Lyr Add: Concrete and Glass

10 Sep 03 - 08:26 PM (#1016588)
Subject: Lyr Add: Concrete and Glass
From: Charley Noble

This song was adapted from a Australian urban renewal protest song to support a successful moratorium referendum in Portland-Maine to help preserve the City's working waterfront. I had the honor of singing this version to Denis Kevans in the Blue Mountain town of Blackheath back in 2001.

CONCRETE AND GLASS

(New words by Charlie Ipcar - 1985
Adapted from Denis Kevans' & Seamus Gill's
Australian parody of "All for Me Grog"
© 1973)

Oh, me name it is Fred,
In Portland born and bred,
And the Old Port used to be me home, boys
But 'tis caused me heart to grieve,
For I've had to take me leave,
Now across them western suburbs
I must roam, boys!

Chorus:

In concrete and glass,
Portland's disappearing fast;
'Tis all gone for profit and for plunder;
Though we really want to stay,
They keep forcing us away,
Now across them western suburbs we must wander!

Now, where is me house,
Me old three-decker house?
'Tis all gone for profit and for plunder;
For the wreckers of the town
Just come up and knocked it down;
Now across them western suburbs we must wander!

And where is me pub,
Me Irish Village Pub?
'Tis all gone for profit and for plunder;
Now when you walk in the door,
You'll find carpets on the floor,
And you'll have to wear a tie to get your beer, boys!

And where is me port,
Me old working port?
'Tis all gone for profit and for plunder;
Now when you walk down the dock,
All ye'll hear is disco rock;
And ye'll have to dry ye nets in a laundromat, boys!

Now, before the city's wrecked
Them developers must be decked;
For 'tis plain to see they do not give a bugger,
And if them bandits have their way
We soon shall see the day
That we'll all be driving in from Madawaska*!

* A town in far northern Maine that would take 6 hours to reach.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

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11 Sep 03 - 12:53 AM (#1016695)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Concrete and Glass
From: George Seto - [e-mail]

Seems like you posted in way back in 1991

Concrete and Glass

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11 Sep 03 - 08:58 AM (#1016872)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Concrete and Glass
From: Charley Noble

Thanks, George. I thought I had too but I couldn't find it when I did a thread search.

Charley Noble

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11 Sep 03 - 09:06 AM (#1016877)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Concrete and Glass
From: George Seto - [e-mail]

It must have been you forgot it was under your old Login.

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11 Sep 03 - 09:16 AM (#1016883)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Concrete and Glass
From: Rapparee

Sure were a buncha boats on the Portland waterfront when we tied up there in August of last year (small cruise ship). Had a great time in Portland, and I hope that this song helped to save the waterfront.

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11 Sep 03 - 09:03 PM (#1017274)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Concrete and Glass
From: Charley Noble

Rapaire-

And you didn't alert us that you was wandering the waterfront. We would have been happy to have dragged you into one of the waterfront pubs and treated you to a Shipyard Ale. Next time, plan ahead!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

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