in my town

up here on the hill

it's starting to rain

the sun's disappearing through my windowpane

and everything's still in my room

then a trolley goes by with its clattering sound

like a clock on the wall and the rain coming down

and somebody's chattering way down the hall from my room

from my room

i see old town

crook town

wop town

and spic town

black town

shack town

and hick town

from my room

looking down through the rain

i think the future's going my way

and there's a freeway coming soon

right through this dirty old room

can't you see a 50-story building

where a palm tree used to be?

well

i like a town that's flat

i like a street that's tame

you take out the trash

they all do the same

but get back inside and remain

until notified

i want a town that's clean and i want a rule that's maintained

if you're brown

back down

if you're black

get back

better white than right

better dead than red

better keep it contained in my town

now

in my town

i'm the big cheese

don't like all those commie rats in the palm trees

up there in chavez ravine

they come down here to city hall

creating a big scene

crying foul ball"