Tunesmith-

You're on to something. There are a lot of good songs out there in the neighborhood, and some of the best ones will be lost if no one collects them. I've been collecting some for years as part of my draft Housing Song Book. Here's one that I think resonates:

YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE OUR HOMES AWAY

(Original words by Tony Heriza © 1979
Further adapted by Charles Ipcar in 1981
Tune: "Mountain Song" by Holly Near, © 1978 Hereford Music (ASCAP) Recorded on We Won't Move, Folkways Records FS 5287 as sung by Karrie Potter)


The involuntary displacement of the elderly, minorities and other low-income people from existing housing became a major organizing issue in the late 1970's. This song describes the strong attachment people have for their neighborhoods, the planners and speculators who threaten the residents, and the people's determination to fight back. The original composer of this song, Tony Heriza, was a housing organizer in Cincinnati's Over the Rhine Neighborhood at the time and his song was featured in a housing slide show We Will Not Be Moved produced by Community Media Productions.

I have lived in this city,
As my mother did before me,
And you can't just take my home away,
Without me fighting,
No, you can't just take my home away!

Well, you make your city plans,
Try your damnedest to ignore us,
But you can't just take our homes away,
Without us fighting,
No, you can't just take our homes away!

These old buildings raised our children,
And 'tho it's true they need repairing,
You can't just take our homes away. (As above)

We have lived in this city,
Through hard times we've helped each other,
And you can't just take our homes away. (As above)

You drive a big Mercedes car,
You have a fancy education,
But you can't just take our homes away. (As above)

And if you think you can displace us,
Then you haven't seen our faces,
No, you can't just take our homes away. (As above)

We have lived in this city,
Ties are deep and they are many,
And you can't just take our homes away,
Without us fighting,
No you can't just take our homes away,
Not with us watching,
No, you can't just take our homes away!

Cordially,
Landlady's Daughter