The Bourgeois Blues, Seattle Style

Revised Lyrics by Jim Page,
Melody by Huddie Ledbetter

come all you good people and listen to my song
I'll sing it to you right but you might think it's wrong
'bout a town called Seattle, it's a beautiful sight
but if you don't want to get stepped on you better walk right

the slick city bankers and the business rule
come cleanin' up the streets for the urban renewal
buildin' high-rise condos for the money elite
while there's so many others out livin' on the street

you can stand out and shiver by the light of the moon
try to make it to the shelter but they ain't got room
see the beautiful people on a cross- town cruise
with low-fat lattes and hundred dollar hairdos

they got the money for a freeway repair
for a bus tunnel underground that don't go anywhere
they can buy themselves a diamond studded hole in the head
but they can't give a homeless person a bed

the city attorney, he's turnin' the screws
he don't want to even know you ' less you're shinin' his shoes
and even the mayor turns a deaf ear drum
he'd rather be shopping at Nordstrom's

they'll run you out of the parks on your worn out feet
then they'll tell you that you can't be out on the street
they got a whole lot of laws and it ain't no jive
they gonna make you illegal just for bein' alive

it's a class war, it's a smoking gun
one side's got money and the other side's got none
you can call me crazy, say my mind's undone
but i know a stacked deck when i see one

so if you're down in the city, well, you better be wise
keep your eyes wide open or they'll catch you by surprise
you can sugar coat it, you can call it by name
but no matter how you say it the game is still the same
Jim Page has been one of the staunch supporters of Real Change and the StreetLife Art Gallery for a long time. He led a successful campaign to stop a proposed law against street busking, he was there at the battle for the Pacific Hotel and he has played at benefits for Real Change and the StreetLife Gallery -- among other things.

Other Jim Page links:

Tell him Anitra says Hi, and he needs to get a mailing list set up. :)

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