A Brief History of the Orange Line Lyrics by David Rovics
Into a Prism
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In the Sixties they were building lots of single-family homes The suburbs were the place to have your child, dog and cat Businessmen and housewives each had a swimming pool Prescription drugs, a big car and a generic welcome mat All the suburbs needed highways and they were being built In every state, from the east coast to the west But when in Boston, Massachusetts they came to build a highway At GM and DOT’s behest In front of their bulldozers there in Jamaica Plain From all around, people came and stood They asked should we have commuters or community A highway or a neighborhood The governor said we hear you but you just don’t understand It’s the way things are, the order of the day Is that progress must go on, the economy must grow And this state needs another highway A whole bunch of people protested, a whole bunch were arrested The cops figured that was that But folks kept coming back, where the backhoes were supposed to dig That’s just where people sat They asked would you have a fast lane here, with big trucks spewing diesel Or keep your homes of wood They asked should we have commuters or community A highway or a neighborhood It was the Anti-Highway Movement, who said the national is local And the people of JP Against all of those in power, the biggest business interests Federal as well as state authority But perseverance won and the highway was abandoned The neighborhood remains Instead they built a subway line, a long, thin park Playgrounds and bicycle lanes The people had spoken, the question had been answered As one would think it should They asked should we have commuters or community A highway or a neighborhood
About “A Brief History of the Orange Line” by David Rovics
Read the complete lyrics to "A Brief History of the Orange Line" by David Rovics from the album "Into a Prism". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.
"A Brief History of the Orange Line" is performed by David Rovics. from the album "Into a Prism" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL.
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"A Brief History of the Orange Line" is credited to David Rovics. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.
"A Brief History of the Orange Line" appears on "Into a Prism".
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