McKinley Hill

At one point there were evergreens
In this part of the state
But I always knew it as some kind of a miserable wasteland

In the 50s on McKinley Hill
Mr. Senator you made room
For 17 houses, a reservoir, and a sulphur mine

It’s an old familiar story
That you keep behind a door
But someday someone’s gonna wanna
Even up the score
But the rug you swept it under
Wasn’t even yours to begin with

First came the strugglin’
Then came the pills
Both of them were brought here
Against the people’s wills
They’re addicted to the hard stuff
A product of your theft
You’d drink a fifth of something
If it’s cleaner than the water that is left

At one point there were eagles here
Dancing in the trees
But the pit of the mine it drowned them in a poison lakebed

Mr. Senator I beg of you
Bear witness to this place
The decaying earth, and the decaying town beside it

It’s an old familiar story
That you’ve likely heard revised
But you don’t know the agony
Till you see it with your eyes
In Washington you billed them
But the people out here can’t pay it now

First came the strugglin’
Then came the pills
Both of them were brought here
Against the people’s wills
They’re addicted to the hard stuff
A product of your theft
You’d drink a fifth of something
If it’s cleaner than the water that is left

I bet you’d drink a fifth of something
If it’s cleaner than the water that is left
I bet you’d drink a fifth of something
If it’s cleaner than the water that is left