From Gary Indiana this is how its is just allot of poor blue collar folks and the never tore down the steel mills their still standed you go over one brigde and underneath theirs nothing but factorys
Great montage for this song! And to JeffTheCanuck2, don't you think that the fact that George Carlin could become famous for what he did and still be remembered for that is indicative that there is an American dream? Reality never fits the vision but its whole helluva lot better than the horror some people in other places go through. Not perfect but there's hope so why not look at it that way?
cont. What he is talking about is the good things Government did before being taken over by finance. He is talking about the GI Bill, the FHA, SS, and Medicare. He is talking about the war on poverty and the policies that bolstered the middle class. The government is to blame now, but only when it became Conservative and bowed down to business. Regulations are not the problem, its business doing whatever it can to make a quick buck. If you think otherwise, you are being mislead.
Anybody who is naive enough to say the government is to blame for this, does not understand the song or what he is talking about. These were decisions made by corporations, who run government btw through lobbying and finance, to hire non-union workers in the 70's and 80's, and then when those non-union workers didnt want to work for less anymore, they got the government to join NAFTA and the WTO. Now if we want to buy American, we cant, because the WTO says we have to buy whatever is cheapest
Those of us who "stayed" paid. Our mayor tells us crime is down--we know better. We have the Iron Pigs instead of Western Electric . We're getting a hockey arena built in the middle of the downtown slum. English is becoming the minority language. Stores close, new ones are built. No, "it's not what it was"; it's beyond repair which is just what the destroyers want.
And Osamabama is shutting down domestic energy production to destroy our economy. Just to remake it in his Marxist image No more coal(we have huge reserves) powered plants. And this turd carried Pennsylvania in the last election after telling us what he planned to do. Clearly, people from this State are just fine with the end of their energy production and aren't concerned with higher energy costs/power rationing/unemployment. And they are worried about China? Great song and nice video.
My beloved Pennsylvania... What became of our country,,, why must I buy Chinese Junk?
Everything changed when Kennedy was killed... Before Kennedy was killed .everything that you bought that was made Overseas , broke in the car on the way home from the store..
Definitely going into my favorites bin..Thank you for the upload! To me this song is more poignant and representative of our times than it ever was. We're all from Allentown now.
I'm fron Allentown and now live in London and in all my travels I have discovered few people hate America as much as Americans..its ok to question and rebel but you can still be proud of who we are and where we've come from..
I dont think anyone in America actually hates America. Its just that American business goes further and further out of there way to screw as many "Americans" as they possibly can. The bigger the business the bigger the screwing. Even orginazations such as "Unions" who were supposed to protect the working class pack their bags and head out of town when times get tough. Kinda hard to show American pride when our own home based business wont hire us.
@Tanlantas American business(big, medium and small) is what creates jobs. There are unscrupulous people, but your real enemy is big Obama/Democrat government. They are driving businesses out of many States (like my California) by making it impossible to do business. The EPA is destroying businesses and industry. Try feeding and putting a roof over your family's heads by admiring a small fish because the eco-lunatics and liberals have shut the water off to farmers.
@LIBnTYR No, I don't think you get what I was saying. The guy that I was commenting to said that it was because of the Liberals. So, I pointed out that the EPA was put up by Republican Richard Nixon. That's all I was trying to do. Oh and that thing about Congress...Nixon could have said that he wasn't going to sign the act to put up the EPA, but he did.
Yeah, thank the republicans for "free trade" starting with their hero Reagan. Gave all America's elites the freedom to ship American jobs overseas and screw over the working man as they always have and continue to do. Wake up you goddamned sheeple.
@DORSEY12100 OMFG! Why are you repigs so fucking stupid AND ignorant?! Canada-US FTA...look it up idiot. 1984. Ronal Reagan & Brian Mulroney started the downfall of the working man in Canada and the US. You're just too fucking stupid to grasp that simple fact like the rest of your ilk.
you proved my point THANK YOU ,your total lack of intellect is obvious ,you fell for it hook line and sinker ,as the mountain is way to tall for you to see over ,FTA and NAFTA are totally different entities .How many jobs and manufacturing companies were lost to FTA compared to NAFTA China ,Mexico .Viet Nam,and Japan love it I'm sure . Read the agreements a by all means look at the restrictions
@LeCutter Cuz it has nothing to do with the fact of the Dems with all of their regulations? This makes a very difficult atmosphere for businesses to continue to make thrive. That and the unions. U are not entitled to anything, stop it!
@LIBnTYR If you want be a slave to the corporations and the elites that's your damage. The rest of want somthing better for ourselves and our world. You're kind is the best sort of slave because you believe you're free.
@LeCutter because those evil corporations are much more dangerous than the power innocent governments... More regulations! Government is the solution! something like that. Have you heard about the OWS? I think you belong there.
@goldendoomer It's really funny what you said because Richard Nixon put up the EPA in the 70's. You know, the Republican who put more troops into Vietnam and bombed Cambodia and Laos and who made the nation even more pissed because of Watergate break in. Liberals had nothing to do with setting up the EPA. Maybe you should learn history...
@89ShyGuy89 Because what one republican "did" represents anyone and everyone that ever associated themselves with republican. but lets ignore who was in charge of congress at the time.
You are exactly right ,time to regulate the regulators ,they have ruined not just the steel industry ,but anything in their path and have accomplished nothing except job loss across this nation
This song is relateable to Sydney NS, Canada. My grandfather was in the coal and steel industry, after he came back from WW2 the mills were in serious decline so he got the fuck out of there for a better life and I'm glad he left. The city is a complete crack town with tar ponds and abondoned buildings. It's sad though how industry can simply get up and leave a city to it's knees, never to fully recover.
One of my all time faves! It perfectly describes life in steel towns. I live in Philly and I'm black but I remember knowing just how right he detailed the thoughts, emotions, and sensations of living in a working class town. Billy is amazing!
