To the tune of When Johnny Comes Marching Home

     words by David Bigelow and Peter Jedicke

The stars go nova one by one.  KA-BOOM, KA-BOOM!
Nucleosynthesis is done,  KA-BOOM, KA-BOOM!
The supernovas dissipate
What fusion energy helped create
And the stars go nova in the galaxy.

The heavy elements are born.   KA-BOOM, KA-BOOM!
And from the stellar cores are torn.   KA-BOOM, KA-BOOM!
Shells of gas are strewn through space
Distributing matter all over the place
And the spiral arms are littered with debris.

As the years go by the remnants spread.   KA-BOOM, KA-BOOM!
But the universe is far from dead.   KA-BOOM, KA-BOOM!
To eliminate the tedium
Of the interstellar medium
Come the molecules that make up you and me.