The Rodeway Nine
words by Mark Lane and Jim Shaffer
music by Jim Shaffer
& Covered Wagon Musicians
(Spoken:)
What do we want? PEACE.
When do we want it? NOW.
PEACE NOW. PEACE NOW. PEACE NOW.
(Chorus:)
What do we want?
Peace not sorrow.
When do we want it?
Now, not tomorrow.
Boise's biggest, Boise's best
The place to dine, the place to rest.
300 rooms, a banquet hall
Convention center, but not for all.
One day in August in '71
Businessmen met, businessmen's fun
Westmoreland was their honored guest
For soaring profits he's the best
The wine they sipped, the general's brand
Turns into blood on foreign lands.
(Repeat Chorus)
From Mountain Home, 40 miles or more
Said we won't fight your fucking war
The guests were simply horrified
With the chants . . . not genocide
L-shaped pool, governor's room
Tinted water, Westmoreland's tune.
(Repeat Chorus)
They came to seize the criminal
We pointed to the general
Take him before others die
He was in charge at Johnson's My Lai
(Repeat Chorus)
They came with chains to end the song
But chains could never right the wrong
Nor jail cells, change their stand
While children die in other lands
(Repeat Chorus)
Brother did you obstruct police
Sister did you disturb the peace
Mothers, fathers, sons and daughters
We defend the peace, disturb the order.
They came to wish each other luck
There is no crime to pursue the buck
Swine did not bother those who dine
Instead they took the Rodeway Nine.
(Repeat Chorus)
Rita, Carolyn, Maria and Penny
We are many
Peyton, Tom, Mike, Mark and Joe
We will grow.
(Repeat Chorus)
Outside the Rodeway Inn where the Boise Chamber of Commerce were honoring General Westmoreland in August, 1971. Nine Covered Wagon members were arrested for "disturbing the peace" and three others charged with "interfering with the police." This song played an important part in the state-wide campaign to win an acquittal for them. After the charges were finally dropped, some of the defendants filed charges against the police on behalf of the Covered Wagon.
