This song is meant to be sung to the tune of the well-known balled called “The Wreck of the Old 97”, which is also the tune of the more recent “MTA Song”. Here is an mp3 file (made from a MIDI file) if you want to hear what the tune sounds like.
A two-page pdf version, with these lyrics and a score, may be found here, in case you'd like a hard copy.
We recently wrote these lyrics. It's in the tradition of Pete Seeger, on whose banjo these words are written: “This machine surrounds hate, and forces it to surrender.” Not long ago, Amy Goodman video-taped an interview with Pete. It's a show worth watching. Here it is.
Any comments? Our blog page is now accepting comments.
– Peter and Celia Scott
February, 2008
Here in Santa Cruz County, along our fine coastline, Route 1: It's our main highway— There are too many cars that travel that highway One hundred thousand per day.
Yes, there are too many cars that travel that highway One hundred thousand per day.
We have our Regional Transportation Commission, This is their belief: They say “Cut down the trees, widen the highway, And you'll get congestion relief.”
Yes, they say “Cut down the trees, widen the highway, And you'll get congestion relief.”
So we cut down the trees, we widened the highway, Then we heard that traffic roar— There were two hundred thousand cars on the highway, And congestion was worse than before.
Yes, there were two hundred thousand cars on the highway, And congestion was worse than before.
That's what happens when you widen a highway, It's described in the San Jose Merc— Cars fill up the available road space, So widening One, it won't work.
Yes, the cars fill up the available road space, So widening One, it won't work.
We had shelled out our dollars at the grocery counter, Nearly half a billion bucks— So what did we get? More cars, cars, cars, cars, Cars, cars, cars and trucks.
Yes, that's what we got: More cars, cars, cars, cars Cars, cars, cars and trucks.
Two hundred thousand cars descend on Santa Cruz, Lookin' for a place to park— Two hundred thousand up and down the avenues Searching from dawn until dark.
Yes, two hundred thousand up and down the avenues Searching from dawn until dark.
So let's build a garage in the center of Santa Cruz, Seventeen stories high— 'Twill be a landmark structure, defining our culture, Reaching up to the sky.
Yes, a landmark structure, defining our culture, Reaching up to the sky.
Now not far from our highway, there runs a rail line, Thirty-two miles of track— Only three trains per week carry coal up to Davenport, Runnin' up the coast and back.
Yes, three trains per week carry coal up to Davenport, Runnin' up the coast and back.
There could be passenger trains running on that rail line, And next to the track, a trail— The money is there to buy the corridor, So let's complete that sale.
Yes, the money is there to buy the corridor, So let's complete that sale.
Now our Transit District is the best in the country It's the SCMTD— So board the bus, ride the roads of our county, And abandon your S.U.V.
Yes, board the bus, ride the roads of our county, And abandon your S.U.V.
We need a brand new transportation policy
No more CO2—
We'll have better mobility, and no more traffic jams,
Better for me and for you.
Yes, better mobility, and no more traffic jams, Better for me and for you.
We'll be able to travel by train or by bus, And more able to walk or to run— And we'll be more able to ride our bikes, There will be travel for every-one.
Yes, we'll be more able to ride our bikes, There will be travel for every-one.