I was actually looking for the official video of this song and normally crap over people that make homemade videos of music. However, I have to say:
This was *AWESOME* - your editing skills are very much to be appreciated and I thank you for the video. Keep up the good work - you are one that I will keep an eye out for!
@bklynAtrain Besides, it would be "your ancestors" not "you're ancestors." If you're going to try to insult someone on here, then at least use proper grammar! You only had 16 words to write!
Ever wonder how the most productive workforce in the World is losing to China? China is purposely stealing our jobs! They undervalue their currency the Yuan, currently about 6.5 Yuan to a Dollar. That amounts to a 650% tariff on American goods, and the Chinese government subsidizes about 85% of the cost of their products. No wonder everything seems to be Made in China today....
Give me a thumbs up if you think we should stand up against this injustice!
I live in New England and this song reminds me of how the industry left. There's a bunch of abandoned mills where people used to work. Now there's a lot of drugs.
A few months ago, I googled the lyrics to this song and was shocked. Before I never really paid much attention to them, I just enjoyed the flow of the song, still do.
The lyrics are more profound than ever, I am sorry to say. We average working class just take it in the teeth from the powers-that-be.
Still, the music and melody of this song still kick a mean ass, even after all these years. Great tune though.
This country used to take pride in its industries and the products it produced. Then it was suddenly everybody just said, "Screw it...let the Chinese make it all." What happened?! Bring the industries back to America!
@deloreanman14 You wanna know what happened? Corporations found non Union workers paid pennies led to lower costing goods, so they fucked us up the ass and shut it all down here. Unfortunately, they forgot they need CONSUMERS to buy said goods, but none of them have jobs or any fucking money now! Greedy fuckers fucking fucked it all up beyond fucking recognition, may they rot in fucking POOR HELL! FUCK EM!
@loriannedc You are right , the last big private company in Sheffield ,England ( yes the home of steel guys) shut in the 80's. It's now a shopping center so jobs for the wives but nothing for us.And its not just steel ,Pf...r is closing down here after the Singapore government gave them a 20 year tax break to build a new facility . Just greed ,plain and simple .Old world ,New World its time we all woke up !
@ed2kou1 i loved both of them. hangover 2 was pretty much a copy of part one except in a different location, but that didnt bother me at all, these guys definitely got away with it. both are great movies that i enjoyed very very much. first comedies i enjoyed in years.
Great song and great video. In 1986, I was coming home from Pittsburgh awaiting landing at LaGuardia. Guess where we were circling around for about 25 minutes...ALLENTOWN! Of course, I busted into the song!
Hi. My late grandfather worked in a wire mill instead, then had his own business, Colorado Fuel & Iron. He was also in the Navy in 1940's, tying rope, wrote a small booklet. He and our family lived in Mass. This song makes me think of him. Who is the handsome dude with the steel over his shoulder? Hot, annoyed, I used to date someone who looks like him, except mustached and gray hair, same face. Thanks.
I liked this video better than the "official" one. I can relate to this as I also work in the steel industry here in Jackson, Michigan and nearly all of our citys factories have closed and are sitting empty or being torn down. It's becoming a "Ghost Town."
Also, to mrtkicksass, there are no countries in the world which are comparable to the US, at least in terms of wealth and industry. Also, Mr T does kick ass.
racingfan126, I gotta remind you that US imports from abroad create jobs in other parts of the world and the US is still by far the wealthiest country in the world. The problem isn't import-export but the manner in which wealth is distributed in America. That's what you need your greedy elected officials to tackle. Great song. Really happy, really sad
@MickyTheBoot The U.S. is not the wealthiest nation in the world. We are leveraged to the gills. Public and private debt are sinking the U.S., while our jobs our shipped to China because of onerous tax laws here.
Communist China has a 0% profit tax. We cannot compete with that as long as the Democrats/Republicans stonewall on this issue.
Until the tax laws are more pro-business, like they are in China, you will continue to see massive job losses in the U.S.
@kingpins9 I didn't realise slave labour was "pro-business". And I'm not saying that every person in the US is richer than everyone else in the world. I'm saying that the US has more large business, more millionaires and more economic power than any other power in the world (save, perhaps, China). Once again the problem is one of unequal distribution of wealth. That being said the great incentive to starting a business in America (and not in China) is the American dream: get rich and live easy.
@MickyTheBoot First off, there is no "slave labor" in the U.S. Secondly, you're in Ireland, you have no concept of what it takes to run a successful business. And the "American Dream" is not defined as "get rich and live easy."
Redistribution of wealth has never worked. And that is because the people that "redistribute" the wealth are typically more corrupt than corporation owners. Good luck finding the angels to hand out the money 'fairly'.
This is an excellent video that drives the song right home. Unfortunately, most of industry in the US has wound up like the steel industry. We now depend on goods from overseas. IMO, we are WAY to dependent on goods from other countries. I wish our elected officials could see past their sef serving greed and actually do something in the area of jobs!
This song is prophetic , yet we did not listen to it. Who still cares about our great country ? Not our political class! If you want to take back America and rebuild her former glory, click like on this comment and reply with your best ideas. Come on fellow patriots, let's save America!
@ForzaJersey I want to, but I've no idea how. The Govt, and its menacing way of overlording its authority over citizens of the country (such as it fully having the power to put someone in prison for the rest of their lives if they want to), is what backs me (and probably many others) down from doing anything. If anything is done, it has to be in a way that does not put us or anyone else at risk of breaking Govt law.
US steel literally built this nation , GOD help us us if we ever go to war with a comparable nation. We can thank the unions for elavating the steel industry to an unsustanable level and the Republican party for turning it all over to the fat rich white guy who would just simply ship operations overseas in order to avoid paying american wages in favor of something much more lucrative.This country cant survive by working at Mcdonalds or Walmart
Yep. Brilliant song. Meaningful song - to some of us, that is.
I'm 48. My dad and both my uncles served during WW2.
I clearly remember the 70's and of course the 80's. I remember my dad - a carpenter - being unemployed for months at a time, my stepmother going back to work for awhile.
