I seem to recognize your face
Haunting, familiar yet
I can't seem to place it
Cannot find the candle of thought to light your name
Lifetimes are catching up with me

All these changes taking place
I wish I'd seen the place
But no one's ever taken me

Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away

I swear, I recognize your breath
Memories like fingerprints are slowly raising
Me, you wouldn't recall for I'm not my former
It's hard when you're stuck upon the shelf

I changed by not changing at all
Small town predicts my fate
Perhaps that's what no one wants to see
I just want to scream hello

My God it's been so long
Never dreamed you'd return
But now here you are and here I am

Hearts and thoughts they fade away

Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade


Lyrics submitted by Trent, edited by Mellow_Harsher

Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town Lyrics as written by Jeff Ament Dave Abbruzzese

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town song meanings
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  • +4
    General Comment

    I think this is about: like we all go through phases in life, teenager, college, adult. And like you separate them in your mind. Then you go back to a place and it brings you back to a time. And it's like "damn, I'd forgotten that whole period of my life and it meant something to me, but I've lived so many lives since I've lost it, and it's a shame that isn't still ingrained in me as part of the fabric of my soul." Even though it might be to a degree. I think it's like you go into this grocery store and there's this woman that always asked how you were doing and told you about her kids and you knew her name and her favorite cigarette and now you walk back in and it's like "Shit, that was a part of my life that completely fell away from my memory and I can't even remember her name." I think it's about wanting to live a lot of lives, but being sad that they couldn't all just be one, even though in a way they are.

    rbach48on June 30, 2012   Link

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