Odes to Poncey-Highland · Track 12 · middle
The Road to Nowhere
Freedom Park — born from the neighborhood's victory over the cancelled Stone Mountain / Presidential Parkway freeway; the 'road to nowhere' that residents turned into Atlanta's largest in-town park; the bicycle sculpture and the public art. A scrappy win for the people.
Lyrics
[Intro] Look at all this green. Let me tell you how it got here. [Verse 1] They had the blueprints drafted, drawing the map Bulldozers waiting in the Georgia grass Wanted an asphalt river cutting the shade But they didn't expect the barricade The DOT said they were pushing on through But Poncey-Highland had a different truth Tying themselves to the ancient bark To save the soul of the eastern part [Chorus] Now we're walking on the Road to Nowhere Where the pavement ends and the sky opens wide Yeah, we're riding on the Road to Nowhere Down the Freedom Park trail on a Sunday ride They wanted a freeway, a concrete stream But we built a park from a neighborhood dream Right here on the Road to Nowhere [Verse 2] Remember the bridges hanging over the dirt? Vines creeping up over the red earth We had CAUTION yard signs and tents in the trees Blocking the heavy machinery Now there’s a bicycle sculpture shining in the sun Public art standing where the battle was won From the Carter Center down to Candler Park We traded the traffic for the city's heart [Chorus] Now we're walking on the Road to Nowhere Where the pavement ends and the sky opens wide Yeah, we're riding on the Road to Nowhere Down the Freedom Park trail on a Sunday ride They wanted a freeway, a concrete stream But we built a park from a neighborhood dream Right here on the Road to Nowhere [Bridge] It was 1992 when they finally laid it down The longest scrap of resistance in the heart of the town You can hear it in the spokes of the wheels spinning by A scrappy little victory under the sky We took the bulldozer tracks and planted some seeds And watched the wildflowers swallow the... well, the machinery [Chorus] Yeah, we're walking on the Road to Nowhere Where the pavement ends and the sky opens wide We're riding on the Road to Nowhere Down the Freedom Park trail on a Sunday ride They wanted a freeway, a concrete stream But we built a park from a neighborhood dream Right here on the Road to Nowhere [Outro] Take a walk with me. Down the road we stopped. Freedom Park, baby. We're exactly where we're supposed to be.