chant: [1]

River Water Chant

q = 80 (Middle A)

River Water Flows Along The River Water/

Flows Along The River/

Water Flows Along The River/

Water Flows Along.

River Water Flows Along The River Water/

Flows Along The River/

Water Flows Along The River/

Water Flows Along.

The River Water Flows Along The River/

Flows Along The River Water/

Flows Along The River;

Water Flows Along The River Water.

The River Water Flows Along The River/

Flows Along The River Water/

Flows Along The River;

Water Flows Along the River Water.

(Slightly Faster)

River Water Flows Along The River Water/

Flows Along The River/

Water Flows Along The River/

Water Flows Along.

River Water Flows Along The River Water/

Flows Along The River/

Water Flows Along The River/

Water Flows Along.

The River Water Flows Along The River/

Flows Along The River Water/

Flows Along The River;

Water Flows Along The River Water.

The River Water Flows Along The River/

Flows Along The River Water/

Flows Along The River;

Water Flows Along the River Water.

e= 60

River Water Flows Along The River Water,

Flows Along The River Water,

Flows Along;

River Water Flows Along The River Water,

Flows Along The River Water,

Flows Along;

Flows Along The River Water, River Water/

Flows Along The River Water;

Flows Along The River Water; River Water ON the River Water/

Flows Along The River Water;River Water ON the River Water/

Flows Along The River Water; ON The River Water.

Flows Along The River Water, River Water/

Flows Along The River Water;

Flows Along The River Water; River Water ON the River Water/

Flows Along The River Water;River Water ON the River Water/

Flows Along The River Water; ON The River Water.

Flows Along The River Water, River Water/

Flows Along The River Water;

Flows Along The River Water; River Water ON the River Water/

Flows Along The River Water;River Water ON the River Water/

Flows Along The River Water; ON The River Water.

q = 100

Riv’er Water, Riv’er River Wa’ter, River Riv’er Water, Riv’er Water

Riv’er Water, Riv’er River Wa’ter, River Riv’er Water, Riv’er Water

River Riv’er Water, River Riv’er Water, Riv’er Water, River Riv’er Water

Riv’er Water, Riv’er Water, Riv’er Water, River Riv’er Water

Riv’er Water, Riv’er River Wa’ter, River Riv’er Water, Riv’er Water

Riv’er Water, Riv’er River Wa’ter, River Riv’er Water, Riv’er Water

River Riv’er Water, River Riv’er Water, Riv’er Water, River Riv’er Water

Riv’er Water, Riv’er Water, Riv’er Water, River Riv’er Water

(Soft & Swift)

River Water Waves, River River Water, River Water Waves, River Water

River Water Waves, River River Water, River Water Waves, River Water

River Water Waves, River River Water, River Water Waves, River Water

River Water Waves, River River Water, River Water Waves, River Water

(Fairly Slow, about q = 60 , lilting, well enunciated)

Water Waves. Water Waves, River Water Waves

River Water Waves, Water Waves,

Water Waves, River Water Waves, River Water Waves,

River Water Waves, Water Waves. Water Waves

Water Waves. Water Waves, River Water Waves

River Water Waves, Water Waves,

Water Waves, River Water Waves, River Water Waves,

River Water Waves, Water Waves. Water Waves

Water Waves. Water Waves, River Water Waves

River Water Waves, Water Waves,

Water Waves, River Water Waves, River Water Waves,

River Water Waves, Water Waves. Water Waves

q=80 (Louder, more emphatic)

Win’dy Wa’ter, Waves’ of Wa’ter Wheel’ing, Waves’ of Sil’ver Whirl’ing Wa’ter, Sil’ver Whirl’ing Waves’ of Wa’ter, Waves’ of Wind’y Wa’ter Wheel’ing

Win’dy Wa’ter, Waves’ of Wa’ter Wheel’ing, Waves’ of Sil’ver Whirl’ing Wa’ter, Sil’ver Whirl’ing Waves’ of Wa’ter, Waves’ of Wind’y Wa’ter Wheel’ing

Win’dy Wa’ter, Waves’ of Wa’ter Wheel’ing, Waves’ of Sil’ver Whirl’ing Wa’ter, Sil’ver Whirl’ing Waves’ of Wa’ter, Waves’ of Wind’y Wa’ter Wheel’ing

q=80

Windy Water Wheeling/ Windy Water Wheeling/Water/ Windy Water Wheeling,

Windy Water Wheeling/ Windy Water Wheeling/Water/ Windy Water Wheeling,

q=90

Windy Water Wheeling/Wheeling Windy /Water Wheeling Water

Windy Water Wheeling/Wheeling Windy/ Water Wheeling Water

Windy Water Wheeling/Wheeling Windy /Water Wheeling Water

Windy Water Wheeling/Wheeling Windy/ Water Wheeling Water

(Brief Pause)

q=100+

Riv’er Run’-Around , A Run’-Around/

A River Run-Around , A River Run-Around/

A River River Run-Around , A Run-Around/

A River River Run-Around , A Run-Around/

A River Run-Around ,A River Run-Around ,A River Run-Around/

A River River Run-Around ,A Run-Around/

Riv’er Run’-Around , A Run’-Around/

A River Run-Around , A River Run-Around/

A River River Run-Around , A Run-Around/

A River River Run-Around , A Run-Around/

A River Run-Around ,A River Run-Around ,A River Run-Around/

A River River Run-Around ,A Run-Around/

River Run-Around the Water Waves, the Water Waves/

River Water Run-Around A Run-Around the Water Waves/

River Run-Around the Water Waves;

River Run-Around the Water Waves, the Water Waves/

River Water Run-Around A Run-Around the Water Waves/

River Run-Around the Water Waves;

River Water Run-Around the Water Waves,

A Run-Around the Water Waves/

A Run Around the Water/

Run-Around the Water Waves.

River Water Run-Around the Water Waves,

A Run-Around the Water Waves/

A Run Around the Water/

Run-Around the Water Waves.

River Water Run-Around the Water Waves,

A Run-Around the Water Waves/

A Run Around the Water/

Run-Around the Water Waves.

River Water Run-Around the Water Waves,

A Run-Around the Water Waves/

A Run Around the Water/

Run-Around the Water Waves.

(Louder, more forceful)

Riv’er Run’-Around , A Run’-Around/

A River Run-Around , A River Run-Around/

A River River Run-Around , A Run-Around/

A River River Run-Around , A Run-Around/

A River Run-Around ,A River Run-Around ,A River Run-Around/

A River River Run-Around ,A Run-Around/

Riv’er Run’-Around , A Run’-Around/

A River Run-Around , A River Run-Around/

A River River Run-Around , A Run-Around/

A River River Run-Around , A Run-Around/

A River Run-Around ,A River Run-Around ,A River Run-Around/

A River River Run-Around ,A Run-Around/

(Soft and slow, growing in volume and speed)

River Run Around A Hidden Valley, Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around/

River Run-Around A Run-Around A River/

River Run Around A Hidden Valley, Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around/

River Run Around A Hidden Valley, Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around/

River Run-Around A Run-Around A River/

River Run Around A Hidden Valley, Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around/

