This Town
Small Town Blues: Elton John's Reflection on Change and Nostalgia
Lyrics
It's closing time the boys are all together at the bar
Reflects the end of the day, with friends gathered at the bar.
Staring in their glasses
People deep in thought, possibly contemplating their situations.
Looks like another layoff at the yard
Suggests a recurring pattern of job layoffs at the workplace.
Yesterday I heard union hall come down
Announcement of a significant event - the union hall being demolished.
They hit it with a wrecking ball
Describes the method of destruction - a wrecking ball.
And they try but nothing changes in this town
Expresses frustration that efforts for change in the town seem futile.
Cap in hand stood in line
Describes a person humbly waiting in line, possibly for assistance.
Your family ties are the chains that bind
Highlights the strong influence of family ties, potentially limiting one's choices.
The endless wheel goes round and round
Metaphorically describes the repetitiveness of life's challenges.
Chances are you'll never leave this town
Suggests a sense of entrapment, indicating difficulty leaving the town.
Oh oh no
Expresses a sense of resignation or realization about the challenging circumstances.
Like a river now the empty streets are flooded out with rain
Compares the rain to a river flooding empty streets, indicating a gloomy atmosphere.
It's falling on the playground
Highlights a deserted playground, possibly symbolizing lost innocence.
While the kids get wet playing the same old games
Despite the rain, kids play the same old games, implying a lack of change or progress.
Locked away so many things remind them of war
Suggests the emotional baggage of war, locked away but still present in the town.
They tap the pavement with their canes
Elderly individuals, using canes, physically interact with the environment, perhaps reflecting on the past.
The good old days ain't so good no more
Contrasts the present with the idealized past, emphasizing the town's decline.
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