Newburyport, Concerns About our City
March 23rd, 2006So, over the past couple of weeks it seems there has been bad news after bad news regarding the future of Newburyport, be it the development of the waterfront, parking, the NRA, Woodman Farm, infill, etc. etc. Even yesterday in the Newburyport Daily News, March 22, 2006, there was an editorial calling for Mr. Karp to let the city know of his plans for downtown ( see earlier post). It seems that things are starting to snow ball around here and I’m sure I’m not alone when I say it’s starting to get me worried.
Anyway, I was driving around yesterday, running a few errands, and a song I haven’t heard in a long time came on my MP3 player, it seemed to me to be the anthem of Newburyport. It is by a band called the Living End, and I don’t expect many people who read this blog to have heard of them, first because they are from Australia and secondly because they appeal to a much younger audience. However, hearing the song I thought I would post the lyrics as I feel they really apply to the situation here in Newburyport:
“All Torn Down”
I see the city and it isn’t what it used to be
A million houses goin’ up and down in front of me
No time to let the concrete set before it’s broken up again
Don’t care if it’s historic
Don’t really care at all
A hidden landscape on the brink of a development
A protest rally never satisfied with development
Both striving for a perfect world
Each having their own opinion
And so the city it grows
It grows on and on…
All Torn Down
All Torn
I see the city and it’s grown into a big machine
The streets are freeways and the parks are just a memory
No time to let the concrete set before it’s broken up again
Don’t care if it’s historic, don’t really care at all
All Torn Down
All Torn
You’ve got no reason.
(for those of you that want to actually hear the song I suggest going to the Itunes site, they will let you listen to a sample of the song)
Despite your taste in music, I’m sure everyone can see some truth in this song as it applies to Newburyport. Hearing it got me thinking, and I hope by reading it, it will do the same for others.
Ben Laing, Newburyport