Name: rip van winkle blues
Duration: 3 min 45 s
Channel: mike skliar
Description: "rip van winkle blues" is a song by mike skliar. in my neighborhood in manhattan, alot has changed in the past few years, not all for the better. here's a blues about it.

rip van winkle blues

mike skliar

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in my neighborhood in manhattan, alot has changed in the past few years, not all for the better. here's a blues about it.

singer songwriter comedy political serious topical

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mike skliar

singer songwriter based in new york city. songwriting ranges from serious to funny, topical, political, timeless, rootsy music based on folk, blues, country, bl

Singer/songwriter based in new york city. Plays as solo, duo with Ken Ficara, groups with others. plays guitar, mandolin, dobro, and a few other string instruments. writes variety of songs, some timeless, some topical, some funny, some serious,.. but hopefully always entertaining. website at www.mikeskliar.com for more details..

Song Info

Genre

Acoustic • Acoustic General

Charts

Peak #1,482

Peak in subgenre #356

Author

mike skliar

Rights

mike skliar-- ascap

Uploaded

February 04, 2007

Track Files

MP3

MP3 3.4 MB • 128 kbps • 3:45

Story behind the song

in my neighborhood in manhattan, alot has changed in the past few years, not all for the better.  Many of the mom and pop stores , restaurants, etc, have closed, replaced by chain stores, big banks, chain pharmacies, etc.... here's a blues about it.

Lyrics

I feel like rip van winkle , Ive slept for a long long time (2x)
when I finally got up, felt as if I’ve lost my mind


where are those restaurants and shops that I used to frequent
it’s only chain stores now, to my bewilderment
the same old story of the tale of the raising of the rent

I used to go to La Rosita for coffee, eggs, rice and beans
it was a one of a kind, a thriving Cuban city  scene 
but La Rosita’s gone now, place is now a bank teller machine

I went to rent a movie from the store owned by a guy on my block
he had 30,00 titles and that was just the ones in stock
but he’s gone now, the place is abandoned and padlocked 

The old barber shop had been there since they built these city streets
Mr K’d  give out haircuts and philosophy , always there to greet
But that knowing of your customers,  I guess that’s now obsolete

The music store is long gone, no one buys records, tapes or even cds
why buy anything at all they say, just  steal it online for free
it’s a slow steady slide and a loss to the community
(c) m. skliar 2/4/07

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