The Urban Blight Players are having a CD release party for their debut album, "Big Small Town," on Sunday, December 5 at the Focal Point (2720 Sutton Blvd.) in Maplewood. The all-ages show starts at 8 PM (doors 7:30). The cover is a mere $2.

Here's how they explain the title of their album (and by extension, St. Louis): "YOU CAN TRY TO STAY INCONSPICUOUS IN THIS TOWN, but sooner or later you're bound to run into someone you know... a high school classmate... the halfback from your sixth grade soccer team... the old guy down the block listening the Cards game in his lawnchair... your ex from the summer after college... Maybe that's what they call it a BIG SMALL TOWN."

The last track on the CD is "Urban Blight." You can listen to a snippet of it at CD Baby. Here are the lyrics:

Urban blight
White flight
Everybody's moving out to St. Charles
I guess it's just the St. Louis way
We move farther and farther out each day

Urban sprawl
Nothing at all
We just want another shopping mall
Hey son don't you curse
We need another Bath and Body Works

Mr. Yuppie and me in his S.U.V.
Four wheeling down 270
From his way you'd better get the hell out
He was the first in his Catholic grade school class
To sell out to...

CHORUS

You don't have to dial 1 before 636
Crossing the Missouri River Styx
Do you know where I can find a Walgreens store?
There's one on every block
But we could sure use more

Prescription ready for Mr. Michael-ski

So I just got back from North County
Where they have 'bout 57 municipalities (really, I counted)
Have you been to Bellfontaine Neighbors...
Bel-Nor, Bel-Ridge, or Bel-Acres?

CHORUS

Macaroni Grill or the P.F. Chang's
Chain restaurants are where the Yuppies hang
For about twenty bucks a platter
But when you're a neurosurgeon from Ladue
Hell it doesn't matter

CUSTOMER: I'll have the Tuscan Tortilla Salad
WAITER: Is that all?
CUSTOMER: Yes, thank you

St. Louis Centre was great
When Vince Coleman was great
Yes, a seven-story Famous-Barr right up the street
It's still there if you want to go shopping
You can spend all day
But it won't be hopping

Now, St. Louis Mills
There's the mall to beat
Out where 270 and 370 meet
Shop til' you drop at stores galore
'Cause St. Louis Centre ain't the shit no more

CHORUS

So let me take ya'll now
To downtown
There's no urban blight
It's urban renewal around!
Just check out the Washington Avenue sights:
Brand new sidewalks and runway lights

Think of the brand new things to come
Luxury lofts and a new Busch Stadium
But remember folks though it might look pretty
It takes more than bricks and mortar to build a city

That's why I'm talking about the...

CHORUS

WALLY: St. Louey!

BILL: Everybody!

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Posted under Other by Brian Marston on Thu., Dec 2, 2004 at 12:31 PM