Two songs by Malvina Reynolds supporting environmental activism of specific issues

"Skagit Valley Forever" by Malvina Reynolds, (1970)

There's a fine green valley not far from Vancouver,
Home of the black bear, the marten and the cougar.
It's the tree rich valley where the Skagit River flows,
A home for God's creatures since Heaven only knows.

Chorus:
Skagit Valley, Skagit Valley,
Ray Williston is selling you away.
Skagit Valley, Skagit Valley,
They would turn you to a mud pond

To run the Coca Cola coolers in Seattle, U.S.A.
Well, the parks are getting fewer, the trees are getting thin,
The cities are all reaching out to take the wildwood in.
The world is getting poorer with every mile they clear,
And they're selling Skagit acres for five dollars fifty cents a year.
(Chorus)

Oh my sisters and my brothers in this shining northern land,
It's time to get together and take each other's hand,
And ring around the wilderness to keep the gangs away
Who would ravage our sweet country for a shameful pocketful of pay.

Skagit Valley, Skagit Valley,
No grabber will get you for a prize.
Skagit Valley, Skagit Valley,
We'll let no vandal drown you,
We'll keep you as we found you,
British Columbia's forest paradise.


When Malvina was a guest on Art Finley’s radio program in Vancouver, B.C., Art told her about a demonstration the next day against the flooding of Skagit Valley. She wrote the song, but because she was on tour and couldn’t stay to sing it, a local singer did instead.


"Alcatraz (Pelican Island)" by Malvina Reynolds (1969)

It was Pelican Island,
When the Bay was clean.
The birds on the flyway
Used to make the scene.
And the Rock was green.

Chorus:
Alcatraz,
We don't need that plastic jazz.
Give us the island the way it was
When the Indians had their day.

Who needs an Astrodome
In San Francisco Bay!
Sad Rock, cruel Rock
To the souls of men,
Must it be a painted rock
From the five and ten,
Miserable again?

(Chorus)

They call it real estate,
That's all they can see,
Wild creatures called it home
That's how it could be,
A joy to you and me.

(Chorus)

Do your stuff in Dallas,
New York and Abilene.
We've got hot shots of our own
Messing up the scene;
Leave our Bay serene.

(Chorus)

Now the Indians claim the Rock
Just a grain of sand
To the wilds we robbed them of
Their ancestral land.
Red Brother, take your stand!

Alcatraz,
We don't need that plastic jazz,
Let's see the Island the way it was.
When the Indians have their day
We'll cheer that Council Fire
In San Francisco Bay!


After the federal prison closed, developers had plans for the island. A group of Native Americans occupied it in 1969 in protest, and Malvina quickly penned an appropriate song of support. It has now been left a historic park.

Comments were taken from the dedicated to Malvina Reynolds site

A song performed by Malvina in youtube:

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