Story Behind The Song

There are so many stories about big cities and small towns, but we had never heard one about a mid-size city, so we wanted to write one inspired by the mid-size city we live in, Winston-Salem, NC.

Song Description

Song about loving the mid-size city we live in, which always makes it onto the "Boom or Bust" lists.

Lyrics

V1

Once upon a time tobacco built this town
Litigation knocked it down a notch or two
We've got a high rise filling up again
It's been half abandoned since the bank withdrew

Down on Trade Street was our favorite breakfast spot
Now it's a Cuban restaurant we like the same
In the past 10 years we've had 8 rock and roll clubs
Not at once, but the crowd don't change

Chorus:
Don't take me out to sea
When there's nothing left of me but ash and dust
Spread me around a mid-size city
Hanging on the edge of boom or bust

V2

I come from a Mill Town at the foothills of the pines
If you try to climb, they drag you down
I come from the concrete of the metroplex
Even at your best, you're bound to drown

No one talks about it but there's somewhere in between
Whatever you want to be, you decide
You can be a big star everybody knows your name
But if that ain't your game there's room to hide

Chorus

Bridge:

The middle has a cost
If we don't fight then it's all lost
We know just who we are and who we're not

We've lost battles before
But we won't lose the war
Here on the edge, we give 'em all we got

Chorus