Lyrics Donnie Iris – Poletown

Around the turn of the century
The D.P.s came to Poletown
And offered their labor in exchange for supper
And a bed to lie down on

Miles from the motherland
Built themselves a church

In Poletown
It was soul town

But a hundred years later
Only one accordion player is left
Standing on a corner
With his cheesebox
And a band of bullets cross his chest
The city took back his land
Sold it to General Motors
But he can’t let go
He can’t let go

Can’t let go of Poletown
Poletown
Poletown
Can’t let go of Poletown

And the D.P. women cried
And prayed to the virgin
The accordion player sighed
And just played

In 1981 the D.P.s lost their fight
304 North West 2nd 455
You can look up the site
Detroit bragged
They all got market price for their homes

But where they gonna go
Where they gonna go
Where they gonna go
When the wrecking ball drops down
On Poletown