This Old Town
Read This Old Town lyrics by Nanci Griffith on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
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This Old Town
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This old town should've burned down in 1929
That's when we stood in line
Waiting for our soup
Swallowing our pride
This old town should've burn down in 1931
When the rain refused to come
Air filled up our bellies
Dust filled up our lungs
And we thought our time had come
This old town was built by hand
In the dust bowl of the Mother Land
There must be rock beneath this sand
Oh' I'll be damned
This town still stands
This old town should've burned down in 1944
When the last men went to war
They came back different
If they came back at all
This old town should've burned down in 1956
That's when the twister hit
And all our hopes were buried
Beneath the boards and bricks
And we almost called it quits
Somewhere in the distance
The city lights do shine
The sidewalks gleam with neon dreams
That call from time to time
When my children's children
Ask me why didn't I go
They say the heart of any town
Is the people that you've known
They'll always call you home
What this page can answer fast
Who performs "This Old Town"?
Nanci Griffith performs "This Old Town", and this lyric page sits inside the Nanci Griffith catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "This Old Town"?
Yes. The related section below points to Armstrong and Drops From The Faucet with a short reason for opening each page next.
Where can I find more songs by Nanci Griffith?
Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Nanci Griffith's lyric pages.
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