My first vote was for Ronald Reagan. He "fixed" things; reversed the Carter "malaise."
Reagan's "fix" didn't "save" us. We were so much stronger then. We're so much weaker now.
@barker131776 Reagan Iniated Nafta in 1980. Reagan Tripled the national debt from 900 billion to three trillion. Reagan broke the unions and started the decline of the USA. Reagan started the DEregulation that allowed corporations to bleed the USA. Reagan gave tax breaks to companies to MOVE out of the USA.
@enkelin32 Kennedy started this stupid free trade BS, Reagan was a protectionist (he saved Harley-Davidson). The greed of union bosses destroyed many of our unionized industries. Without Reagan's deregulation, all our industries would have died in the 1980s. Reagan, a former union president, was pro-union, he was against the greed of union bosses whom hurt their members. The debt under Reagan was because the Democrat Congress refused to cut Non-defense spending. He cuts taxes to keep jobs here.
While officially declaring his candidacy for President, Ronald Reagan proposes a “North American Agreement” which will produce “a North American continent in which the goods and people of the three countries will cross boundaries more freely.”
January 1981
President Ronald Reagan proposes a North American common market"
@enkelin32 That may be correct although the source of the quote remains questionable. Reagan did get the FTA with Canada passed in 1987. Clinton passed the NAFTA. Either way free trade was bi-partisan and its has failed because, despite superior American productivity, we have to contend with free trade with a weak Yuan(China) and a weak Peso(Mexico). Free trade against protectionists who destroy their environment and abuse their workers is wrong.
Official signing of NAFTA by Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, US president George Bush, and Mexican president Carlos Salinas de Gortari, subject to its final approval by the federal Parliaments of the three countries"
Try actually doing some real research instead of Fox news.
@enkelin32 You are barking up the wrong tree. I'm against NAFTA. Who controlled the congress under the FTA, & NAFTA? Democrats! Either way, I don't care because I want the whole thing scrapped. Stop watching MSNBC, CNN, PBS, CBS, NBC, ABC, etc. All left wing BS!! I don't even watch Fox News....
@enkelin32 Real Union bosses would have shut down immigration, restored fair trade, deregulated the economy, eliminated all taxes in favor of tariffs, called for a balanced federal budget to help us grow out of our debt, restored sound money, and reformed our banking system to reduce the business cycle (full-reserve banking). Alas, our union bosses have not done this, instead they steal our future. Reagan was not perfect but, to bash him the way you did is just wrong.
@ForzaJersey I lived through the abomination that was the REAGAN administration. YOU were barely out of diapers. During his administration in 1983 the unemployment rate was even higher than it was in this the GREAT RECESSION. It was 11% unemployment and people were marching in the streets. On top of that he promised our sworn enemy the Allatoyla of Iran 2 billion in ARMS and money to KEEP Americans hostage until he was elected. it was called the October surprise of 1980. Look it up.
@enkelin32 Ok, I get it, you hate Reagan and those evil Republicans, Who cares? Not me! Did you even read what I suggest to fix things, jeez? I'm not a Republican...
@ForzaJersey Reagan was the UNION BUSTER. He fired the Patco employees, rather than negotiate. He was a traitor to his class and to the USA. His policies caused the influx of boatloads of crack into American inner cities so he could finance DEATH SQUADS in places like El Salvador and Nicirauga. I met one of those guys back in the early 80's. He said that they only needed to kill 40 thousand of the Sandinistas family members, women and children to win. That is the EVIL that Reagan promoted
@enkelin32 Ok, I don't care about Patco. The drug war is a farse, Legalize all of them. Like I care what happens to some junkie. The Sandinistas were murderous thugs, if their families died because of their crimes, God be with the innocent. Either way, what does this have to do with the fact, our political class have sold our people out?
@zkxv lol yeah that whistle always makes me think of Joe Pesci in "my cousin Vinny" when he gets woken by the steam whistle from the factory and says "what the hell was that?" lol
I am also a guitarist and my father listed to all types of music - and that i am grateful. I appreciate GREAT MUSIC. I remember watching this video and like LazyScott99, I'm fascinated with pianists. Imagine tying to play this song on guitar during the lime it was released. Good times...good times.
I'm a guitar player and I've always been envious of pianists because they have 8 fingers and 2 thumbs to make chords with and we only have 4 fingers! so when it comes to creating songs, pianists always seem to come out with hard chords for guitarists to play. But don't they come out with great songs? lol
Magnificent video, very well orchestrated. I am a Pennsylvanian, lived in Altoona, Reading, Shamokin, Philadelphia and worked in--Allentown... Saw this scenario played out during the 1980s, moved to North Carolina in 1993 and as of 2000...exact same thing happening here. Instead of steel, it's furniture, textiles. I work in a furniture factory now, wondering what's next.
Brilliant song. I worked in the filthiest iron foundry in England as a young boy for years until it was closed without warning in the early 80's. I spent the next 30 years in the polce and many times I had to push back men like this as they protested on picket lines against the closures of their own foundries and mines. The sweat, tears and the ghosts of those men were embedded into the walls that were pulled down before their eyes. I managed to find other employment but a lot never did.
good old America!! there was here in Allentown.I love billy because he's considerate for people living in America.You remember it?
optionsbsm 4 days ago
One of the best YouTube videos ever made. How you synchronized the machine sounds in the music to the man's motions with the levers was great.
speechrighter 5 days ago
From Gary Indiana this is how its is just allot of poor blue collar folks and the never tore down the steel mills their still standed you go over one brigde and underneath theirs nothing but factorys
Jbirdrules3818 6 days ago
Allentown is a dump full of illegal Mexicans.
LovePlayingGolf2012 1 week ago
@LovePlayingGolf2012 Yeah...blame the Mexicans. Great!
