 Mary, Don't You Weep |
| ©Linda Allen 1989 There were seven hundred fifty houses and apartments Now they're gone, what can we do? You better take heed - if it happened to me - My friend it can happen to you Oh, Mary, don't you weep don't you moan You say, Oh, Mary, don't you weep Listen to me children, got to turn things around Or we're all gonna be out on the streets I've been walkin' up and down these hills of Seattle Since nineteen sixty-three When I came to this city with my husband and my sons For better opportunities Now it wasn't too easy startin' out in Seattle But for us those years were good My husband got a job carryin' mail in our district I'd walk with him when I could When the boys got older I started waitin' tables Serving coffee to the working men They were working on the buildings that kept gettin' higher And the rents would go up again CHORUS Well we moved five times from nineteen sixty-nine It was hard on the boys, I know I lost one to the war and the other to the streets And I never hear from him any more Things started gettin' bad 'bout five years ago My husband truly loved his gin The last time he beat me I headed for the streets And I never went back again I moved to an apartment not far from my work It was cheap and the neighbors were fine Then came the notice from the city 'bout a new convention center There was no place to move this time Instrumental CHORUS Now I still have my job, but it ain't no use 'Cause I can't pay the rent these days So I live in the shelters and the streets of the city I get mad, and I walk, and I pray Now people, look around at your fancy meeting hall So shiny and so new Then look a little closer in the cracks and the shadows At the faces starin' back at you Repeat V. 1, Chorus (Instrumental "Mary" - then out) Notes: Seattle's new convention center reportedly replaced 750 housing units. Seattle's streets may be "home" to as many as 4,000 people. 22% of these may hold full or part-time jobs. |