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Meyer Baron
Composer, lead vocal
Kevin Thomas
Guitars, vocal
Rebekah Pulley
Vocal
Con Purcell
Bass, vocal
Woody Matthews
Recording engineer
Recorded at Blind Dog Productions, Gulfport, FL
Influences
Inspired by the January 2007 rousting of homeless from their tent city in St. Petersburg, FL, during which authorities cut their tents with box cutters. Watch the video of the incident (right) as you listen to the song (turn down the volume on the video) for maximum affect.
In a city known as paradise
Under a picture postcard sky
folks in uniform came to haul your ass away
They sliced up your tent city
and drove you to the streets
Where nothing is a heavy price to pay
The trailer parks and cheap apartments
you could once call home
Have given way to mansions in the sky
In the daytime we rely on you
to blow leaves from our lawns
At nighttime you’re supposed to walk on by
Walk on by, walk on by
St. Petersburg doesn’t need you
Walk on by
You could buy a condo
If only you would try
So walk on by, walk on by
Instead of being grateful
for the minimum wage you earn
you act as if you deserve a place to live
But I pay my taxes gratefully
to keep the city safe from you
Now I haven’t got a penny more to give
You claim to be a veteran
I supported you in the war
With a magnet on my Camry for old glory
It’s a tragedy that the fighting
turned your mind to mush
But you enlisted, that’s the end of the story
Walk on by, walk on by
St. Petersburg doesn’t want you
Walk on by
You could buy a condo
If only you would try
So walk on by, walk on by
As I walk through the city
and enjoy how it has grown
I see you and your kind in Williams Park
Your singing and your laughing
as if you were like me
But you’ve made me scared to go there after dark
You should thank your lucky stars
I haven’t called the cops
I’ve put up with you, but I can’t take much more
You’re a blight upon our paradise
as we stretch to reach new heights
and the single greatest crime is being poor
Walk on by, walk on by
St. Petersburg doesn’t love you
Walk on by
You could buy a condo
If only you would try
So walk on by, walk on by
Meyer Baron & The Spaghetti Band's Friend Space (Top 11)
