A Town Called Progress

Words & music A. McKnight, ©1997 Catalooch Music, BMI

Verse 1
Remember us punks racing, down where Rte. 5 curls,
days in our V8s, and nights with the carhop girls
I never noticed it going so fast, never saw it coming apart
now instead of working the family fields, the kids stock shelves at Wal-Mart
Chorus
The world passed right by like we disappeared, on their way to someplace far from here
left strip malls on the bypass, reminders we once had dreams
if it looks like Progress well, that’s just the way that it seems

Verse 2
Now those kids growing up, on their cul-de-sac
they’ll never walk, hand-in-hand down that old railroad track
they leave their innocence behind, big trucks parked where new condos are growing
they’ll make love when they’re lucky, and babies the rest of the time
Chorus

Verse 3
Downtown brick facades, they wear the old timers pain,
and the rain runs red, from the building boom along the 4-lane,
those concrete and neon monuments, replaced pride in this old town
with storefronts staring vacantly, just like they know
Chorus
if it smells like progress, well, that’s just the smoke of our dreams