It has come to my attention that the original Scranton Gangster (sometimes known as “Scranton Anthem” or “Steamtown”) is no longer available at its original site…
So I have decided to host it honor of the original by MO7s, who were made up by Mike Beberich, Kevin O’Boyle, with John Siddons.
[audio:https://www.chrisflannery.com/music/scranton%20anthem.mp3]
The Scranton Anthem (mp3)
Lyrics as transcribed by me:
Ya’ll listen up to my man Mike Beberich… comin’ live atchoo! Holla at me son!
Once upon a time there was a ravin’ and rantin’
Boy form the itty-bitty shitty City of Scranton
Who had a tendency for leavin’ emcees pantin’
With the quickness, witness the reckless abandon
Nobody ever knows what the fuck I’m sayin’
And my flows…
{incoherent}
Hey Kevin, yo
Lay the synth line down
Because hate it or love it, man, this is my hometown
From up the Eynon to down by the U
The place where good times are far between and few
But we do what we can with a bowl in our hand [inhaling]
God damn – feels good to be back, man
In a city of empty minds and trains that just don’t run
But oh what fun
Just driving past all these dead buildings
Drinkin’, smokin’, brain cell killin’, just chillin’
Even though there ain’t no hot spot
No-one’s got money
Our city was the bomb back in 1920
Now the heroin and pot rules[?] are exquisite
Scranton: you wouldn’t want to live here or visit
But I’m a Scranton gangsta
I can’t afford a gun, but I’ll still shank ya’
My words will fuck you up much quicker than the {?} can
24’s spinnin’ on a busted-ass mini-van
Yeah, I’m a Scranton gangsta
I can’t afford a knife, but I’ll still try to shank ya’
My words will fuck you up much quicker than the {?} can
24’s spinnin’ on a busted-ass mini-van
I’m back and I’m rappin’ like my ass is on crack
Can escape to New York City but they keep holding me back
And while I’m here I might as well write my city an anthem
It’s not pronounced Scran-TON, bitch, this is Scrant-UN
The motherfuckin’ place that made me
Memories of gettin’ fucked up on Parade Day
{?} I’ll flow about it until my brains is empty
The first two initials of my name is M.C.
The envy of absolutely no one
It’s no fun chillin’ in Pine Brook with single moms
And chillin’ in the hills making a swag weed purchase
Drug…{?} Minooka…
Where there’s twice as many bars as there are churches
To Green Ridge, where you any got no business if you ain’t rich
Down to Lackawanna Avenue, pick up a bitch [hey baby]
90% of our citizens are 90 years or older
We got a nine month wind that keeps getting colder
So much to say, nothing to do at all except for chillin’ our 15 year old new mall
[?]So that’s all I gotta say Fuck L.A. and BeanTown, this here is my dream town Bitch, Welcome to Steamtown!
But I’m a Scranton gangsta
I can’t afford a gun, but I’ll still shank ya’
My words will fuck you up much quicker than the {?} can
24’s spinnin’ on a busted-ass mini-van
Yeah, I’m a Scranton gangsta
I can’t afford a knife, but I’ll still try to shank ya’
My words will fuck you up much quicker than the {?} can
24’s spinnin’ on a busted-ass mini-van
yo… G.R.P.(Green Ridge Pizza)…T.B.N.T.
word up at Tink’s, Cafe Del Sol… and all the other places that got shut down, or burned down… we love you.
[tags]scranton, anthem, Minooka, Green Ridge, Tink’s, Steamtown[/tags]
