Sprawl in Music

1. Sprawl in Music Amanda Micklow

2. Outline • Sprawl in Music Song List • The City (Urban Ethos) • The City Gone… • The Role of the Automobile • The Suburbs (Suburban Ethos)

3. “Little Boxes” by Malvina Reynolds “My City Was Gone” - The Pretenders “San Francisco Bay Blues” by Jesse Fuller “We Will Become Silhouettes” by Postal Service “Suburbia” by Pet Shop Boys “Muswell Hillbilly” by The Kinks’ “Penny Lane” by The Beatles “The Suburb in Between” by The Mabels “Every Suburb, Every Strip Mall” by David Jacobson “Sweet Suburbia” by The Skids “Suburbia” by Butch Walker “Convenient Parking” by Modest Mouse “Suburban Sprawl” by Porter Block “Gridlock” by Warren Zevon “(Nothing But) Flowers” by Talking Heads “Novocain Stain” by Modest Mouse “Allentown” by Billy Joel “Baltimore” by Tori Amos “Please Come to Boston” by Joan Baez “MTA” by Kingston Trio “Atlantic City” by Bruce Springsteen “Streets of Philadelphia” - Bruce Springsteen “Memphis Streets” - Neil Diamond “New York Boy” - Neil Diamond “Brooklyn Roads” - Neil Diamond “All These People” - Harry Connick Jr. “Cars” by Gary Numan “Suburbia” by Kelly Osbourne “Nobody Walks in LA” by Missing Persons” “Suburb Thuggin” by El Pus “Up on the Roof” by The Drifters “Levittown” by Bob Koening Song List

4. The City/ Urban Ethos • “We Will Become Silhouettes” by Postal Service • “Baltimore” by Tori Amos • “MTA” by Kingston Trio

5. “I've got a cupboard with cans of food, filtered water, And pictures of you and I'm not coming out Until this is all over And I'm looking through the glass where the light bends At the cracks And I'm screaming at the top of my lungs pretending The echoes belong to someone Someone i used to know And we become silhouettes when our bodies finally go…ba ba ba... I wanted to walk through the empty streets And feel something constant under my feet, But all the news reports recommended that I stay indoors Because the air outside will make our cells Divide at an alarming rate until our shells Simply cannot hold all our insides in, And that's when we'll explode (and it won't be a pretty sight) And we'll become silhouettes when our bodies finally go…ba ba ba…” “We Will Become Silhouettes”Postal Service

6. “It's so nice to live here I'm glad this is my home I've got a homestead on Baltimore Street It's someplace to call my own It's all kinds of people Familiar places, smiling faces I'm proud to say I'm a Baltimorian But the 'Birds' are the best The best of Baltimore We like it here in Baltimore There's so much love in Baltimore Working hand in hand To make this place a better land In Baltimore Love is what you'll find So stop and take the time I've got Oriole Baseball on my mind We like it here in Baltimore There's so much love in Baltimore Working hand in hand To make this place a better land In Baltimore Love is what you'll find So stop and take the time To enjoy the brotherhood of Baltimore The sun sets across the bay I'm glad I spend my day In a working American city With all the people who make it that way It's time to jump in a taxi For Thirty-third Street Knowing I'll be watching those 'Birds' go, Watching Weaver's Show…” “Baltimore”Tori Amos

7. “MTA”Kingston Trio [spoken] These are the times that try men's souls. In the course of our nation's history the people of Boston have rallied bravely whenever the rights of men have been threatened. Today a new crisis has arisen. The Metropolitan Transit Authority -- better known as they MTA -- is attempting to levy a burdensome tax on the population in the form of a subway fare increase. Citizens, hear me out! this could happen to you! Well let me tell you of the story of a man named Charlie on a tragic and fateful day he put ten cents in his pocket, kissed his wife and family went to ride on the MTA (Chorus) well did he ever return? no he never returned and his fate is still unlearned He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston he's the man who never returned Charlie handed in his dime at the Kendall Square station and he changed for Jamaica Plain When he got there the conductor told him,

8. The City Gone… • “Allentown” by Billy Joel • “My City was Gone” by The Pretenders • “New York Boy” by Neil Diamond

9. “Well we're living here in Allentown And they're closing all the factories down Out in Bethlehem they're killing time Filling out forms Standing in line. Well our fathers fought the Second World War Spent their weekends on the Jersey Shore Met our mothers at the USO Asked them to dance Danced with them slow And we're living here in Allentown. But the restlessness was handed down And it's getting very hard to stay. Well we're waiting here in Allentown For the Pennsylvania we never found For the promises our teachers gave If we worked hard If we behaved. So the graduations hang on the wall But they never really helped us at all No they never taught us what was real Iron and coke, Chromium steel. And we're waiting here in Allentown. But they've taken all the coal from the ground And the union people crawled away Every child had a pretty good shot To get at least as far as their old man got. Something happened on the way to that place They threw an American flag in our face Well I'm living here in Allentown And it's hard to keep a good man down. But I won't be getting up today…” “Allentown”Billy Joel

