Friday, December 19, 2008

A Penny More

The first cut on my CD Never Too Late, A Penny More was written following the Enron collapse. I hoped the message would at some point become old news and fade away. No such luck.

It is, to quote Yogi Berra, "...déjâ vu all over again."

The continuing disintegration of our dysfunctional greed-market economy is being felt not only in the board rooms, but in the living rooms, as tens of thousands of people who gave their time, their efforts, and their trust to corporate America are betrayed.

But lest we get too smug in our indignation, check the mirror next time you pass one. Reflected back at you is the face of the willing partners we have been with America's corporations in our quest for ever cheaper goods and our zeal for profits at any cost.

We have met the enemy, and we are it.

A Penny More
(c) 2008 James R. Corley, I.B. Dog Music (ASCAP)

Verse 1
This used to be a textile mill, jobs for everyone in town
it wasn’t easy labor, but nobody turned it down
now the windows stare like vacant eyes, boards across the door
corporation shut it down, moved to Mexico --
to make a penny more

Chorus
A penny saved, a penny earned, a penny for your thoughts
they count the pennies, they don’t count the cost --
to make a penny more

Verse 2
This used to be a corn field, stretching out across the plain
drinking in the precious sun, soaking up the rain
it fed a million people long before you and I were born
corporation bought the land, paved over the corn --
to make a penny more

Repeat Chorus

Bridge
Shut the mills, pave the fields, watch the profits soar
the hands that built this country, can’t find work anymore

Verse 3
Now the corn field is a parking lot, the runoff fuels the flood
there’re no crops to hold the water and turn it into food
the textile mill’s abandoned to the junkies and the whores
they’ll sell you anything you want --
to make a penny more

Chorus Repeat (then Chorus Variation)
A penny saved, a penny earned, how much can one man buy
give me a good return, I don’t care how you try --
to make a penny more

This used to be a textile mill, jobs for everyone in town...

3 comments:

  1. Yep!you are so right. BTW I want to know if you are booked on February 10th,a tuesday night. I'm doing a concert here in Fort Payne that we will be recording live for King Mojo Records.I'd like to get you to help me with photography and layout of Cd Package, if you're interested. Maybe see if you want to open for me too.

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  2. Glad to me able to comment here in week ONE of the blog. Looks great! And yes, "A Penny More" should be the theme song for the Christmas parties at AIG, Citi etc.

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  3. OK, so I finally cooked enough meals, wrapped (and opened) enough presents, and talked and laughed (never enough) with family and friends during this holiday season to settle down to look at the blog. Looks terrific, and is interesting, very readable. Almost enough to help me recapture that feeling of those days...but maybe I'll need another trip to Europe to capture it properly. Let's retrace your (or my) steps!!!

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