"Give It Up for the Trees" tells how the Civilian Conservation Corps replanted much of
northern Wisconsin in the 1930s. Music style: soft rap

Gonna tell you a story of our history
Something that's important for you and me.
And it all started back to 1933
So, come on, give it up for the CCC.

Our native brothers called them the standing people.
These beautiful trees of mother earth's steeple
Shading canoes down the Fox and Wolf river.
With food and family and dreams to deliver.

In the beginning, Wisconsin was green.
But trees for pure profit brought greed to the scene.
At first there was plenty, then hardly any,
Then there was none where there used to be many.

The lumber-mill giant industry got fat from the forest did feed
and acres of stumps is where it did lead.
They were hogs with the logs and folks were out of jobs.
Then came the scare when the land went bare.

This period of time they call the Depression.
FDR called Congress into session.
He said, "I have an idea to mention,
because the forests are vanishing and need our attention.
Here is what I think we can do.
It'll help the land and provide jobs, too.
It'll help the trees and do much more.
We'll call it the Civilian Conservation Corps.

So give it up for the CCC, the CCC, the CCC
for saving the trees
for you and me.
It's our history, the CCC.

These young soil soldiers who were once unemployed
replanted the land for us all to enjoy.
They worked real hard for little pay,
sometimes 15 cents a day.

Two point five million men
built roads and trails hooked us up again.
So you see the importance of history
It affects the lives of you and me,
and because of that effort from yesterday,
we now have the forest called the Nicolet.

So let's give a thanks and a big salute
to the CCC for giving a hoot,
for picking up the shovel and putting on their boots
for planting new seedlings to give us new roots.
Yea, give it up, for the CCC
for making history
without them where would we be?
The CCC.

They helped save the trees for you and me.
Give it up, give it up, give it up for the CCC.
Without them where would we be? The CCC.
Ooooooooh, the CCC, saving the trees
without them where would we be?
Saving the trees
for you and me.

It's our history, the CCC, it's our history.
It's important for you and me.
It's our history.