Geekman333 3 days ago
i live in Allentown..
princessryan96 2 weeks ago
Great montage for this song! And to JeffTheCanuck2, don't you think that the fact that George Carlin could become famous for what he did and still be remembered for that is indicative that there is an American dream? Reality never fits the vision but its whole helluva lot better than the horror some people in other places go through. Not perfect but there's hope so why not look at it that way?
krosm 3 weeks ago
Sad but true.....What is those country coming to ?
primeror 1 month ago
If you can't say something nice to the videographer, don't say anything. It's just rude.
latubein 1 month ago
Awesome job with this video! It speaks volumes of the problems not only in PA but the USA. thank you for such great photos!
latubein 1 month ago
This video seems like a little boy made it
Pinestraw7 1 month ago
That's my song!
antoinegabby 1 month ago
cont. What he is talking about is the good things Government did before being taken over by finance. He is talking about the GI Bill, the FHA, SS, and Medicare. He is talking about the war on poverty and the policies that bolstered the middle class. The government is to blame now, but only when it became Conservative and bowed down to business. Regulations are not the problem, its business doing whatever it can to make a quick buck. If you think otherwise, you are being mislead.
keepnhblue89 1 month ago
Anybody who is naive enough to say the government is to blame for this, does not understand the song or what he is talking about. These were decisions made by corporations, who run government btw through lobbying and finance, to hire non-union workers in the 70's and 80's, and then when those non-union workers didnt want to work for less anymore, they got the government to join NAFTA and the WTO. Now if we want to buy American, we cant, because the WTO says we have to buy whatever is cheapest
keepnhblue89 1 month ago
This is a well done video. Images are so appropriate to the subject matter.
I notice that this was uploaded before the "crash" of late 2008.
The song and this video are both so prophetic. This has happened in so many places; heartbreaking.
OliviaBreadhouse 1 month ago
1:13 If anyone else plays TF2, that's one of the pictures for the main menu background for payload
GrassCrafters 1 month ago
2:02 - Unions are the ruination of industry.
waynemasters 1 month ago
10 people got fucked in the ass by a girl with a dick
roguetrip99 2 months ago
I live In Allentown and lets just say it not what it was
jsauer3419 2 months ago
@jsauer3419
Those of us who "stayed" paid. Our mayor tells us crime is down--we know better. We have the Iron Pigs instead of Western Electric . We're getting a hockey arena built in the middle of the downtown slum. English is becoming the minority language. Stores close, new ones are built. No, "it's not what it was"; it's beyond repair which is just what the destroyers want.
sugarlanskee8 2 months ago
Down with NAFTA and GATT
mtdewandal 2 months ago
And Osamabama is shutting down domestic energy production to destroy our economy. Just to remake it in his Marxist image No more coal(we have huge reserves) powered plants. And this turd carried Pennsylvania in the last election after telling us what he planned to do. Clearly, people from this State are just fine with the end of their energy production and aren't concerned with higher energy costs/power rationing/unemployment. And they are worried about China? Great song and nice video.
Broadsidejohn 2 months ago
reminds me of lackawanna, ny
bc454iroc 2 months ago
My beloved Pennsylvania... What became of our country,,, why must I buy Chinese Junk?
Everything changed when Kennedy was killed... Before Kennedy was killed .everything that you bought that was made Overseas , broke in the car on the way home from the store..
Now it just breaks a little later.
bkeay100 2 months ago
@jets0are0awesome
Billy Joel didn't want to call the song "Bethlehem" as he didn't want people confusing it with Christmas.
plumeria66 3 months ago
Replace "Allentown" with "USA" and it depicts what is happening today to so many people.
plumeria66 3 months ago 13
@plumeria66 Yes. This should be the anthem of the Occupy movement. A simple story, a simple message.
malcolmbryant 2 months ago
Cause I'm living here in Allentown on the southside of Allentown hhhaaaayyyyyy aaaahhhhhyyyyyy
AlljuicetypeR 3 months ago
OH im grabbing this one befoer some a**knob takes it down. excelent work!! Huge thumbs up
Tanlantas 3 months ago
Did someone actually write "Government is the solution! " ?
MMM1736 3 months ago
Definitely going into my favorites bin..Thank you for the upload! To me this song is more poignant and representative of our times than it ever was. We're all from Allentown now.
RockinReminiscence 3 months ago
@RockinReminiscence You hit the nail on the head about we are ALL from Allentown now!
Mpompadour 2 months ago
I'm fron Allentown and now live in London and in all my travels I have discovered few people hate America as much as Americans..its ok to question and rebel but you can still be proud of who we are and where we've come from..
TheHershg 3 months ago
@TheHershg
I dont think anyone in America actually hates America. Its just that American business goes further and further out of there way to screw as many "Americans" as they possibly can. The bigger the business the bigger the screwing. Even orginazations such as "Unions" who were supposed to protect the working class pack their bags and head out of town when times get tough. Kinda hard to show American pride when our own home based business wont hire us.
Tanlantas 3 months ago
@Tanlantas American business(big, medium and small) is what creates jobs. There are unscrupulous people, but your real enemy is big Obama/Democrat government. They are driving businesses out of many States (like my California) by making it impossible to do business. The EPA is destroying businesses and industry. Try feeding and putting a roof over your family's heads by admiring a small fish because the eco-lunatics and liberals have shut the water off to farmers.
Broadsidejohn 2 months ago
Comment removed
TheHershg 3 months ago
Love this song!
SaintDufus 3 months ago
8 people didn't wake up in Allentown....
centralparocker 4 months ago
@LIBnTYR No, I don't think you get what I was saying. The guy that I was commenting to said that it was because of the Liberals. So, I pointed out that the EPA was put up by Republican Richard Nixon. That's all I was trying to do. Oh and that thing about Congress...Nixon could have said that he wasn't going to sign the act to put up the EPA, but he did.
89ShyGuy89 4 months ago
i live in easton allentowns like 10 mins away :D
ThePATroutFisherman 4 months ago
Yeah, thank the republicans for "free trade" starting with their hero Reagan. Gave all America's elites the freedom to ship American jobs overseas and screw over the working man as they always have and continue to do. Wake up you goddamned sheeple.
