Death of My Small Town Lyrics — R.J. Sloane

Death of My Small Town is a hard-driving outlaw country fight song by R.J. Sloane about a man who watches his small town get sold out from under it — and refuses to stay quiet.

He walks into the town hall meeting, sees the lawyers, reads the room. Widow Mason's clutching her purse. Farmer Joe's already half gone. Town's flatlining on a handshake and a smile. He stands up anyway.

VERSE 1
Walked in, saw the lawyers
Mayor's got stars in his eyes
Lapping up their promises
Turn and see
Widow Mason clutching her purse
This place's all she's got left
Farmer Joe down the road
Getting on, kids don't want it
He'll be the first to sell
Don't blame him for it
Grinding my teeth
Trying to keep my trap shut

CHORUS
Granddaddy was born here
Dad and me too
Know every one of them by name
Birthdays, anniversaries
Worst days and best
Don't want to see it all end
They ain't seeing clearly
Trading our roots for a promise
Town's flatlining on a handshake and a smile

VERSE 2
Got a buddy three towns east
Watched it happen to him
Promised jobs never did materialize
Residents squeezed tight
Shops folded
Now it's all but a ghost town
I've seen this before
I know how this ends

CHORUS
Granddaddy was born here
Dad and me too
Know every one of them by name
Birthdays, anniversaries
Worst days and best
Don't want to see it all end
They ain't seeing clearly
Trading our roots for a promise
Town's flatlining on a handshake and a smile

BRIDGE
Stand up or stay seated
Know what Granddaddy'd say
Speak truth in love
Yell if you must
Say my piece and let the chips fall
Walk away head held high

FINAL CHORUS
Granddaddy was born here
Dad and me too
Know every one of them by name
Birthdays, anniversaries
Worst days and best
Don't want to see it all end
They ain't seeing clearly
Trading our roots for a promise
Town's flatlining on a handshake and a smile

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