I got an email a while back from a Dean Wilson in Santa Rosa. He said he had written a song about our beavers and wanted to share. I wasn’t expecting such a professional recording and snappy tune, but it turns out he’s the guitar player for “Laughing Gravy” and recorded the tune at Jackalope Records. I like the music very much, but honestly was a little uneasy with a message that reflected only the fear of Martinez and none of the benefits of the beavers.
So of course, being the shameless beaver advocate that I am, I decided to write him some additional verses and see if I might persuade him either to play these or write his own. In the meantime, here’s my suggestions using the same basic meter and rhyme scheme of his song. I told him when he moves firmly in the supporter camp we can make sure his song gets heard by beaver lovers everywhere!
My cousin Jake’s a fisherman
And salmon is his trade
Ain’t worked a single goddamn day
Since the salmon ban was made
We need more salmon in our creeks
More salmon in our sea
NOAA analysts
Says beavers are the key.
Well beaver dams hold water back
Trap silt and filter too
insects start to multiply
So fishes all renew
A lot of birds and animals
Come out to hunt and play
And beavers make this possible
If you can let them stay
So let the damn dam stand, boys
Lets let the damn dam stand
Those furry eager beaver dams
Will give our creeks a hand
A simple pipe and cage can keep
The dam from getting tall
And in the mean time beavers
Give new habitat to all
Thanks Dean for your hard work and cheerful inspiration! Maybe LG wants to do a special performance at the beaver festival next summer?