LeCutter 4 months ago
@LeCutter
moron Clinton signed NAFTA 12/08/1993 A FACT ,look it up stupid,research it if you have the ability ?
DORSEY12100 4 months ago
@DORSEY12100 OMFG! Why are you repigs so fucking stupid AND ignorant?! Canada-US FTA...look it up idiot. 1984. Ronal Reagan & Brian Mulroney started the downfall of the working man in Canada and the US. You're just too fucking stupid to grasp that simple fact like the rest of your ilk.
LeCutter 4 months ago
@LeCutter
you proved my point THANK YOU ,your total lack of intellect is obvious ,you fell for it hook line and sinker ,as the mountain is way to tall for you to see over ,FTA and NAFTA are totally different entities .How many jobs and manufacturing companies were lost to FTA compared to NAFTA China ,Mexico .Viet Nam,and Japan love it I'm sure . Read the agreements a by all means look at the restrictions
DORSEY12100 4 months ago
@DORSEY12100 Tell us, is that you just hate America or love the terrorists?
LeCutter 4 months ago
@LeCutter
That's it,this is your response ? very typical and very sad ,but people are waking up and our America will prevail even with people like you
DORSEY12100 4 months ago
@LeCutter Cuz it has nothing to do with the fact of the Dems with all of their regulations? This makes a very difficult atmosphere for businesses to continue to make thrive. That and the unions. U are not entitled to anything, stop it!
LIBnTYR 4 months ago
@LIBnTYR If you want be a slave to the corporations and the elites that's your damage. The rest of want somthing better for ourselves and our world. You're kind is the best sort of slave because you believe you're free.
LeCutter 4 months ago
@LeCutter because those evil corporations are much more dangerous than the power innocent governments... More regulations! Government is the solution! something like that. Have you heard about the OWS? I think you belong there.
LIBnTYR 4 months ago
@goldendoomer It's really funny what you said because Richard Nixon put up the EPA in the 70's. You know, the Republican who put more troops into Vietnam and bombed Cambodia and Laos and who made the nation even more pissed because of Watergate break in. Liberals had nothing to do with setting up the EPA. Maybe you should learn history...
89ShyGuy89 4 months ago
@89ShyGuy89 Because what one republican "did" represents anyone and everyone that ever associated themselves with republican. but lets ignore who was in charge of congress at the time.
LIBnTYR 4 months ago
@mde926 your video should be the oficial one
MrAlexprm 5 months ago
it's just a goddamn shame what the E.P.A. and the liberals have done to the steel industry.
goldendoomer 5 months ago
@goldendoomer
You are exactly right ,time to regulate the regulators ,they have ruined not just the steel industry ,but anything in their path and have accomplished nothing except job loss across this nation
DORSEY12100 4 months ago
allentown is a craphole.
PAlacrosse13 5 months ago
If you really listen... it's a mirror to "Allentown"
/watch?v=HLGqY3fNl1I @2:40
Nothing wrong w/ borrowing from yourself, it's borrowing
from others I'll never understand...
TheZenoEffect 6 months ago
This song is relateable to Sydney NS, Canada. My grandfather was in the coal and steel industry, after he came back from WW2 the mills were in serious decline so he got the fuck out of there for a better life and I'm glad he left. The city is a complete crack town with tar ponds and abondoned buildings. It's sad though how industry can simply get up and leave a city to it's knees, never to fully recover.
calvinbaII 6 months ago
It's called an American Dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it.
~George Carlin.
JeffTheCanuck2 7 months ago 23
One of my all time faves! It perfectly describes life in steel towns. I live in Philly and I'm black but I remember knowing just how right he detailed the thoughts, emotions, and sensations of living in a working class town. Billy is amazing!
MsTracie 7 months ago
like it better than the real one ;0
lovedandhis 7 months ago
Gillard's Australia...
whatever888888888888 7 months ago
I was actually looking for the official video of this song and normally crap over people that make homemade videos of music. However, I have to say:
This was *AWESOME* - your editing skills are very much to be appreciated and I thank you for the video. Keep up the good work - you are one that I will keep an eye out for!
DFWBrysco 7 months ago
Great video!
bklynAtrain 7 months ago
A time where america was productive! Then someone opened up the fucking gates and let all of the filthy rats in!
991med 7 months ago
@991med I guess Native Americans felt the same way when you're ancestors came and took their land.
bklynAtrain 7 months ago
@bklynAtrain So your native american then?
991med 7 months ago
@991med It's Native American, not native american. Maybe YOU should take your own advice.
bklynAtrain 7 months ago
@991med I am not 100% Native American, but I don't go around blaming others for the lousy management of this country.
bklynAtrain 7 months ago
@bklynAtrain Besides, it would be "your ancestors" not "you're ancestors." If you're going to try to insult someone on here, then at least use proper grammar! You only had 16 words to write!
991med 7 months ago
The future of Gillards Australia is in this clip...
R.I.P. OZ
whatever888888888888 7 months ago
Ever wonder how the most productive workforce in the World is losing to China? China is purposely stealing our jobs! They undervalue their currency the Yuan, currently about 6.5 Yuan to a Dollar. That amounts to a 650% tariff on American goods, and the Chinese government subsidizes about 85% of the cost of their products. No wonder everything seems to be Made in China today....
Give me a thumbs up if you think we should stand up against this injustice!
ForzaJersey 7 months ago
propaganda
telesniper2 7 months ago
Thumbs up if The Hangover Part II Brought You Here :P
BAADMacWarfare 8 months ago
It's a good song. Reminds me of the industry that left here in New England. A bunch of abandoned mills and now a bunch of drugs.
alyshooting 8 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
what happened to my comment?
alyshooting 8 months ago
A lot of people went through this song. "It's hard to keep a good man but I don't think I'll get up today"...
alyshooting 8 months ago
I live in New England and this song reminds me of how the industry left. There's a bunch of abandoned mills where people used to work. Now there's a lot of drugs.
alyshooting 8 months ago
A few months ago, I googled the lyrics to this song and was shocked. Before I never really paid much attention to them, I just enjoyed the flow of the song, still do.
