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Tom McCall's Blues

by Broken Soldier

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about

A folk song in honor of Tom McCall, who was the Governor of Oregon from 1967-1975. An environmentalist and all-around good guy. Portland, Oregon's Waterfront Park is dedicated: Gov. Tom McCall's Waterfront Park.

lyrics

Tom McCall's Blues

Well there was a stretch of road called Harbor Drive
All along the waterfront bye and bye
Hey-hey, thatʼs Tom McCallʼs Blues

Well the City Engineers they had ʻem a plan
They said to the citizens we have to expand
Hey-hey, thatʼs Tom McCallʼs Blues

Now while all this was happeninʼ, the story unfolds
Tom was spending time with a fishing pole
He grew up on a ranch in a wide open space
But the kin folk knew he was ʻbound to get someplace

So they tore up the riverfront and laid some asphalt
Then along come the war and put it all to halt
Hey-hey, thatʼs Tom McCallʼs Blues

Well after the war it was back to work
A wide slab of concrete all over that dirt
Hey-hey, thatʼs Tom McCallʼs Blues

Well along come Tom in 1966, the Governor of Oregon
With a thing for the sticks
Of the Cascade Range and the Oregon Coast
And the Willamette River, he would love to boast

Well folks around the State went and had their say
Send the Harbor traffic around the other way
Hey-hey, thatʼs Tom McCallʼs Blues

So they tore up the road right back down to the dirt
Then they planted some grass and a Douglas Fir
Hey-hey, thatʼs Tom McCallʼs Blues

Well it was 37 acres along the Waterfront
To the Oregon Coast Tom wanted to clean up
He had him a measure he called the “Bottle Bill”
You might-could say that boy was right environ-mental

But everybody thought that Tom was mighty smart
Pink cherry blossoms down in Waterfront Park
Hey-hey, thatʼs Tom McCallʼs Blues

Thatʼs Tom McCallʼs Blues
Thatʼs Tom McCallʼs Waterfront Park Blues
If youʼre ever up in Portland, Oregon go and take a walk
All along Tom McCallʼs Waterfront Park, hey-hey.

Jeff Betz ©

credits

released November 26, 2023
Jeff Betz - Guitar, Vocals, Percussion

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Broken Soldier Portland, Oregon

Broken Soldier is a one-man band. A fictional duo featuring Jeff Betz and his nameless companion known only as The Soldier.

Together they create works of musical fiction that purport to be Live performances but which are in fact home recordings made in a small studio apartment in Portland, Oregon.

Jeff Betz: Vocals, Guitars and all other instruments and Field Recordings. ... more

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