song for theme #21B: Service to Others

“Hey Help Us Out Pal” by Stephen P. Cook

to be sung to the tune of “Hey Look Me Over” by C. Leigh, Cy Coleman / Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney

Hey help us out pal, lend us a hand

Service to others, doing what you can

Help pound the pavement, help with the phone

Volunteer¹, feel good, change your life’s tone

And your effort will help us give something back

It will lift those who need it, get them back on track

We’ll all feel good inside, knowing that we tried

And in helping out we take pride!

Hey help us out pal, write us a check

Charity² can help lives that are a wreck

If you’re grateful for what you’ve got

Show it and share with the have nots

And your gift will help us right life’s wrongs

Cheering those sufferin’ like favorite songs

We’ll all feel good inside, knowing that we tried

And in helping out we take pride!

Hey help us out pal, in government

Some must carry the ball, all can’t punt

Stand for election, apply for selection

Public servant³, a noble profession

And your work can help us right what is wrong

Doing our part to make government strong

We’ll all feel good inside, knowing that we tried

And in helping out we take pride! 

Hey help us out pal, with leadership

Service to others, a meaningful trip

Leaders are servants⁴, if they care to be

Great leaders know this, yeah it sets them free

Such leaders can help us right what is wrong

Doing our part to make society strong

We’ll all feel good inside, knowing that we tried

And in helping out we take pride! 

SONG—NOTES / COMMENTS

1—Volunteerism is the giving of one's time and energy to work on behalf of others, without any expectation of pay or real material

       gain.  Many volunteer simply because helping others gives them a good feeling and they like the idea of their "giving back"

       something to society.  Some volunteer both for that reason and to gain experience.  As the 21st century began, over 40% of

       USA adults were engaged in some type of volunteer work, averaging around fifteen hours per month.

2— Charity and philanthropy generally refer to active efforts to promote good will and the quality of human lives.  Philanthropy

       specifically refers to the giving of money, material goods, time, or energy to a charitable organization in support of specific

       goals or programs that help others or enrich lives.  As the 21st century began, Americans altogether annually made nearly one-

       quarter of a trillion dollars in charitable contributions: over $800/person/year.      

3— Becoming public servants: instead of selling their services in the private sector to the highest bidder, some people feel called

       to work in the public sector, perhaps even in an elected position, and to work for the government for lesser pay.  There are

       various reasons why people might choose to do this.  For some, such work is based on professional—and perhaps family—

       tradition in which one takes pride in unselfishly serving the public interest.

4— Servant leadership (after R. Greenleaf’s 1970 essay) refers to leadership practices and philosophy. A servant leader disdains 

    accumulation of power, seeking instead to empower others with total dedication to the group mission and meeting others’ needs.

Comment: this theme has value as emotional armor given the real psychological benefits —including feel good reduced stress and increased self esteem (see theme #41)—associated with helping others. Working with those less fortunate than yourself can also enhance your feeling of gratitude (see theme #17B) for what you have, given your relative well being when compared to those you’re helping. Of course, in providing that help, it’s important not to adopt a condescending feeling of superiority!