The lyrics are more profound than ever, I am sorry to say. We average working class just take it in the teeth from the powers-that-be.
Still, the music and melody of this song still kick a mean ass, even after all these years. Great tune though.
cheeriosinabowl 8 months ago
Great vid. Thanks 4 taking the time.
chrisshelek 8 months ago
I was a huge fan of this before hangover 2. ( Wish I could see it but I am too young) Personally I'm glad that movies are spreading good music
HAScorpify 8 months ago
"Every child had a pretty good shot
To get at least as far as their old man got.
If something happened on the way to that place
They threw an American flag in our face..."
it is funny how some things never change
eyehategumbo 8 months ago 2
This country used to take pride in its industries and the products it produced. Then it was suddenly everybody just said, "Screw it...let the Chinese make it all." What happened?! Bring the industries back to America!
deloreanman14 8 months ago 6
@deloreanman14 You wanna know what happened? Corporations found non Union workers paid pennies led to lower costing goods, so they fucked us up the ass and shut it all down here. Unfortunately, they forgot they need CONSUMERS to buy said goods, but none of them have jobs or any fucking money now! Greedy fuckers fucking fucked it all up beyond fucking recognition, may they rot in fucking POOR HELL! FUCK EM!
loriannedc 2 months ago
@loriannedc You are right , the last big private company in Sheffield ,England ( yes the home of steel guys) shut in the 80's. It's now a shopping center so jobs for the wives but nothing for us.And its not just steel ,Pf...r is closing down here after the Singapore government gave them a 20 year tax break to build a new facility . Just greed ,plain and simple .Old world ,New World its time we all woke up !
Alhambrasheff 2 months ago
The only reson pepole r listing to this is because of hangover 2
volcomkng 8 months ago
@volcomkng how presumptuous, I'm here from a reference on United States of Tara.
TheLegendMA 8 months ago
@volcomkng at least they are discovering a great song....
eyehategumbo 8 months ago
allentown is pretty crummy and in my opinion isn't the best town to live in.
doriaR1 8 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I love how Billy remains optimistic throughout the whole song untill the last lyric.
"And its hard to keep a good man down, but I wont be getting up today"
makes me shed a tear every time. The word genius does not adequately describe Billy
emceesaye 8 months ago
I love how Billy remains optimistic throughout the whole song untill the last lyric.
"And its hard to keep a good man down, but I wont be getting up today"
makes me shed a tear every time. The word genius does not adequately describe Biklly
emceesaye 8 months ago
@ed2kou i think they were pretty equal
MoDeRnEpiCs 9 months ago
@JDALIVETUBE true dat man... true dat
MoDeRnEpiCs 9 months ago
Allentown likeTakashima
nowkeymo 9 months ago
Like if you just watched allentown from hangover 2
CodBlackopsZombiePro 9 months ago 3
@CodBlackopsZombiePro the hangover movies suck!! overrated...
dildohead81 6 months ago
@dildohead81 it was amazing wht u talking bout
kreck1234 6 months ago
@CodBlackopsZombiePro you are terrible
shwartzflugal 5 months ago
@shwartzflugal nah im really not
kreck1234 5 months ago
I got fucked in the ass by a girl with a dick... and were livin here in allentown. BEST MOVIE EVER
MoDeRnEpiCs 9 months ago 3
@MoDeRnEpiCs This could actually happen...center city freaks
JDALIVETUBE 9 months ago
@MoDeRnEpiCs No way, Hangover 2, wasen't near as good as Hangover 1!
ed2kou1 9 months ago
@ed2kou1 i loved both of them. hangover 2 was pretty much a copy of part one except in a different location, but that didnt bother me at all, these guys definitely got away with it. both are great movies that i enjoyed very very much. first comedies i enjoyed in years.
leoniess15 9 months ago
7 people are unionists
PlasmaBurst2Man 9 months ago 2
330 have jobs
PlasmaBurst2Man 9 months ago
0:46 First Jerset Shore reference ever?
KlutchTurkey 9 months ago
Roasting marshmellows on a stick, I got fucked by a girl with a dick
SkateNotSkid 9 months ago 5
@SkateNotSkid I'm not a big Joel fan, but I had to listen to the original after seeing the movie, lol.
askl23 9 months ago
@askl23
Wow...so many young people here!
plumeria66 3 months ago
Fuck the unions and fuck the Greens Party in Australia.
As the song says, they have taken all the coal from the ground and the union people have all gone away.
Fuck them, they have sold us all out to China.
Hossco76 9 months ago
Great song and great video. In 1986, I was coming home from Pittsburgh awaiting landing at LaGuardia. Guess where we were circling around for about 25 minutes...ALLENTOWN! Of course, I busted into the song!
L1S91 10 months ago
Hi. My late grandfather worked in a wire mill instead, then had his own business, Colorado Fuel & Iron. He was also in the Navy in 1940's, tying rope, wrote a small booklet. He and our family lived in Mass. This song makes me think of him. Who is the handsome dude with the steel over his shoulder? Hot, annoyed, I used to date someone who looks like him, except mustached and gray hair, same face. Thanks.
SuperJackilyn 10 months ago
7 people disliked this because they get everything handed to them! Good tune!
FoXyluv74 10 months ago
たとえ歌詞の意味が分からなくとも泣けてくる。
tyannkonabeumaize 10 months ago
I liked this video better than the "official" one. I can relate to this as I also work in the steel industry here in Jackson, Michigan and nearly all of our citys factories have closed and are sitting empty or being torn down. It's becoming a "Ghost Town."
phin12710 10 months ago
Also, to mrtkicksass, there are no countries in the world which are comparable to the US, at least in terms of wealth and industry. Also, Mr T does kick ass.
