Tune Req: Larimer Street (Utah Phillips)

Subject: Tune Req: They're Running the Bums Out of Town
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 29 Jan 04 - 12:56 AM

While digging through some stuff from "long ago", crammed in a forgotten folder, I came across a song penciled on ruled theme paper.

The title is: "They're Runing The Bums Out of Town". It is a Utah Phillips song, in C and in 3/4 time (according to a note in the margin, there is no music). I sorta remember hearing this sung by Utah at a house concert at 885 Clayton (in San Francisco) but I can't remember the song's tune and I didn't find it at his website. I don't know if he wrote it down or if it was written down for me by Faith Petric.

If anyone knows the tune I'd sure like to learn it. My sister lives in Nevada City and I asked her to seek U.P. out and ask him about it but she feels too shy to do so.

Thanks in advance

CB

Subject: Lyr Add: LARIMER STREET (Utah Phillips)
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jan 04 - 01:26 AM

http://www.utahphillips.org/songbook/elcapitan.html

Larimer Street

Your bulldozers rolling through my part of town
The iron ball swings and knocks it all down,
You knocked down my flophouse and you knocked down my bars
And black-topped it over to park all your cars.

Chorus:
And where will I go and where can I stay?
You knocked down the skid row and hauled it away,
I'll flag a fast rattler and ride it on down, boys,
They're running the bums out of town.

Old Maxie the tailor is closing his doors,
There ain't nothing left in the secondhand stores,
You knocked down my hock shop and the big Harbor Lights
And the old Chinese cafe that was open all night.

You ran out the hookers who worked on the street
And built a big club where the playboys can meet.
My bookie joint closed when your cops made a raid,
But you built a new hall for the stock market trade.

These little storekeepers they don't have a chance
With the big uptown bankers a-calling the dance,
With their suit-and-tie restaurants that's all owned by Greeks
And the counterfeit hippies and their plastic boutiques.

Now I'm finding out there's just one kind of war,
It's the one going on 'tween the rich and the poor.
Don't know a lot about what you'd call class
But the upper and middle can all kiss my ass.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: They're Runnin' the Bums Out of Town
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 29 Jan 04 - 01:27 AM

I suppose it would help if I posted the words, huh?

"3/4 C   Bruce Phillips" (written at very top of the page in pencil)

They're Runnin the Bums Out of Town

Your bulldozers' rollin through my part of town
Your iron ball swings and knocks it all down
You knock down my flop house, you knock down my bars
You blacktopped it over to park all your cars

Chorus:
And where will I go and where will I stay
When you've knocked down the skidroad and hauled it away
I'll snag a fast rattler and ride it on down
Boys   the're runnin the bums out of town

Maxey the tailor is closing his doors
There ain't nothin left in the second hand stores
They've torn down the pawnshops and the big Harbor Lights
And the old Chinese cafe that was open all night

Chorus:

You run out the hookers who work on the street
And you built a big club where the Playboys can meet
My bookie joint closed when your cops pulled a raid
But you built a new hall for the Stock Market trade

Chorus:

These little storekeepers they don't stand a chance
The big uptown bankers are callin the dance
Where their suit and tie restaurants thats all owned by Greeks
And the counterfeit hippies in their plastic boutiques

Chorus:

Now I'm findin out there's just one kind of war
It's the one goin on 'tween the rich and the poor
I don't know a lot about what you call class
But the upper and middle can all kiss my ass.

Chorus: (last line of chorus twice)

CB

Subject: RE: Tune Req: They're Runnin' the Bums Out of Town
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 29 Jan 04 - 01:30 AM

Yow!

While I was struggling to write this all down before my ISP pulled my plug! My question answered!!!

No wonder I couldn't find it!!

I wonder why he calls it Larimer Street?

Thanks Guest, and fellow catters, see! sometimes a Guest can be welcome!!

CB

Subject: RE: Tune Req: They're Runnin' the Bums Out of Town
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jan 04 - 03:21 AM

Better yet, you'll find the songbook page with the tune at http://www.utahphillips.org/songbook/larimerstreet.html.

CB, I get the idea that Larimer Street is the Skid Row of Spokane.

-Joe Offer in Applegate/Colfax, California-
(Does your sister want to come to our First-Friday sing? We're only half an hour from her - Heather Glen exit off Interstate 80.)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: They're Runnin' the Bums Out of Town
From: Stewie
Date: 29 Jan 04 - 03:41 AM

Joe

The note in the songbook indicates that the city is Denver. I must say that the note in the booklet insert to Philo CD 'The Telling Takes Me Home' certainly suggests Spokane. However, his main point is that it applied to older parts of many cities - Denver, Chicago, Boston, Salt Lake, Spokane ...

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: They're Runnin' the Bums Out of Town
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Jan 04 - 03:17 PM

The minute I saw Larimer Street, Denver came to mind. They started to rebuild in that part of downtown after WW2. Denver lost most of its interesting late 19th c. areas to the rebuilders.
My grandfather used to take me to the Larimer St. area when he was searching for old books; a lot of the used goods places were there.
When I went to Denver as a grown-up many years later, the downtown areas I knew were all office towers, etc.