WELLS? HELL’S BELLS

O-ho, the Wells Fargo wagon is a-comin’ down the street,
Oh, please let it be for me!
O-ho, the Wells Fargo wagon is a-comin’ down the street,
I wish, I wish I knew what it could be!

[...]

O-ho, the Wells Fargo wagon is a-comin’ down the street,
Oh, don’t let him pass my door!
O-ho, the Wells Fargo wagon is a-comin’ down the street
I wish I knew what he was comin’ for!

[...]

O-ho, you Wells Fargo wagon, keep a-comin’,
O-ho, you Wells Fargo wagon, keep a-comin’.
O-ho, you Wells Fargo wagon,
Don’t you dare make a stop
Until you stop for me!

- “The Wells Fargo Wagon,” from The Music Man (Meredith Willson)

Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss

- “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, The Who

When it comes to banks in our neighborhood, Wachovia is exceptionally well represented. Throw a rock at random, it seems, and you’ll hit a Wachovia branch. Until recently, that is... because Wachovia has been bought out by Wells Fargo. You know: the guys with the stagecoach, the very Wells Fargo Wagon immortalized on stage and screen by Meredith (he should only drop dead if he weren’t dead already) Willson.

In the last week or so, Wells Fargo signage has gone up on all of the (former) Wachovia branches. Even the Wachovia building downtown was not immune; it now sports a spanking new Wells Fargo sign.

And that is the root of the problem.

I’ve been a customer of Wachovia for years, and I don’t expect any major changes under the New Boss. But now, every time I drive down the street, I see that bright red and yellow Wells Fargo sign, and that fucking song from “The Music Man” starts playing in my head.

When, O Lord - when will it stop?