MickyTheBoot 10 months ago
Comment removed
MickyTheBoot 10 months ago
racingfan126, I gotta remind you that US imports from abroad create jobs in other parts of the world and the US is still by far the wealthiest country in the world. The problem isn't import-export but the manner in which wealth is distributed in America. That's what you need your greedy elected officials to tackle. Great song. Really happy, really sad
MickyTheBoot 10 months ago
@MickyTheBoot The U.S. is not the wealthiest nation in the world. We are leveraged to the gills. Public and private debt are sinking the U.S., while our jobs our shipped to China because of onerous tax laws here.
Communist China has a 0% profit tax. We cannot compete with that as long as the Democrats/Republicans stonewall on this issue.
Until the tax laws are more pro-business, like they are in China, you will continue to see massive job losses in the U.S.
kingpins9 8 months ago
@kingpins9 I didn't realise slave labour was "pro-business". And I'm not saying that every person in the US is richer than everyone else in the world. I'm saying that the US has more large business, more millionaires and more economic power than any other power in the world (save, perhaps, China). Once again the problem is one of unequal distribution of wealth. That being said the great incentive to starting a business in America (and not in China) is the American dream: get rich and live easy.
MickyTheBoot 8 months ago
@MickyTheBoot First off, there is no "slave labor" in the U.S. Secondly, you're in Ireland, you have no concept of what it takes to run a successful business. And the "American Dream" is not defined as "get rich and live easy."
Redistribution of wealth has never worked. And that is because the people that "redistribute" the wealth are typically more corrupt than corporation owners. Good luck finding the angels to hand out the money 'fairly'.
kingpins9 8 months ago
Respond to this video... still, the point of the song is valid. Life was better (for some) when times were simpler.
MickyTheBoot 8 months ago
This is an excellent video that drives the song right home. Unfortunately, most of industry in the US has wound up like the steel industry. We now depend on goods from overseas. IMO, we are WAY to dependent on goods from other countries. I wish our elected officials could see past their sef serving greed and actually do something in the area of jobs!
racingfan126 11 months ago
Good video.
GothChristianPatriot 11 months ago
That was great! :) Thank you for sharing it!
AnaraneSeragone 11 months ago
someone's been buying into conspiracy theories eh? Beef Jerky time!
bryans42 1 year ago
I'm from Allentown PA, my mom used to sneak in to see Billy when he would play at Lehigh University!
spartante83 1 year ago
This song is prophetic , yet we did not listen to it. Who still cares about our great country ? Not our political class! If you want to take back America and rebuild her former glory, click like on this comment and reply with your best ideas. Come on fellow patriots, let's save America!
ForzaJersey 1 year ago 3
@ForzaJersey I want to, but I've no idea how. The Govt, and its menacing way of overlording its authority over citizens of the country (such as it fully having the power to put someone in prison for the rest of their lives if they want to), is what backs me (and probably many others) down from doing anything. If anything is done, it has to be in a way that does not put us or anyone else at risk of breaking Govt law.
tall32guy 2 months ago
the crayola factory was closed in Feb 2011, poduction costs too high, now made in Mexico - sorry
mdownie100 1 year ago
POWERFUL AND SAD
badhorsee 1 year ago
GOD BLESS MADE IN THE USA if your out of work and hungry EAT YOUR IMPORT .....LONG LIVE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
mrtkicksass 1 year ago
1:00 actually looks like a shot from south bethlehem and the bethlehem steel, which is where i live
Lemos4Life22 1 year ago
Not only US.
In Japan, all most all the steelers went to India.
Ship yards went to Korea.
And any other manufactures went to China.
merdekaataumati1949 1 year ago 2
Made in the USA.
Stand on that......
or fall.
and we have.
x.
trebleboostboy 1 year ago 2
US steel literally built this nation , GOD help us us if we ever go to war with a comparable nation. We can thank the unions for elavating the steel industry to an unsustanable level and the Republican party for turning it all over to the fat rich white guy who would just simply ship operations overseas in order to avoid paying american wages in favor of something much more lucrative.This country cant survive by working at Mcdonalds or Walmart
mrtkicksass 1 year ago
Yep. Brilliant song. Meaningful song - to some of us, that is.
I'm 48. My dad and both my uncles served during WW2.
I clearly remember the 70's and of course the 80's. I remember my dad - a carpenter - being unemployed for months at a time, my stepmother going back to work for awhile.
My first vote was for Ronald Reagan. He "fixed" things; reversed the Carter "malaise."
Reagan's "fix" didn't "save" us. We were so much stronger then. We're so much weaker now.
God help our kids and grandkids.
barker131776 1 year ago 2
@barker131776 Reagan Iniated Nafta in 1980. Reagan Tripled the national debt from 900 billion to three trillion. Reagan broke the unions and started the decline of the USA. Reagan started the DEregulation that allowed corporations to bleed the USA. Reagan gave tax breaks to companies to MOVE out of the USA.
enkelin32 1 year ago
@enkelin32 Kennedy started this stupid free trade BS, Reagan was a protectionist (he saved Harley-Davidson). The greed of union bosses destroyed many of our unionized industries. Without Reagan's deregulation, all our industries would have died in the 1980s. Reagan, a former union president, was pro-union, he was against the greed of union bosses whom hurt their members. The debt under Reagan was because the Democrat Congress refused to cut Non-defense spending. He cuts taxes to keep jobs here.
ForzaJersey 1 year ago
@ForzaJersey "November 13, 1979
While officially declaring his candidacy for President, Ronald Reagan proposes a “North American Agreement” which will produce “a North American continent in which the goods and people of the three countries will cross boundaries more freely.”
January 1981
President Ronald Reagan proposes a North American common market"
Google Nafta Timeline
enkelin32 1 year ago
Comment removed
ForzaJersey 1 year ago
@enkelin32 That may be correct although the source of the quote remains questionable. Reagan did get the FTA with Canada passed in 1987. Clinton passed the NAFTA. Either way free trade was bi-partisan and its has failed because, despite superior American productivity, we have to contend with free trade with a weak Yuan(China) and a weak Peso(Mexico). Free trade against protectionists who destroy their environment and abuse their workers is wrong.
