These are the lyrics to the song I wrote and performed for the Aiki Follies at the Aiki Summer Retreat 2013 in Quincy, California. The song is to the tune of “Gimme That Old Time Religion.” Please share this! I hope you will add verses of your own, and perform it at the camps at retreats you go to. I’d love to hear them, and could add them here if you send them to me. Enjoy!
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Gimme That Old-Time Aikido
by Linda Eskin
Aikido’s roots run deep
The art of harmony and peace
What we practice, we will reap
And that’s good enough for me
CHORUS
Gimme that old time Aikido,
Gimme that old time Aikido,
Gimme that old time Aikido,
It’s good enough for me.
When attacked we move to enter,
Reaching right to uke’s center,
Though we try hard not to dent her.
And that’s good enough for me.
Takeda was O Sensei’s teacher
Martial technique strongly featured
‘Til Sensei met up with that preacher
And that’s good enough for me.
Deguchi was O Sensei’s buddy
And while Omoto Kyo is muddy
He said that fighting stuff’s too bloody
And that’s good enough for me.
O Sensei saw the harming
From the war – it was alarming!
So he left and took up farming.
And that’s good enough for me.
These two verses run together…
O Sensei had a notion
To spread Aikido o’er the ocean
So he set Tohei in motion
Sent him halfway ‘cross the sea …..
Tohei urged us rather sweetly
Keep one point – relax completely
Extend your ki more freely
And that’s good enough for me.
Tomiki had a mission
To hone his students’ vision
By judging friendly competition
And that’s good enough for me.
Saito said train hard with bokken
Forging spirits never broken.
1,000 cuts? You must be jokin’!
But that’s good enough for me.
While the days and years revolve
Boundaries between us dissolve
As we endeavor to evolve
And that’s good enough for me.
Peaceful people gather here
To practice love instead of fear,
We’ll do it all again next year,
And that’s good enough for me.
…………………………………………..
