Old Downtown Songtext
von Laura Cantrell

I went for a walk in my old downtown
To the top of the hill and I turned around
The train yard′s not what it used to be
But the station's still standin′ by the factory
And old Wendell's servin' up the meat and three
And the tower lights read L and C

Stood by the stone for the president
I saw the bullet holes where the armies met
And I walked for a while with the suffragettes
You know, Mama′s still growin′ those roses yet
I heard the echo of Bryan in the old court case
And I thought as I walked about love and hate


Passed a soldier boy with a gun of bronze
Made a film of his life, said he had a cause
He didn't wanna kill, didn′t want to lie
He felt the lightning flash, took it as a sign
That God is love and Jesus saves
And our soldier does participate

Alvin came to New York with his fortune made
And he walked for a mile in the ticker tape
The mayor smiled while Alvin prayed
Sir, I'd like to ride that subway train
It shimmers on film like a summer day
Silver, black and white, watch it fade away

I left my home at a tender age
In the family book, you know I turned the page
Never could describe all the energy
Wakes me up at night with the memory
Mama, don′t you call me, I'm good as gone
You know your daughter loves you, but she heard this song


Church bells ringin′ in the old downtowns
Ancient sadness tumblin' down
It's a heavy veil of tragedy
It makes it hard to breathe and hard to see
And you can trace these scars along the ground
When you′re out for a walk in your old downtown