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Used To Be A City (Songs for Mahmud version)
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A song about a post-industrial US city. I had Danbury, Connecticut in mind. Change a couple of lines and it could have been about most cities in the US.
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"If the great Phil Ochs were to rise from the dead today, he would probably be hailed as the new David Rovics." Andy Kershaw, BBC
Song Info
Genre
Acoustic • Acoustic Folk
Charts
Peak #187
Peak in subgenre #25
Author
David Rovics
Rights
David Rovics 2004 All Rights Reserved
Uploaded
May 23, 2005
Track Files
MP3
MP3 6.9 MB • 128 kbps • 0:00
Story behind the song
A song about a post-industrial US city. I had Danbury, Connecticut in mind. Change a couple of lines and it could have been about most cities in the US.
Lyrics
Used To Be A City David Rovics I was young once It was a long time ago Things were different then I thought that you should know This old building Was once a factory We made Stetsons Your grandpa and me It wasn't easy but at least Life was going down There used to be a city in this town This rusted railyard Had a hotel and a couple of stores We had good times here Between the wars It wasn't paradise But there was music in the street Right there is where your grandparents First had a chance to meet They got married in that church I can still see her wedding gown There used to be a city in this town When the change came It started one by one First the layoffs Then the factory was gone Then came the highways The suburbs and Wal-Mart That was the final blow That tore this place apart But it seems like just last year When there were people all around There used to be a city in this town The census says there's people here But I think someone's confused Just look out at these sidewalks They're not being used You know when a city dies It doesn't die with grace It just becomes a ruin Shouting this was once the place Guess it's time to leave But I don't know where I'd be bound There used to be a city in this town Created July, 2003 Copyright David Rovics 2003, all rights reserved
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