River Run-Around A River,

Silver Waves of Windy Water Wheeling/

River Run-Around A River Run-Around,

Silver Waves of Windy Water Wheeling/

River Run-Around A River Run-Around

Silver Waves of Windy Water Wheeling in A River Run-Around,

River Run -Around/

Silver Waves of Windy Water Wheeling in A River Run-Around,

River Run-Around/

Silver Waves of Windy Water Wheeling in a Hidden Valley,

Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around/

River Run-Around A River,

Silver Waves of Windy Water Wheeling/

River Run-Around A River Run-Around,

Silver Waves of Windy Water Wheeling/

River Run-Around A River Run-Around

Silver Waves of Windy Water Wheeling in A River Run-Around,

River Run -Around/

Silver Waves of Windy Water Wheeling in A River Run-Around,

River Run-Around/

Silver Waves of Windy Water Wheeling in a Hidden Valley,

Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around/

River Run-Around A Hidden Valley/

Hidden Valley Hidden by the Silver Waves of Windy Water/

Silver Whirling Waves of Water/

Waves of Windy Water Wheeling in a Hidden Valley/

Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around/

River Run-Around A Hidden Valley/

Hidden Valley Hidden by the Silver Waves of Windy Water/

Silver Whirling Waves of Water/

Waves of Windy Water Wheeling in a Hidden Valley/

Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around/

River Run-Around A Hidden Valley/

Hidden Valley Hidden by the SIlver Waves of Windy Water/

Silver Whirling Waves of Water/

Waves of Windy Water Wheeling in a Hidden Valley/

Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around/

River Run-Around A Hidden Valley/

Hidden Valley Hidden by the Silver Waves of Windy Water/

Silver Whirling Waves of Water/

Waves of Windy Water Wheeling in a Hidden Valley/

Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around/

Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around,

Hidden by the River Run-Around/

Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around, Run-Around.

Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around,

Hidden by the River Run-Around/

Hidden Valley Hidden by the River Run-Around, Run-Around.

Hidden by the River Run-Around, by the River Run-Around/

Hidden by the River Run-Around, by the River Run-Around/

By the River Run-Around, Run-Around/

By the River Run-Around, Run-Around/

By the Run-Around/

Run-Around, Run-Around, Run-Around, Run-Around..........





The Hudson Valley is under constant siege by environmental threats from industrial interests. The list of primary threats includes :

(a) PCB’s and other carcinogenic pollutants from the General Electric plants in Schenectady. At one point the contamination was so bad that it was forbidden to fish in the river. The Clearwater Foundation, its sloop, and the Festival, must be given the credit for turning this situation around. The river has been cleaned up and it is once again open to fishing, although General Electric continues to treat it like a sewer and much more work needs to be done.

(b) Urban expansion from New York City. Most of the spillover from the Big Apple is still being absorbed by Long Island and Westchester County, to the south. The habitual pattern for New Yorkers coming up this far north, is that it takes them about a year to discover that they can never find anything they want when they need it. This generates a reverse exodus with no complaints from the locals. The Maginot line that halts the invasion seems to be drawn in this area, over the river between Poughkeepsie and New Paltz.

(c) Nuclear Power Plants. This was the most serious threat of the 70’s . Eight electric utilities set up a consortium to seed the valley with nuclear power plants all the way up to Albany. Had they succeeded the Hudson River would have become the stockpile of the greatest concentration of nuclear waste in the world. The result was a strong anti-nuclear movement which became a major factor in thwarting the rapacity of the electric utilities. Time was on our side in this campaign as the industry was already dying through mismanagement, the construction and maintenance costs due to increasingly stringent safety regulations, the inability to find sites for long-term storage of nuclear wastes, and so on. The following Uranium Chant comes from this period:

Uranium Chant

Uranium Anium Anium Anium Anium Anium Uranium Anium

Uranium Anium Anium Anium Anium Anium Uranium Anium

Uranium Anium Anium Anium Anium Anium Uranium Anium

Uranium Anium Anium Anium Anium Anium Uranium Anium

Anium Anium Uranium, Yum! Yum! Yum!

Anium Anium Uranium, Yum! Yum!

Uranium Anium Anium , Yum! Yum! Yum!

Uranium Anium Anium , Yum! Yum!

Anium Anium Uranium, Yum! Yum! Yum!

Anium Anium Uranium, Yum! Yum!

Uranium Anium Anium , Yum! Yum! Yum!

Uranium Anium Anium , Yum! Yum!

Uranium Anium Anium Anium Uranium Anium Anium Anium

Uranium Anium Anium Anium Anium Anium Uranium Anium!

Uranium Anium Anium Anium Uranium Anium Anium Anium

Uranium, Uranium, Uranium, Uranium, Uranium Anium Anium Anium!

Uranium, Yum! Yum! Uranium Yum! Uranium Yum! Yum! Yum!

