Song Description

About the fall of a rich man who was unprepared for real life in 1929

Lyrics

The Legacy of Harlan Finch

Harlan Finch was as proud a man as man had ever seen
And he took to pride like money holds on to its green
He filled himself with loftiness and so loved looking down
On anyone who fell within the shadow of his frown
Yes Harlan Finch was oh so proud and pride would like a bell
His fortune and his future and his failure soon foretell

His line stretched to the great war that set our nation free
And his ancestors were patriots who?d led our victory
And after they had settled the wild and rugged lands
They amassed amazing wealth through the toil of their hands
And Harlan never tired of regailing all who came
With his version of our history to the glory of his name

But Harlan never went to war and never worked a day
He never sweltered in the sun nor struggled for his pay
He couldn?t know the hardship or the joy to overcome
The sadness and the pain involved in every vict?ry won
No Harlan had no dealings with loss of any kind
And so it was a fatal blow in the crash of 29

Harlan read the ticker and saw his fortune fall
And in the quiet of his room like a child began to bawl
Remebering his haughty pride and how he had looked down
On everyone and everything beneath his glowing crown
He looked into the mirror made ill by what was there
A face of poverty, a wretch, a deflated gaunt nightmare

And Harlan being ill-equipped to fortify himself
Went into the closet and pulled the pistol from it?s shelf
He placed a single bullett into the cylinder
Then placed the barrel cold and harsh against his temple there
His body slumped into a heap no being heard his cry
For all his pride and loftiness he was too afraid to die

Sold apples on the sidewalk to anyone he could
And tried to not remember when his life had been so good
His name would not buy coffee his image would not sell
So he came to rest on his laurels not in heaven but in hell