Burtucky Breakdown

Words and Music Copyright Β© β„— 2022 by Scott Richard Cooley


Getting bluegrassy with the mandolin is what happens here in a retelling of the true story of an important part of Midwestern history in which southern migrants to a northern American factory town spawned growth of auto manufacturing community.


Lyrics (&music) copyright Β© β„— 2022 Scott Richard Cooley


They moved from Kentucky up to Burton

For them high-payin' shop rat jobs

They had to get used to bein' called hillbillies

Never hung around those Grand Blanc snobs


They moved from Kentucky up to Burton

Took the highway to Flint after the war

When the strikes shut down all the coal mines

They went to GM to get a foot in the door


Like Snuffy Smith in the funny papers

Like Jed Clampett on the TV

Like Fred Flintstone when the whistle would blow

Hollerin' yabba, dabba, do! We’re finally free


They moved from Kentucky up to Burton

Generous Motors even helped β€˜em find shelterΒ 

Thought they were less likely to unionize

But the southerners they all stuck together


Like Snuffy Smith in the funny papers

Like Jed Clampett on the TV

Like Fred Flintstone when the whistle would blow

Hollerin' yabba, dabba, do!Β  We’re livin’ the dream


They moved from Kentucky up to Burton

Can't drink the water now and it's lost its charm

Their jobs were all given to China and Mexico

They'd be better off back home down on the farm


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