Randy Rainbow sings 'The RFK Jr. Lament' plus the Marsh Family sings about Ukraine

I closed 'The Bizarre Case of the Tully Monster' and other SciShow paleontology videos for National Fossil Day with a program note: "Stay tuned for a musical post featuring both Randy Rainbow and the Marsh Family. Sing, dance, and laugh so we won't cry." I begin with The RFK Jr. Lament - A Randy Rainbow Song Parody.

Parody of “Adelaide’s Lament” from Guys and Dolls (Music/Lyrics by Frank Loesser)

Parody Lyrics by Randy Rainbow

Song Produced, Orchestrated, Mixed, Mastered by: Michael J Moritz Jr @michaeljmoritz

Vocal Arrangement - Brett Boles
Piano, Orchestral -Michael

RFK Jr. deserves all the mockery Randy and I can give him, including this sign I made for the No Kings protests that I plan on carrying this Saturday.


Now for "It Ain't Kyiv, Babe" - Marsh Family adaptation of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me, Babe" on Ukraine War.

We have created songs in support of Ukraine since the 2022 invasion, but this latest is in response to the grotesque decision by Trump to agree to buy Russian diesel in the coming months - a new level of violation (including quite possibly a violation of recent US law) that undermines Ukraine's resistance to Putin's ongoing attacks. In step with our "Don't Abandon Them" ( • "Don't Abandon Them" - Marsh Family adapta... ) we are adapting an intimate and simple Bob Dylan refrain and using only three voices.

"It Ain't Me, Babe" is one of Ella's favourites - which she first came across in the recent biopic starring Timothee Chalamet ("A Complete Unknown") - though the original was released in 1964 on Dylan's fourth album "Another Side of Bob Dylan" and quickly picked up and reworked by many iconic artists. But it's something like that soundtrack arrangement - based on the Newport Folk Festival duet with Joan Baez - that we aimed for as a framework, albeit with extra harmonies.

This news reminds me that people have been reading Trump and Putin, a bad bromance lately. I had no idea how right I was back then!

I'm closing with the song about Ukraine from last year, "Don't Abandon Them" - Marsh Family adaptation of Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" about Ukraine.

We put together this version of Dylan's iconic rhetorical question song from 1963, "Blowin' in the Wind" because so much is hanging in the air at the moment after the alarming diplomatic announcements by Trump, Hegseth, and Vance in the last 48 hours, seemingly giving Putin much of the negotiating capital he wants - and in the face of the wishes and needs of Ukrainian and European leadership. We went for a threesome along the lines of the Peter, Paul and Mary cover version - partly out of necessity as others were away. But what better use to make of Valentine's night than to show love and respect for the courage and sacrifice of the people of Ukraine, and send a small musical message of solidarity?

The people of Europe stand with Ukraine against the threat of a false peace as much as a brutal war.

Because of our shared history.
Because of our shared future.
Because it is just.
Because it is necessary.
And because they deserve nothing less.

Don't abandon them.

Here's hoping and praying for a swift peace on terms that they can conscience, and that offer security against future invasions.

So much for laughing so we don't cry.

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned for the nominees of this year's Critics Choice Documentary Awards. One of the people making things difficult for Ukraine has a nominated documentary about him!