That time Woody Guthrie wrote a song about the Trumps (videos)

In December 1950, Woody Guthrie moved into the Beach Haven Apartments in Brooklyn. His landlord was Fred Trump, father of Donald. Trump’s greed and racism inspired Guthrie to write Old Man Trump.

Ryan Harvey updated that song, and made this video with Ani DiFranco and Tom Morello (RATM).

Here are the lyrics:

Old Man Trump

I suppose that Old Man Trump knows just how much racial hate
He stirred up in that bloodpot of human hearts
When he drawed that color line
Here at his Beach Haven family project

Beach Haven ain’t my home!
No, I just can’t pay this rent!
My money’s down the drain,
And my soul is badly bent!
Beach Haven is Trump’s Tower
Where no black folks come to roam,
No, no, Old Man Trump!
Old Beach Haven ain’t my home!

I’m calling out my welcome to you and your man both
Welcoming you here to Beach Haven
To love in any way you please and to have some kind of a decent place
To have your kids raised up in.

Beach Haven ain’t my home!
No, I just can’t pay this rent!
My money’s down the drain,
And my soul is badly bent!
Beach Haven is Trump’s Tower
Where no black folks come to roam,
No, no, Old Man Trump!
Old Beach Haven ain’t my home!

Lyrics via Woody Guthrie dot org.

Here’s another version: