Here are the lyrics for the parody song performed at the Schenectady County Bicentennial Gala Saturday night at Glen Sanders mansion.
The first stanza deals with Mayor Stratton’s reenactment of the ride of Simon Schermerhorn earlier this year. Schermerhorn rode to Albany in the 1600s to warn residents there after French and Indians attacked Schenectady. Mayor Stratton rode two blocks in this year’s reenactment.
My recollection was that former Mayor Karen Johnson had recreated the whole ride back in the eighties. Johnson said she had not but she did ride on horseback for much longer than two blocks. She and late WGY radio personality (and horseman) Harry Downie rode horses from Schenectady City Hall up to Woodlawn. The horses were put in trailers and Johnson and Downie rode by motor vehicle to Albany. The mayor and the DJ resumed the horseback ride near the College of St. Rose and rode the horses to Albany City Hall.
Thanks for Schenectady by Bob Cudmore - 03-07-09 (to the tune of Thanks for the Memories, the Bob Hope theme song.)
Thanks for Schenectady
Brian Stratton on a horse, just rode two blocks of course,
Karen J went much more of the way and had no rear remorse
How horsy mayors are.
Thanks for Schenectady:
Jim Tedisco wants DC, I think it will be he,
He’ll tweak Obama, you can bet your mama,
You’ll see Jim on TV
How grandstanding he is.
Now we are dining in Scotia,
Our host Angelo Mazzone
He has restaurants by the dozen,
I only wish I were his cousin.
Thanks for Schenectady:
The County’s 200 years old, yes homeless still walk in the cold,
But Proctors is swell, Union College do tell, the Stockade is quite bold
How chee chee it is.
Thanks for Schenectady:
There’s Princetown and Delanson, the Junction and Duanesburg
Rotterdam has the mall, 890 and the aquifer
How suburban we are.
Thanks for Schenectady
Niskayuna, the Glenville hills, the River and Route 5.
GE and the Plot, the Air Base, Scotia bungalows still thrive,
How prosperous we’ve been.
Have a pastry at Villa Italia.
Together we'll go to a show.
Scotia Cinema’s quite a bargain,
Peckham’s for gin, Jeff’s Stockade Inn.
Thanks for Schenectady,
Strictly entre nous, what can Paul Tonko do for you?
My song is done, I’ve had my fun
Susan, may your dreams come true
Off we go in Schenectady, keep your head down, toodleooo, and thank you so much
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Tonko is the region’s Congressman and Saturday night lived up to the nickname bestowed on him by Amsterdam bandleader Alex Torres—Congressman Mambo. Tonko stayed a long time at the Saturday event and danced much of the night away. Susan refers to Schenectady County legislative chair Susan Savage.
