pudge's Journal: Merry Minuet: Help Needed

I've wanted to record The Kingston Trio's "Merry Minuet" for years. But, as you can see, the lyrics are a bit stale:

They're rioting in Africa
They're starving in Spain
There's hurricanes in Florida
And Texas needs rain

The whole world is festering with unhappy souls
The French hate the Germans, the Germans hate the Poles
Italians hate Yugoslavs, South Africans hate the Dutch
And I don't like anybody very much

But we can be tranquil and thankful and proud
For man's been endowed with a mushroom-shaped cloud
And we know for certain that some lovely day
Someone will set the spark off and we will all be blown away

They're rioting in Africa
There's strife in Iran
What nature doesn't do to us
Will be done by our fellow man

So, I'd like your help for ideas. So far, this is what I've got. Any suggestions for changes? TIA!

They're starving in Africa
They're rioting in Spain
There's hurricanes in New Orleans
And Bangladesh needs rain

The whole world is festering with unhappy souls
Algerians hate the French, the French hate the Poles
Croatians hate Serbians, Islamists hate the Dutch
And I don't like anybody very much

But we can be tranquil and thankful and proud
For man's been endowed with a mushroom-shaped cloud
And we know for certain that some lovely day
Someone will set the spark off and we will all be blown away

They're starving in Africa
There's strife in Iran
What nature doesn't do to us
Will be done by our fellow man

A classic

[polymath69]

I always thought the song aged rather well... but you have identified some dated elements after all... hmm.

Replacing Florida with New Orleans isn't strong since it needs to sound more like "Africa". Best leave it alone.

"Starving" (2 syl.) doesn't quite replace "rioting". How about "pestilence"? "shortages"? Similarly, "rioting" doesn't quite fit in the second line. "unrest", "panic", or even, ahem, "assholes" could describe things found in Iberia.

I understand Arizona is having a dry spell... "Pho

Re:A classic

[pudge]

Replacing Florida with New Orleans isn't strong since it needs to sound more like "Africa".

No, it doesn't. Note the final stanza, "Africa" and "do to us." Also, I can pronounce it so "hurricanes" almost rhymes with "New Orleans!"

"Starving" (2 syl.) doesn't quite replace "rioting".

That's only because it's how you're used to hearing it. Both words fit in the same number of beats, at the same point of the measure: both begin on the first beat, and then end on the third.

I am not entirely happy with Banglades

Change the last bit...

[Jhon]

to:

The ice caps are melting,
Global warming is here to stay
What nature doesn't to to us
We'll do to ourselves someday.