By Pat Liley
It had class and style, that wonderous beast, a beauty all its own
The interior was naugahyde, the paint, two tone
The size of a battleship and not too much chrome.
Dad was proud as a peacock when he drove our new Edsel home!
It is more than a car, it's an image! I just can't tell a lie.
An investment in our future. The value just won't die!
He said all the right words as he explained it all to Mom.
It's the next big thing I tell ya'! It'll never bomb.
Five years later Dad was still in shock
Ford felt the public's wrath and dropped Edsel like a rock!
So the family's next new car was chosen with great care
And Dad swelled his chest with new father pride as he drove our new
Corvair!
It is more than a car, it's an image! I just can't tell a lie.
An investment in our future. The value just won't die!
He said all the right words as he explained it all to Mom.
It's the next big thing I tell ya'! It'll never bomb.
We pushed that "'vair", and drove it some, for the next few years.
We shrank down in the seats to hide from the neighbor's jeers.
But after months of searchin' in the local auto park
Dad bought the "Car of the Future", a "66 Stude Lark!
It is more than a car, it's an image! I just can't tell a lie.
An investment in our future. The value just won't die!
He said all the right words as he explained it all to Mom.
It's the next big thing I tell ya'! It'll never bomb.
Dad's next new car for his daily commute
Was an economy job. It was really cute.
He said "Wife, this car may not be too fast,
But its got a great engine so the Vega will last!
It is more than a car, it's an image! I just can't tell a lie.
An investment in our future. The value just won't die!
He said all the right words as he explained it all to Mom.
It's the next big thing I tell ya'! It'll never bomb.
Four years and two engines later we sent that Vega to the heap.
Chev's "economy" car was falling apart, just too expensive for us to
keep!
The new emphasis was safety and dad heard each salesman's word.
He told our Mom "This car is HOT!" he chose the Pinto, by Ford.
It is more than a car, it's an image! I just can't tell a lie.
An investment in our future. The value just won't die!
He said all the right words as he explained it all to Mom.
It's the next big thing I tell ya'! It'll never bomb.
Rear-ended while parked, the Pinto met it's fiery end.
Dad went to a salesman the ad claimed was a "friend".
"This car may last a lifetime" and, indeed, it seemed it might.
But the Horizon started losing bits before Dad drove out of sight!
It is more than a car, it's an image! I just can't tell a lie.
An investment in our future. The value just won't die!
He said all the right words as he explained it all to Mom.
It's the next big thing I tell ya'! It'll never bomb.
All this time Mom kept her car, bought new in fifty-five.
Pink and white with a convertible top, the only car she'd drive.
Nothing fancy, not too fast, she'd paid fifteen hundred, cash.
She was offered ten grand for the little jewel, her Metropolitan, by
Nash.