Lyr Req: You Can't Fight City Hall Blues

Subject: You can't beat City Hall?
From: The Shambles
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 01:37 PM

Can anyone help with the words to this old jug band song?

Chorus was something like:

You can't beat city hall
You just ain't 'gonna' win.

Subject: RE: You can't beat City Hall?
From: Quincy
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 01:57 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: You can't beat City Hall?
From: Don Firth
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 04:52 PM

Just an aside -- the statement "you can't beat City Hall" is a bit of propaganda put into circulation by City Hall.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: You can't beat City Hall?
From: Mr Red
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 05:42 PM

Good job we are not reverting to the spoonerism thread. Eh?

Subject: Lyr Add: YOU CAN'T FIGHT CITY HALL BLUES
From: RWilhelm
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 09:00 AM

It might be "You Can't Fight City Hall Blues" recorded by Dr. West's Medicine Show and Junk Band (who also did "The Eggplant That Ate Chicago") in the late 60's. Dr. West was Norman Greenbaum who later had a big hit with "Spirit in the Sky" then disappeared. The song is credited to Greenbaum.

You Can't Fight City Hall Blues
Norman Greenbaum

Chorus:
You can't fight city hall, baby, you ain't Gonna win
You can't fight city hall, baby, you ain't Gonna win
You're gonna lose
You're gonna wind up with those city hall blues

You can write your letters, write them every day
You just write your letters and throw them all away

Chorus

You can write your congressman who you voted for in the fall
He'll just take your letters and return to city hall

Chorus

Well city hall is evil, you know that for a fact
You go to see the mayor he's out drivin' his Cadillac

Chorus

Repeat 3rd verse

Subject: RE: You can't beat City Hall?
From: The Shambles
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 02:51 PM

Many thanks Earl. That is indeed the very one.

I have been trying to fight City Hall and I have got the City Hall Blues.

The song kept going round in my head and I had no idea where it came from.

I might just win now? Thanks again.

Subject: RE: You can't beat City Hall?
From: Mr Red
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 03:51 PM

new verse suggestion

City Hall is evil, and the've got a lot of gaul 'cos the real nitty gritty is they're pretty Shitty All.

Good luck with the jobsworths
and don't I recall an urban legend that during a recent revival of Spirit in the Sky that there were reports of Norman Greenbaum being traced as a down and out in Chicago or Detroit (well they are only 1/2 inch apart on my map)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You Can't Fight City Hall Blues
From: GUEST,journeybear
Date: 03 Apr 15 - 04:22 PM

First of all, thanks for the lyrics. Been looking for them for a long time. Remembered this song from the B-side of "Eggplant" and used to run the chorus through my mind endlessly while I worked for City Hall for seven years. Don't know where my 45 is, and couldn't find the verses on the web - till now. Thanks again!

BTW & FWIW, this came up since I heard Norman was critically injured in a car crash, 4/1/15 - no joke. He didn't really disappear, just was unable to follow up the success of "Spirit In The Sky." He released a couple more albums. I remember one called "Petaluma," which extolled the virtues of going back to the land, hippie-style. I've always assumed he was doing all right in his mellow world, north of San Francisco.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You Can't Fight City Hall Blues
From: GUEST,#
Date: 03 Apr 15 - 04:39 PM

News regarding Norman G and the crash.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: You Can't Fight City Hall Blues
From: GUEST,journeybear
Date: 25 Oct 21 - 09:10 AM

In case anyone still cares or wonders (or not), here are the true, correct lyrics. It doesn't matter whether they make sense or not (their big hit was about a giant eggplant from outer space that ate Chicago, after all), I've listened to the song and, while the above lyrics were mostly accurate, there were a few errors. Have at it!

PS: This was the B-side to the above-mentioned hit song. That's how I know the song at all (though I do have the LP ... somewhere ...). It's one of the few times a washtub bass was featured on a 45 - if not the only time.

You Can't Fight City Hall Blues by Norman Greenbaum

Chorus:
You can't fight city hall, baby, you ain't gonna win
You can't fight city hall, baby, you ain't gonna win
You're gonna lose, you're gonna wind up with those city hall blues

You can write your letters, write them every day
Well, you just take your letters and throw them away, and I said

Chorus

You can write your congressman who you voted for in the fall
He'll just take your letters and purchase city hall, and I said

Chorus

Well, city hall is evil, you know that for a fact
You go to see the mayor, he's out drivin' his Cadillac, and I said

Chorus

Repeat 3rd verse and chorus