ForzaJersey 1 year ago
@ForzaJersey "December 17, 1992
Official signing of NAFTA by Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, US president George Bush, and Mexican president Carlos Salinas de Gortari, subject to its final approval by the federal Parliaments of the three countries"
Try actually doing some real research instead of Fox news.
enkelin32 1 year ago
@enkelin32 You are barking up the wrong tree. I'm against NAFTA. Who controlled the congress under the FTA, & NAFTA? Democrats! Either way, I don't care because I want the whole thing scrapped. Stop watching MSNBC, CNN, PBS, CBS, NBC, ABC, etc. All left wing BS!! I don't even watch Fox News....
ForzaJersey 1 year ago
@enkelin32 Real Union bosses would have shut down immigration, restored fair trade, deregulated the economy, eliminated all taxes in favor of tariffs, called for a balanced federal budget to help us grow out of our debt, restored sound money, and reformed our banking system to reduce the business cycle (full-reserve banking). Alas, our union bosses have not done this, instead they steal our future. Reagan was not perfect but, to bash him the way you did is just wrong.
ForzaJersey 1 year ago
@ForzaJersey I lived through the abomination that was the REAGAN administration. YOU were barely out of diapers. During his administration in 1983 the unemployment rate was even higher than it was in this the GREAT RECESSION. It was 11% unemployment and people were marching in the streets. On top of that he promised our sworn enemy the Allatoyla of Iran 2 billion in ARMS and money to KEEP Americans hostage until he was elected. it was called the October surprise of 1980. Look it up.
enkelin32 1 year ago
@enkelin32 Ok, I get it, you hate Reagan and those evil Republicans, Who cares? Not me! Did you even read what I suggest to fix things, jeez? I'm not a Republican...
ForzaJersey 1 year ago
@ForzaJersey Reagan was the UNION BUSTER. He fired the Patco employees, rather than negotiate. He was a traitor to his class and to the USA. His policies caused the influx of boatloads of crack into American inner cities so he could finance DEATH SQUADS in places like El Salvador and Nicirauga. I met one of those guys back in the early 80's. He said that they only needed to kill 40 thousand of the Sandinistas family members, women and children to win. That is the EVIL that Reagan promoted
enkelin32 1 year ago
@enkelin32 Ok, I don't care about Patco. The drug war is a farse, Legalize all of them. Like I care what happens to some junkie. The Sandinistas were murderous thugs, if their families died because of their crimes, God be with the innocent. Either way, what does this have to do with the fact, our political class have sold our people out?
ForzaJersey 1 year ago
@zkxv lol
JaYmAdSeXy172 1 year ago
@zkxv lol yeah that whistle always makes me think of Joe Pesci in "my cousin Vinny" when he gets woken by the steam whistle from the factory and says "what the hell was that?" lol
LazyScott99 1 year ago 3
@LazyScott99 That a pretty damn funny connection...
FAZWORTH421 1 year ago
I am also a guitarist and my father listed to all types of music - and that i am grateful. I appreciate GREAT MUSIC. I remember watching this video and like LazyScott99, I'm fascinated with pianists. Imagine tying to play this song on guitar during the lime it was released. Good times...good times.
rabmusic 1 year ago
I'm a guitar player and I've always been envious of pianists because they have 8 fingers and 2 thumbs to make chords with and we only have 4 fingers! so when it comes to creating songs, pianists always seem to come out with hard chords for guitarists to play. But don't they come out with great songs? lol
LazyScott99 1 year ago
Im sooo glad my father listened to all types of music because i would have probably never looked up allentown..wonderful song
CharlieT305 1 year ago
Excellent video! Thanks for posting!
mrjazz747 1 year ago
The Beatles influence on Billy Joel really shines through in this song. Allentown would fit right in with songs from the white album.
GLEACH0001 1 year ago
Magnificent video, very well orchestrated. I am a Pennsylvanian, lived in Altoona, Reading, Shamokin, Philadelphia and worked in--Allentown... Saw this scenario played out during the 1980s, moved to North Carolina in 1993 and as of 2000...exact same thing happening here. Instead of steel, it's furniture, textiles. I work in a furniture factory now, wondering what's next.
fatlilbeagle 1 year ago
I just love this.
Rabbitouttayourhat 1 year ago
Great Video. I am doing my road trip and I have made a point (just) to pass through Allentown.
essertpitay 1 year ago
@essertpitay The steel mill is Bethlehem Steel in Bethlehem. It is now a casino, but they kept a few pieces of the mill. Bethlehem Sands Casino.
:-(
irnhed13 1 year ago
@irnhed13 The big towers are still there. some of the complexs are there still, too. How do you think they shot the opening for Transformers two ;).
HGGxJAKE409 1 year ago
as our precious metals move to China , paying off our debt>
Mrdianalynn 1 year ago
@Mrdianalynn They actually moved all the steel plants to Japan when they closed down in allentown.
hexzerg 1 year ago
@hexzerg They've moved again -- to China.
ChopstickBrando 1 year ago 3
I am never, ever in to fan made videos but that was well played.
wutgoddamit 1 year ago
My friends think I'm weird because I know all the lyrics by heart.
I think they're weird because the don't.
BradWilson22343 1 year ago
This is a great accompaniment!!! Thank you!!!
HoiPolloi79 1 year ago
Brilliant song. I worked in the filthiest iron foundry in England as a young boy for years until it was closed without warning in the early 80's. I spent the next 30 years in the polce and many times I had to push back men like this as they protested on picket lines against the closures of their own foundries and mines. The sweat, tears and the ghosts of those men were embedded into the walls that were pulled down before their eyes. I managed to find other employment but a lot never did.
destrala 1 year ago 46
@destrala
You don't see the contradiction in all that? You aren't ashamed?
Rice7782 1 year ago