Contata Lament

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Contata Lament
lyrics © 1994 by Dr. H. Paul Shuch
sung to the tune of "Greenback Dollar,"
Copyright © 1962 by Hoyt Axton, Mae Axton, and Ken Ramsey
First Prize Winner, Contata '94 Songwriting Contest

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When I was just a baby
My family moved to town.
I grew up in a slum and I thought it was dumb
Not to move on and look around a bit, to move on and look around.

CHORUS:

And I don't give a damn about New York City,
I'll leave as soon as I can.
I don't mind the buildings or the traffic or the noise,
It's the people I can't stand at all, the people I can't stand.

I finally got to go to college,
The place was made of ivy and brick.
I liked my fellow students and the profs just fine
But the city still made me sick and tired, the city made me sick.

Then I up and joined the army,
They sent me off to Viet Nam.
My buddies all dreamed of going back to the world,
But me, I didn't give a damn. Not me, I just didn't give a damn.

Finally got my discharge papers,
Moved to Pennsylvan - i - a.
Up in Amish country and I'm happy here
'Cause my neighbors are a mile away, at least, neighbors all a mile away.

Soon they're gonna build a factory,
Peolpe moving to this place.
Only way I'm gonna find some solitude
Is to move to outer space, and soon, move to outer space.

Now I'm singing at Contata,
Gotta be my favorite con.
But they held it in a hovel in a slum in town
And I can't wait to be up and gone, I can't wait to be gone.

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