Ballad of the Green Cities Corporation

Green Cities

Green Cities is a billion-dollar company
That’s buying up so much of Portland-town
They like it here because it’s very profitable for them
Because there are no decent laws to keep them down
Profit’s their M.O., it’s not hard to figure out
Check out their website, if you do
You’ll see they preach what they practice
They’re maximizing the returns for you

As long as you’re a corporate investor
Not somebody trying to pay the rent
In which case all Green Cities has to say
Is piss off and go move into a tent

Green Cities’ lawyers saw a loophole
Naturally, they jumped right on through
‘Cause if there’s a choice between morality and money
There’s no question what Green Cities wants to do
Add another four hundred dollars each month
To what each of their poor tenants must shell out
Hey, there’s green money to be made and that
Is what the corporation’s all about (which is great…)

The “green” in Green Cities means the dollar
That which drives this broken-down machine
That has grabbed the working class all by the collar
And led us to this horrifying scene
Surrounded as we are by people dying
Living out their last days on the street
Because companies like this one raise the rent so much
With the greenback in the driver’s seat (which is fine…)