Old Downtown Lyrics - At The Bbc: On-air Performances & Recordings 2000-2005 - Laura Cantrell

I went for a walk in my old downtown 

To the top of the hill and I turned around 

Train yard's not what it used to be 

The station's still standing by the factories 

Wendell's serving up the meat and three 

The tower lights read L & C 

Stood by the stone for the president 

Saw the bullet holes where the armies met 

Walked for a while with the suffragettes 

You know mama's still growing those roses yet 

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 

Didn't want to kill, didn't want to die 

Felt the lightening 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" 

Shimmers on film like a summer day 

Silver black and white, watch it fade away 

I left this place 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 ringing in the old downtowns 

Ancient sadness tumbles down 

The heavy veil of tragedy 

Makes it hard to breathe, hard to see 

You can trace these scars along the ground 

When you're out for a walk in your old downtown 

I went for a walk in my old downtown