Long, long time ago, I can
still remember
when I went to Jarry Park to see them play
And I knew, given half a chance,
this team could make Montreal dance
and maybe make a pennant run one day
But post-World Series made me shiver
with each press conference Bud delivered
Bad news on the sports page,
I couldn't shake my seething rage
I can't remember if I cried
when it hit that we'd been taken for a ride
Something went dark deep inside the year the Expos died.
So bye-bye to the Montreal nine
Drove my Yugo to the Big Owe just to watch Razor Shines
The Ex Zone fans were drinking one-dollar Dry's
Singing, "Jeffrey Loria I despise, Jeffrey Loria I despise."
Do you remember the early tales of Rusty Staub and John McHale?
Stoneman pitching shutouts left and right
And when Bob Bailey and Bobby Wine pulled off a triple play in '69
This new team was quite a sight
And then they moved to the Big Owe and Gary Carter stole the show
57 thousand came to see - them beat the rival Phillies
Raines and Leflore were stealing bases
Falling just games short in pennant races
But there's no more hope of championship chases
The year the Expos died.
So bye-bye to the Montreal nine
Drove my Yugo to the Big Owe just to watch Razor Shines
The Ex Zone fans were drinking one-dollar Dry's
Singing, "Jeffrey Loria I despise, Jeffrey Loria I despise."
Party hearty with Warren Cromartie
A division crown that they won smartly
In the strike-shortened season of '81
They set their sights on Dodger Blue
With the series tied two games to two
And the World Series waiting for the team that won
October 19 was dull and gray on the day to be named "Blue Monday"
We got up to celebrate, but this was not our fate
Steve Rogers came on in relief
And we watched the homer in disbelief
And our hopes were dashed in tears of grief
The year the Expos died
So bye-bye to the Montreal nine
Drove my Yugo to the Big Owe just to watch Razor Shines
The Ex Zone fans were drinking one-dollar Dry's
Singing, "Jeffrey Loria I despise, Jeffrey Loria I despise."
Then for 12 years they were up and down
With some great teams, but not a champion's crown
That's just how it used to be
With Oliver, the Kid, Rogers and Hawk
Eli, Bryn Smith and the Rock - and 4,000 hits in '84 for Pete
Then while the ownership changed its name,
El Presidente pitched a perfect game
'El Perfecto' he was crowned,
then the Big Owe roof fell down
And while '92 saw Alou begin to lead his team to many a win
The dark clouds started rolling in
The year the Expos died
So bye-bye to the Montreal nine
Drove my Yugo to the Big Owe just to watch Razor Shines
The Ex Zone fans were drinking one-dollar Dry's
Singing, "Jeffrey Loria I despise, Jeffrey Loria I despise."
And there were the Expos in first place
But the '94 season was lost in space
And no CBA to start again
So come on, Claude be frugal, Claude be free
Brochu dump all your salaries
Cause fire sales are a GM's only friend
Walker, Grissom, Wetteland, too
All given up for Fernando who?
No team could bear this loss
All their star players tossed
And as the losses mounted and more stars sent away
The fans stopped coming to see them play
And I looked on in deep dismay
The year the Expos died
So bye-bye to the Montreal nine
Drove my Yugo to the Big Owe just to watch Razor Shines
The Ex Zone fans were drinking one-dollar Dry's
Singing, "Jeffrey Loria I despise, Jeffrey Loria I despise."
A New York art dealer with piles of dough
Bought the team and promised a whole new show
But he just smiled and turned away
And I went down to the Big Owe, but all there was was a *&^#@$ dog show,
and the man there said the team just wouldn't play
And in the streets, the sports fans sighed
The reporters raged and the commissioner lied
He swore there'd be contraction
But we just saw inaction
And the three men I admire the least
The Father, Son and Bud the Greased
They bought the Marlins in the N.L. East
The year the Expos died
So bye-bye to the Montreal nine
Drove my Yugo to the Big Owe just to watch Razor Shines
The Ex Zone fans were drinking one-dollar Dry's
Singing, "Jeffrey Loria I despise, Jeffrey Loria I despise."
Lyrics by Jeff Alexander - Music by Don McLean.