Complementary Bases

(To the tune of “California Dreamin’”)

Mendel took the lead (Mendel took the lead)
Working with his peas (working with his peas)
And then Miescher found the seed (Miescher found the seed)
Studying disease (studying disease)
By the nineteen forties (by the nineteen forties)
‘Twas clear it causes traits (clear it causes traits)
Complementary knowledge (complementary knowledge)
Led us to DNA

Chargaff’s bases had
Only set ratios
Well then Watson-Crick took that (Watson-Crick took that)
Info and proposed (info and proposed)
Bases each must have a partner (each must have a partner)
G and C, T and A (G, C, T and A)
Complementary bases (Complementary bases)
Make up the DNA

Now we know the truth (Now we know the truth)
Of the form called B (of the form called B)
Thanks to Franklin’s work (thanks to Franklin’s work)
And skullduggery (and skullduggery)
Though she hadn’t told them (though she hadn’t told them)
They got it anyway (got it anyway)
Complementary data (gave us our D-N)
Complementary data (gave us our D-N)
Complementary data
Gave us our DNA