Schoolhouse Rock!

"The Energy Blues"

Original Air Date

March 27, 1979

This song teaches about the history of energy production and consumption in the world, and raises concerns about the environment and future energy crises. It is sung from the perspective of an anthropomorphic Planet Earth itself.

Lyrics to The Energy Blues

(Yawn!)

Energy . . .

Sometimes I think I'm running out of energy

Seems like we use an awful lot for

Heating and lighting and driving

Reading and writing and jiving

Energy . . .

You'd think we'd be saving it up

Energy . . .

You can get it by damming up a river

Energy . . .

A windmill can make the breeze deliver

But even with milling and damming

Our needs are so much more demanding

For energy . . .

We have to use some kind of fuel

Chop, chop, chop, the cavemen used wood to start their fires

Chop, chop, chop, they made all the tools that they required

Chop, chop, chop, inventions got more and more inspired

The fires got higher and higher

And clearings got wider and wider

Energy . . .

They were burning about all their wood up

Then one day men discovered that coal would do it better

Miners dug, and it looked like it might just last forever

It seemed like the final solution

It started the Industrial Revolution

Energy . . .

We could just keep on digging it up

Now in 1859 - way out in western Pennsylvania

A man had built a rig that got some laughs from folks who came there

But suddenly, a mighty roar came up from under the ground

And soon a gusher, gushing oil, soaked all who stood around

Now no-one knew, when that gusher blew

The petroleum years were on us

Or that so many cars and trucks would come to cause a crisis

Energy . . .

We're looking to try and find some new kinds

Energy . . .

Exploring to try and make a new find

Nuclear and thermal and solar

If we miss we'll get colder and colder

Energy . . .

We've got to stop using you up

So don't be cross when momma says turn that extra light out

Just turn it off till we find us a fuel that never runs out

If everyone tries a bit harder

Our fuel will go farther and farther

Energy . . .

We're going to be stretching you out