The Battle of New Orleans (Redux) DOGE version
by @markg
Challenge: PUBLIC DOMAINLiner Notes
#publicdomain #DOGE #layoffs #country #BIAB The challenge of Public Domain. This song was recorded in 1959 by Johnny Horton.
I remember it as a kid. I reworked it to reflect the Government Layoffs of 2025. Reaper and Band in a Box
Lyrics
The Battle of New Orleans (Redux) © 2025 Mark Greenberg
In 2016 we took a little trip to make the country MAGA like they do in Mississip So we ate some Colonel Sanders and we drank some Diet Coke And the dude from The Apprentice then became the First Jamoke*
Come 2024 and here he’s back again, Nastier than ever and itching for revenge Now he’s got the Congress and now he’s got the Courts And it ain’t no secret ‘bout what he’s got in store
Well he fired some staff and the layoffs kept a coming The boys from DOGE were there to let them go If you’re DEI well you better get a-running They even changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico
They fired your ass if you believe in science They fired your ass if you’re FBI ‘Cause you built a case against the insurrection Or took a stand for the trans or bi
They fired a ton of tax inspectors They fired the board of the Kennedy Center The highways, the parks, the safety directors They even changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico
Well he fired some staff and the layoffs kept a coming The boys from DOGE were there to let them go If you’re DEI well you better get a-running The even changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico
*Italian-American slang
Comments
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2024/f1672f00-9af5-4da0-9a26-ccaf481c3f2c.png){kind=avatar}
This is great! I love the humor, and you hit many of the high (? low) points of recent weeks. I was thinking about how to reword this classic to accommodate the name change in the Gulf, but you nailed it with "even changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico". Great lyric craftsmanship, especially "the dude from Apprentice became the first Jamoke. I used to hear that word a lot growing up in Boston, but it's somehow disappeared. Thanks for bringing it back!
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2024/0335afbc-06d6-482f-a970-ea785f4e5ed2.png){kind=avatar}
This is a great take on that song. I like how you fit the patterns in there so it's still nice and bouncy to sing like a lot of great country songs are.
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/16581.png){kind=avatar}
Very timely! Great use of the old song's style!
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2024/a686b829-b0d9-49d3-af09-870a140aa0ef.png){kind=avatar}
I especially like the way 'the layoffs kept a coming' line and 'they even changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico' work here but they're all pretty clever. Great job!
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/15887.png){kind=avatar}
This fits SO well with the song. And I love the lyrics.
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/1711.png){kind=avatar}
Brilliant! The lyrics are perfection paired with the country blues, Tex Mex western vibe. So much fun and truth. I like it so much I'm gonna have a second listen!
![[avatar]](https://fawm-avatars.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fawm2023/e6f3dd08-c03c-4c0b-9b43-32a09775fbf1.png){kind=avatar}
oh my goodness. the inspo song here is one of those songs that I somehow learned by heart thanks to my momma, you've done a great job with the rewritten lyrics!! "they even changed the name of the gulf of Mexico" is frankly perfection. and why is "fired" so applicable in both scenarios. hate the events leading to the song ofc but it's really a great tune I'm crying laughing over here.
![[FAWM]](/static/img/ukulelecorn.svg)
What a match this is, perfect for parallels between two very different moments. Well-constructed and timely.