10. “I went back to Ohio But my city was gone There was no train station There was no downtown South Howard had disappeared All my favorite places My city had been pulled down Reduced to parking spaces A, o, way to go Ohio Well I went back to Ohio But my family was gone I stood on the back porch There was nobody home I was stunned and amazed My childhood memories Slowly swirled past Like the wind through the trees A, o, oh way to go Ohio I went back to Ohio But my pretty countryside Had been paved down the middle By a government that had no pride The farms of Ohio Had been replaced by shopping malls And muzak filled the air From Seneca to Cuyahoga falls Said, a, o, oh way to go Ohio” “My City was Gone”The Pretenders

11. New York City, look at me now Being stared at from behind the plow Mississippi, don't get annoyed I ain't no hippie, just a New York boy Didn't want the mayor to come Or a big brass band to greet me But then the reception I got Well it wasn't what I had in mind People gawkin' at me Like I'm talkin' strange Me, I ain't much better 'Cause I'm thinkin' the same Hey boy New York City, look at me now Being stared at from behind the plow Mississippi, don't get annoyed I ain't no hippie, just a New York boy Sayin' y'all and eatin' on grits Talkin' as slow as molasses And all the time just pointing at me And the hair growin' over my ears Gets my mind to wonderin' Just who's right and who's wrong I guess if they'll get used to the sideburns I'll get used to the corn Hey boy New York City, look at me now Being stared at from behind the plow Mississippi, don't get annoyed I ain't no hippie, just a New York boy New York City look at me now..... “New York Boy”Neil Diamond

12. The Role of the Automobile • “Cars” by Gary Numan • “Gridlock” by Warren Zevon • “Nobody Walks in LA” by Missing Persons • “Convenient Parking” by Modest Mouse

13. Here in my car I feel safest of all I can lock all my doors It's the only way to live In cars Here in my car I can only receive I can listen to you It keeps me stable for days In cars Here in my car Where the image breaks down Will you visit me please? If I open my door In cars Here in my car I know I've started to think About leaving tonight Although nothing seems right In cars “Cars”Gary Numan

14. It's 5:00 P.M. on a weekday, friend There's one of me and two million of them The whistle blows and the factories close There's a million more commuters on the access roads The brake lights flash--there's an RV crashed I'm in the passing lane going nowhere fast The traffic crawls and the engine stalls I'm stuck on the edge of the urban sprawl Gridlock Up ahead There's a line of cars as far as I can see Gridlock Goin' nowhere Roll down the window, let me scream Oh yeah, ain't it a shame We're all jammed up at the interchange The paramedics and the CHP Wait impatiently for catastrophes I'm spending half my days like this I might as well be working on the midnight shift The radio's tuned to the traffic news And everybody's choking on monoxide fumes Gridlock Up ahead There's a line of cars as far as I can see Gridlock Goin' nowhere Roll down the window, let me scream I can close my eyes and dream It's 5:00PM on a weekday, friend I'm going home but I don't know when I hate this traffic and I hate this town Gotta honk my horn, try to get around I feel like going on a killing spree Tomorrow I'm going on the RTD The traffic crawls and the engine stalls I'm stuck on the edge of the urban sprawl “Gridlock”Warren Zevon

15. Look ahead as we pass, try and focus on it I won't be fooled by a cheap cinematic trick It must have been just a cardboard cut out of a man Top-forty cast off from a record stand Walkin' in L.A. Walkin' in L.A., nobody walks in L.A. I don't know could've been a lame jogger maybe Or someone just about to do the freeway strangler baby Shopping cart pusher or maybe someone groovie One thing's for sure, he isn't starring in the movies. 'Cause he's walkin' in L.A. Walkin' in L.A., nobody walks in L.A. Walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' You won't see a cop walkin' on the beat Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' You only see 'em drivin' cars out on the street Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' You won't see a kid walkin' home from school Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' Their mothers pick 'em up in a car pool Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' Walkin' in L.A. Walkin' in L.A., nobody walks in L.A. Could it be that the smog's playing tricks on my eyes or is it a rollerskater in some kind of headphone disguise Maybe somebody who just ran out of gas, Making his way back to the pumps the best way he can. Walkin' in L.A. Walkin' in L.A., nobody walks in L.A. “Nobody Walks in LA”Missing Persons

16. “Convenient Parking”Modest Mouse Soon the chain reaction started in the parking lot Waiting to bleed on the big streets That bleed out on the highways and Off to others cities built to store and sell these (plastic) rocks Well aren't you feeling real dirty Sitting in the parking lot (x2) Waiting to bleed on the big streets That bleed out on the highways and Off to other cities built to make and store these rocks Well aren't you feeling real dirty Sitting in your car with nothing Waiting to bleed on the big streets That bleed out on the highways and Off to other cities built to store and sell There's nothing Convenient parking (is way back, way back) (x3)

17. The Suburbs/Suburban Ethos • “Little Boxes” by Malvina Reynolds • “Sweet Suburbia” by The Skids • “Suburbia” by Butch Walker • “Suburbia” by Kelly Osbourne • “Suburb Thuggin” by El Pus • “Levittown” by Bob Koening • “(Nothing but) Flowers” by the Talking Heads