Uranium Yum! Uranium Anium Anium Anium

Uranium, Yum! Yum! Uranium Yum! Uranium Yum! Yum! Yum!

Uranium Yum! Uranium Anium Anium Anium

Anium Anium, Yum!Yum! Anium Anium Anium Anium

Anium Anium, Yum!Yum! Anium Anium Anium Anium

Anium Anium Yum! Yum! Yum! Yum! Yum! Yum!

Anium Anium Yum! Yum! Yum! Yum! Yum! Yum!

Yumanium Yumanium Yumanium Yumanium

Yumanium Yumanium Yumanium Yumanium

MANIYAyayayayayayayayayaya .....................!

MANIYAyayayayayayayayayaya ......................!

MANIYA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YAH!!! (Fine)

II.

Urine Urine Urine,Urine Urine Urine,Urine Urine Urine,Urine Urine Urine

Urine Urine Urine,Urine Urine Urine,Urine Urine Urine,Urine Urine Urine

Urine Urine Urine, Urine Urine Ur/Inure Inure Inure, Inure Inure Inure

Urine Urine Urine, Urine Urine Ur/Inure Inure Inure, Inure Inure Inure

Urine Urine Urine, Urine Urine Urine /Inner Inner Inner, Inner Inner Inner

Urine Urine Urine, Urine Urine Urine /Inner Inner Inner, Inner Inner Inner

Urine Urine Urine, Urine Urine Urine /Inner Inner Inner, Inner Inner Inner

Urine Inure Inner, Urine Inure Inner, Urine Inure Inner,

Urine Inure Inner, Urine Inure Inner, Urine Inure Inner,

Urine Inner Inure, Urine Inner Inure, Urine Inner Inure,

Urine Inner Inure, Urine Inner Inure, Urine Inner Inure,

Inure Inure Inure, Inure Inure Inure

Inure Inure Inure, Inure Inure Inure

Injure Injure Injure, Injure Injure Injure,

Urine Urine Urine, Urine Urine Urine

Injure Injure Injure, Injure Injure Injure,

Inure Inure Inure, Inure Inure Inure

Injure Injure Injure, Injure Injure Injure,

Inner Inner Inner, Inner Inner Inner

Injure Injure Injure, Injure Injure Injure,

Urine Inure Inner, Urine Inure Inner, Urine Inure Inner,

Urine Inure Inner, Urine Inure Inner, Urine Inure Inner,

Inure Inure Inure, Inure Inure Inure,

Urine Inure Inner, Urine Inure Inner, Urine Inure Inner,

Urine Inure Inner, Urine Inure Inner, Urine Inure Inner

Urine Inner Inure, Urine Inner Inure, Urine Inner Inure,

Urine Inner Inure, Urine Inner Inure, Urine Inner Inure,

Inure Inure Inure, Inure Inure Inure

Inure Inure Inure, Inure Inure Inure

Injure Anium, Injure Anium, Injure Anium Anium Anium

Urine Urine Urine, Urine Urine Urine

Injure Anium, Injure Anium, Injure Anium Anium Anium

Urine Inure Urine Inure Urine Inure Urine Inure

Injure Anium, Injure Anium, Injure Anium Anium Anium

Inner Inner Inner Inner, Inner Inner Inner Inner

Injure Anium, Injure Anium, Injure Anium Anium Anium

Urine Inner Inure, Urine Inner Inure, Urine Inner Inure, Urine Inner Inure

Inner Inure, Inner Inure,Inner Inure, Inner Inure,Inner Inure, Inner Inure,

Inure.Inure. Inure. Inure. Inure. Inure,..................

(SLOW) Geranium, Geranium, Geranium, Geranium,.................

Anium, Anium, Anium, Anium....................................................

III.

Yum!

YUMMY!

Yum!

YUMMY!

Yum!

YUMMY! YUMMY! YUMMY!

Yum!

YUMMY!

Yum!

YUMMY!

Yum!

YUMMY! YUMMY! YUMMY!

(Slow Growing in Intensity)