Story Behind The Song

Did a show out in the everglades where I met a 3rd generation man that was being evicted off his land - not to non-payment of taxes, etc; but due to Eminent Domain.

Song Description

This song is based on a true story about a 3rd generation man that was being evicted off his land via Eminent Domain. The saddest facts are that he was not being given true value of his land thus forcing him to go from being independent to dependent upon social services as he could not afford to live anywhere with the small sum of "Market Value" money he was given. After he was forced out, the developers never did develop the land. It was to be a mall of some kind but the real estate market collapsed thus putting a halt to the work. Shortly thereafter, the remaining land was declared "Everglades" so they were no longer able to build anything. The developers, however, received hefty sums from the government in repurchase fees so that the entire plot could be returned to "public" land.

Lyrics

I've been livin' here since the day I was conceived
My daddy lived his whole life here b'fore me
My grandpa came and settled this here lot
He told me so back when I was still a tot

Now they say we live in freedom, have the right to speak and choose
But the only time you're really free is when they take it all from you

There're takin' all my land out from under me
But it ain't for the betterment of society
Some business men who paid off the right jury & judge
Made it legal for them to take my land from me

I've been livin' my simple life for oh so long now
I've grown old and now my row is tough to hoe
I sell my boiled peanuts on my lot just off the road
But you'd better hurry down my friends they're comin' for my soul

Now I've got nowhere to go and rest my tired bones
And the cash they put into my hands was really an insult
And while I spend my final days livin' in my poverty
The law is on their side to steal my land from me

Now they say we live in freedom, have the right to speak and choose
But the only time you're really free is when they take it all from you

{Solo}

When the founding fathers wrote the words of this land
They said it was by, for and of the people's hand
Somewhere someone must've given those words a twitch
What they really meant to say: it's of and by and for the rich!

There're takin' all my land out from under me
But it ain't for the betterment of society
Some business men who paid off the right jury & judge
Made it legal for them to take my land from me

I've been livin' here since the day I was conceived
Feels like I sold my land for a pocket full of beads
I sympathize with all you natives because now I see
I can't stop them - there're takin' my land from me

I can't stop them - there're takin' my land from me