18. Little boxes on the hillside, Little boxes made of tickytacky Little boxes on the hillside, little boxes all the same There's a green one and a pink one and a blue one and a yellow one And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same. And the people in the houses all went to the university Where they were put in boxes and they came out all the same, And there's doctors and there's lawyers, and business executives And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same. And they all play on the golf course and drink their martinis dry, And they all have pretty children and the children go to school And the children go to summer camp and then to the university Where they are put in boxes and they come out all the same. And the boys go into business and marry and raise a family In boxes made of ticky tacky and they all look just the same. “Little Boxes”Malvina Reynolds

19. Remnants of the ancient heart remain Time for one to seek an anti-soak Bars for 3 and only room for 2 Box and box, a lift for legless hope (Sweet Suburbia) Living on the paper periscope Hot dog life cold for the antelope Concrete days and white electric nights Steel and steel life on the open plain (Sweet Suburbia x 2) Excavate a land for restless days Contemplate a chance for future ways Clip and hate to centralize the world Food and food and cardboard expatriates (Sweet Suburbia x 2) Birth and birth and birth and birth and birth Live and live and live and live and live Mate and mate and mate and mate and mate Die and die and die and die and die Sweet Suburbia... “Sweet Suburbia”The Skids

20. How can anybody ever change When the whole world wants you to stay the same I guess you just take the blame Of being someone who had to find her own way In your dreams you're fabulous But in your life ridiculous See Alice had to go to Wonderland To sip on some thee who left her in a trance yeah In Suburbia It always stays the same How can anybody ever change Uh oh uh oh uh In Suburbia People never change When the world wants you to stay the same Uh oh uh oh uh Life for you is just a great big game You have no control and all you feel is shame Don't try to numb the pain Tomorrow comes and you will be ok In your dreams you're fabulous But in your life ridiculous See Alice had to go to Wonderland To sip on some thee who left her in a trance yeah “Suburbia”Kelly Osbourne

21. Snot nosed faggot in a black bandanna man you really think you're tough to def... Talkin' to your girl, Nokia in your right hand Steerin' mamma's Benz with the left.... You ain't never really seen no gangsta shit 'Cause if you did, you would piss on yourself... Bumpin' too much 2Pac, thinkin' you a rider In reality you're playin' yourself.... La la la la la, you're not a tough guy You know why? 'Cause you're just thuggin' in the suburbs and you better watch yourself 'Cause when you're thuggin' in the suburbs You might run into some gangstas uh.... La la la la la, you're not a tough guy (2x) I know some brothers that'll blow your back out Only just because you look at 'em wrong (just because you look at 'em wrong) You runnin' round talkin' bout you think you gangsta 'Cause you heard somebody rap in a song? (heard somebody rap in a song) You ain't never really seen no gangsta shit 'Cause if you did, you would leave it alone (Did you would leave it alone) Go into your school, you need to ask your counselers GANGSTAS DON'T LIVE THAT LONG!!! (ha) … You're not a tough guy PULL YOUR PANTS UP!! “Suburb Thuggin”El Pus

22. “Levittown”Bob Koening William Levitt had an idea, sixty years ago To Build Levittown. Devised a plan to house the Veterans When they returned home And built Levittown. Levitt and sons had much to do Seventeen thousand homes before they were through Adding parks and swimming pools Ranches and cape cods spanned the grounds To form Levittown. So many veterans camped out waiting for the word To buy in Levittown So revolutionary, Levitt’s methods were preferred Move into Levittown. William, Alfred, Abraham They changed our world Changed our world.

23. Here we stand Like an Adam and an Eve Waterfalls The Garden of Eden Two fools in love So beautiful and strong The birds in the trees Are smiling upon them From the age of the dinosaurs Cars have run on gasoline Where, where have they gone? Now, it's nothing but flowers There was a factory Now there are mountains and rivers you got it, you got it We caught a rattlesnake Now we got something for dinner we got it, we got it There was a shopping mall Now it's all covered with flowers you've got it, you've got it If this is paradise I wish I had a lawnmower you've got it, you've got it Years ago I was an angry young man I'd pretend That I was a billboard Standing tall By the side of the road I fell in love With a beautiful highway This used to be real estate Now it's only fields and trees Where, where is the town Now, it's nothing but flowers The highways and cars Were sacrificed for agriculture I thought that we'd start over But I guess I was wrong Once there were parking lots Now it's a peaceful oasis you got it, you got it “(Nothing but) Flowers”Talking Heads This was a Pizza Hut Now it's all covered with daisies you got it, you got it I miss the honky tonks, Dairy Queens, and 7-Elevens you got it, you got it And as things fell apart Nobody paid much attention you got it, you got it I dream of cherry pies, Candy bars, and chocolate chip cookies you got it, you got it We used to microwave Now we just eat nuts and berries you got it, you got it This was a discount store, Now it's turned into a cornfield you got it, you got it Don't leave me stranded here I can't get used to this lifestyle