Man from Out of Town

Lyrics

[Verse 1] The house burned down on a rainy night And they never did find out why I just stood alone 'neath the silver maple Trying to keep my cigarettes dry Waiting for the firemen I couldn't save a thing And deep inside my home above the roar of the flame I swore I heard my telephone ring The rain let up and we worked 'til dawn Just me and the firemen And when they cut the power, the lines went dead And I never got called again The house was gone by the break of dawn The air was cold and gray I just set off down the road alone But it's always gone that way [Verse 2] So young, so long ago I thought I heard that train Calling out my name At least it sounded like my name Just a boy with no direction I left my home behind And the sky changed color Once I crossed that town line My good friends did the best they could To hold me down with them But I took one look and I packed my bags And I slipped around the bend The lessons came from left and right The first night out I found Ah, the laws were not meant to protect The man from out of town [Verse 3] There was a cold street on the sea coast I once tried to call home Where the church steeples rose up Above the town like broken bones Drinking whiskey with the Catholic priest One night in the rectory hall He just shook his head and said "You never know when Jesus calls" Then his eyes got wide and he looked around But he just could not explain Was like he heard the sound of Jesus' laugh The way I heard that train [Verse 4] Now the years and the faces blur Still I can remember some There were women washing windows There were salesgirls chewing gum There were curses in the shapes of old men Kneeling in the pews There are things in this life A man just does not get to choose So finally I found a home In a tiny mountain town Just a simple place to keep me dry When the rain came pouring down A place to sleep, the rent was cheap Brick walls and a new slate roof Well, the landlord said, "You'll be safe here This house is fireproof"