When Rubber Was King
A picture of “Grandpa Joe Marshall” when he was younger, holding Scott Marshall’s uncle.
A drawing that was made for Joe Marshall when he retired from Goodyear.
Scott Marshall was one of the first people to reach out to Akron Stories when the website launched. He bought a brick to honor his “Grandpa Joe Marshall,” and shared his song “When Rubber Was King,” which he wrote to honor the rubber workers and their legacy.
Lyrics
WHEN RUBBER WAS KING
IT`S FUNNY, BUT IT`S THE SMELL… THAT I REMEMBER MOST OF ALL
FROM WHEN I WAS A KID AND WE`D BE DRIVIN` INTO TOWN
THAT PUTRID ACRID ODOR COULD PEAL THE PAINT RIGHT OFF A WALL
AND WITH NO AC IN THE CARS BACK THEN WE HAD THE WINDOWS DOWN
I ASKED MY DADDY WHAT IT WAS… AND HE SMILED AND TOLD ME SON
THAT`S THE SMELL OF MONEY… AND TIRES BEING MADE
WHEN IT COMES MAKIN` THINGS WITH RUBBER THIS TOWN IS NUMBER ONE
AND THOSE WORKERS ARE FINALLY BRINGIN` HOME A DECENT WAGE
THOSE WERE THE DAYS OF B.F. GOODRICH AND HARVEY FIRESTONE
OF BILL ONEIL AND FRANK A. SEIBERLING
THEY SET THE WHEELS IN MOTION… AND MADE THIS TOWN THEIR OWN
THEIR GIANT FOOTPRINTS DEEP IN EVERYTHING…
YEAH THAT`S HOW AKRON ROLLED BACK THEN..WHEN RUBBER WAS KING
MANY LIKE MY GRANDPA CAME FROM WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
OTHERS FROM NEIGHBORING STATES OR STRAIGHT OFF THE BOAT
BUT IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THEY CAME IN DROVES FROM GOOD OL` WEST VIRGINIA
THE THREE R`S… READIN` RITIN` AND ROUTE 21 WAS THE RUNNIN` JOKE
SO MANY CAME FOR JOBS THE TOWN WAS BURSTIN` AT THE SEAMS
AND WITH LITTLE HOUSING..THEY HAD NO PLACE TO STAY
SO THE COMPANIES BUILT HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS..AND FULFILLED A LOT OF DREAMS
GOODYEAR HEIGHTS AND FIRESTONE PARK HOMES STILL STAND TODAY
REPEAT CHORUS
THERE`S A LOT OF REASONS ONE COULD CITE AS TO WHY IT ALL CAME APART
LIKE A FIRESTONE 500 LOSIN` HALF IT`S TREAD
BUT OLD FACTORIES IMPORTED RADIALS AND UNION STRIFE IS A PRETTY GOOD START
BY 1982 TIRE MAKIN` IN TOWN WAS ALL BUT DEAD
NOW THE WIND BLOWS UNENCUMBERED… ACROSS VACANT LAND WITH EASE
WITH NO FACTORIES OR SMOKESTACKS IN IT`S PATH
AND THOUGH THE AIR IS CLEANER… I SWEAR THERE`S A TRACE OF THAT SMELL STILL IN THE BREEZE
OR IS IT JUST MY MEMORY… TRICKIN` ME… AND TAKIN` ME BACK
TO THE DAYS……
OF B.F. GOODRICH AND HARVEY FIRESTONE
BILL ONEIL AND FRANK A. SEIBERLING
THEY SET THE WHEELS IN MOTION AND MADE THIS TOWN THEIR OWN
THEIR GIANT FOOTPRINTS DEEP IN EVERYTHING…
YEAH THAT`S HOW AKRON ROLLED BACK THEN…WHEN RUBBER WAS KING
YEAH THAT`S HOW AKRON ROLLED BACK THEN… WHEN RUBBER WAS KING
©R.S. Marshall, ( 330 ) 472-2088, rmarshall002@neo.rr.com
by Mac Love