The Pretenders: “My City Was Gone”

Here’s a rock-and-roll apple that didn’t fall far from the blues tree: the Pretenders’ live performance of “My City Was Gone.” Orleanians can relate to that.

The good folks at What About Clients Paris?, who led me to this video, have their own version of Saturday Evening Blues going. Today’s installment there is Howlin’ Wolf performing “Dust My Broom.”

Comments

[Dan Hull and Holden Oliver]

Great find and notion, sir. And thanks. "Way to go, F-E-M-A....."

[Ray Ward]

Way to go indeed. As when Chrissie sings about "a government that had no pride."

For everyone: here are the lyrics:

I went back to Ohio
But my city was gone
There was no train station
There was no downtown
South Howard had disappeared
All my favorite places
My city had been pulled down
Reduced to parking space
A, o, way to go Ohio

Well I went back to Ohio
But my family was gone
I stood on the back porch
There was nobody home
I was stunned and amazed
My childhood memories
Slowly swirled past
Like the wind through the trees
A, o, oh way to go Ohio

I went back to Ohio
But my pretty countryside
Had been paved down the middle
By a government that had no pride
The farms of Ohio
Had been replaced by shopping malls
And Muzak filled the air
From Seneca to Cuyahoga Falls
Said, a, o, oh way to go Ohio

[randy]

I've always liked that tune in spite of its appropriation by Rush Limbaugh. But, hey, even he can get something right.