Linden Hills has a folk song! Inspired by true events, with references to the small area plan and envelopes full of cash and “compromising” photographs of a councilwoman. It’s everything you’d expect from Linden Hills. I have done my best to transcribe the lyrics below.
City Hall by Bob Frey
Well friends I got some news to tell
Everybody gather round
And lately there’s been funny things been happenin in our town
Well they’re cutting deals, and greasing wheels
Shutting shades and closing doors
It seems the people’s voice don’t mean too much
down in city hall no more
Nah, the people’s voice don’t mean too much
down in city hall no more
See we signed the big petition
And we showed up every time
At the city council meetings
And waited patiently in line
Yeah to state our opposition
To the latest building plan
To the latest building plan
But in the end we probably shoulda known
That we never stood a chance.
Yeah in the end we probably shoulda known
That we never stood a chance.
I guess we won a couple victories
You see we blocked that there [???]
And we listened to the council
And made a smart neighborhood plan
But it didn’t amount to nothing
And now that building’s gonna rise
Only thing it will be good for
Block the sunshine from our eyes
The only thing it will be good for
Block the sunshine from our eyes
So if you want to build a building
And make it higher than the code
And the neighborhood’s against you
And you wonder where to go
Well I’m here to tell you, builder man
that them plans don’t have to stall
Just put some money in an envelope
and head down to city hall
You just stick that money in an envelope
and take it down to city hall
City hall, that aint how it’s supposed to be
Nah city hall, but that’s how it feels to me
And in the corridors of city hall,
I guess that’s how it’s always been
Yeah the common people always lose
And the money always wins
And the money always wins
Yeah the common people always lose
And the money always wins
And the money always wins
Well some see the times are getting tough in this economy
Well that’s true for some, but not for all
You know it ain’t too hard to see
But in this land of opportunity,
There’s always something to be found
Just start following your councilman
And keep your nose close to the ground
Yeah just start following your councilwoman
And keep your nose close to the ground
And maybe you’ll get pictures
Of the compromising kind
Of the compromising kind
Or certain information
That you weren’t supposed to find
That you weren’t supposed to find
So turn the tables and play the game
All for one and none for all
Make a fortune in an instant
Just head on down to city hall
Just put that there in an envelope
And take it down to city hall
And take it down to city hall
City hall, that ain’t how it’s supposed to be
Nah city hall, but that’s how it feels to me
And in the corridors of power
I guess that’s how it’s always done
I guess that’s how it’s always done
Yeah the common people always lose
And the money always wins
And the money always wins
Hey hey, the common people always lose
And the money always wins
And the money always wins
But yeah we tried our best to do our best
But in the end we took a fall
But in the end we took a fall
Now the money talks and they’re selling blocks
On down at city hall
On down at city hall
Yeah the money talks and they’re selling blocks
Right on down at city hall
Right on down at city hall
.@imboande the common folk can’t write a protest song without you fact checking it.
— Wedge LIVE! (@WedgeLIVE) December 19, 2015