1
Well, I was born in a small town
And I live in a small town
Probably die in a small town
Oh, those small communities
All my friends are so small town
My parents live in the same small town
My job is so small town
Provides little opportunity, hey
Educated in a small town
Taught to fear of Jesus in a small town
Used to daydream in that small town
Another boring romantic, that's me
But I've seen it all in a small town
Had myself a ball in a small town
Married an L.A. Doll and brought her to this small town
Now she's small town just like me
No, I cannot forget from where it is that I come from
I cannot forget the people who love me
Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town
And people let me be just what I want to be
Ooh nah, nah, nah, yeah, ooh yeah yeah
Got nothing against a big town
Still hayseed enough to say
Look who's in the big town
But my bed is in a small town
Oh, and that's good enough for me
Well, I was born in a small town
And I can breathe in a small town
Gonna die in a small town
Oh, and that's probably where they'll bury me, yeah
Ooh yeah yeah, yeah
Ooh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
And I live in a small town
Probably die in a small town
Oh, those small communities
All my friends are so small town
My parents live in the same small town
My job is so small town
Provides little opportunity, hey
Educated in a small town
Taught to fear of Jesus in a small town
Used to daydream in that small town
Another boring romantic, that's me
But I've seen it all in a small town
Had myself a ball in a small town
Married an L.A. Doll and brought her to this small town
Now she's small town just like me
No, I cannot forget from where it is that I come from
I cannot forget the people who love me
Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town
And people let me be just what I want to be
Ooh nah, nah, nah, yeah, ooh yeah yeah
Got nothing against a big town
Still hayseed enough to say
Look who's in the big town
But my bed is in a small town
Oh, and that's good enough for me
Well, I was born in a small town
And I can breathe in a small town
Gonna die in a small town
Oh, and that's probably where they'll bury me, yeah
Ooh yeah yeah, yeah
Ooh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Lyrics submitted by rabidpenguin
Small Town Lyrics as written by John Mellencamp
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
One of the things I love about this song is that it captures a sense of place, belonging and community that he identifies with small towns. But that feeling is not limited just to small towns.
I grew up in a large Midwestern city that is full of neighborhoods that people describe as being a lot like small towns...multiple generations living close by, friends who gre up together and know each other their whole lives, etc. I think this line captures that sense of community perfectly:
"I cannot forget where it is that I come from. I cannot forget the people who love me. Yeah I can be myself here in this small town and people let me be just what I want to be."