Entry in Subprime Song Contest, from Kim Zussman
They used to tell me I was building a dream - and so I followed the mob,
When there was earth to grade, or nails to drive, I'd borrow for the job.
They used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory we led,
Why should I now be standing in line, foreclosure just ahead?
Once I built a credit-line, made it run, buying time.
Once I built a credit-line; now it's done. Brother, can we spare sub-prime?
Once I built a McMansion, up to the sun, stucco, sticks..sublime;
Once I built a tower, now it's done. Brother, can we spare sub-prime?
Once in khaki shorts, gee we looked swell,
Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum,
Who'd a thought it dumb!
Say, don't you remember, they called me Mort; Mort I paid - all the time.
Why don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can we spare sub-prime?
"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime", lyrics by Yip Harburg, music by Jay Gorney (1931)
George Parkanyi adds:
I have another entry!
Sung to the tune of the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine …
In the town, where I was born,
Lived a man, who failed to see
The basic flaw, of going long
Asset-backed securities.
And so he bought, a mighty tranche
Of CDOs he thought secure
From triple A, it slowly dawns
That what he bought, but cow manure
all together now …
We all hold a ton of hollow sub-prime liens,
Hollow sub-prime liens
Hollow sub-prime liens
We all hold a ton of hollow sub-prime liens,
Hollow sub-prime liens
Hollow sub-prime liens
Now we watch, quite nervously
A fast imploding S&P
And we wonder, do we still have
A functioning economy
We all hold a ton of hollow sub-prime liens,
Hollow sub-prime liens
Hollow sub-prime liens
We all hold a ton of hollow sub-prime liens,
Hollow sub-prime liens
Hollow sub-prime liens
(repeat and fade)