In My Town
Andrew Morris Lyrics


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C'mon all you strangers
Nothing ever changes in my town
Gather all you pagans
Let's go turning pages in this town
In my town

Lorries rolling by
Rolling to the edge of the sun
Robyn bakes a pie
Won't be ready 'til the washing's all done
Eli makes his bed
And just so the rest of you know
He's still on the mend

Karen reads the news
Concerning the community hall
The building falls apart
Graffiti on the back of the wall
Teddy tunes his car




It rattles in time with the phone
He just missed a call

Overall Meaning

The song In My Town by Andrew Morris is a poignant tribute to small-town life where everything seems to stay the same, and everyone knows everyone else’s business. The lyrics invite strangers and pagans to join in the mundane activities of a small town where nothing ever changes. There is a sense of familiarity and comfort in the routine of the town, where Robyn bakes her pie, and Eli makes his bed while others go about their own business. It's like a little bubble that's safe from the chaos of the world. However, amidst the stillness and mundanity lies the underlying feeling of melancholy, as Eli is still on the mend, and the iconic community hall is falling apart with graffiti on the back of the wall. Teddy tunes his car to a rhythm that misses a call - symbolic of the missed opportunities in life.


The song captures the bittersweet reality of living in a small town where everything is familiar, but nothing ever really changes. It's a place where people can’t escape their past, and their future is uncertain. The lyrics detail the ordinary, everyday occurrences that are familiar to all small towns: Rollins lorries going by, Robyn baking pies, Eli recovering from an unknown ailment, Teddy's car that rattles in time with the phone but doesn't pick up the call. All these things happen every day, just as they have in all the years before, and will continue to happen indefinitely. Even though nothing changes in this small town, the song celebrates the sense of community that is often found in such places, where everyone knows each other and shares the same experiences.


Line by Line Meaning

C'mon all you strangers
The singer calls out to people he doesn't know, acknowledging that outsiders may not feel welcome in his town.


Nothing ever changes in my town
He states that nothing progresses or evolves in his town, suggesting that it might be stagnant or uninteresting.


Gather all you pagans
The singer invites people who are considered outsiders or non-conformists to join him.


Let's go turning pages in this town
He encourages exploring the town and discovering what it has to offer outside of the known or familiar.


In my town
The repetition of this phrase emphasizes how embedded and pervasive the town's culture is.


Lorries rolling by
The singer observes the continuous flow of heavy vehicles as a common sight in his town.


Rolling to the edge of the sun
The hyperbolic statement adds drama to the otherwise mundane scene of lorries driving by.


Robyn bakes a pie
The singer mentions a common town resident engaged in a classic domestic activity like cooking.


Won't be ready 'til the washing's all done
The pie will take time to bake and must coincide with the completion of another chore, implying a slower-paced lifestyle in the town.


Eli makes his bed
Another small action by a town resident, not particularly noteworthy or exciting.


And just so the rest of you know
The addition of this phrase before revealing information suggests that what follows is an exclusive or insider knowledge that not everyone might know.


He's still on the mend
The use of 'mend' implies that Eli is recovering or healing from something, possibly an injury or illness.


Karen reads the news
An ordinary activity that Karen does regularly, keeping up with events and news in her town.


Concerning the community hall
The topic of the news is about a public place or building that is essential for the town's citizens and its identity.


The building falls apart
The state of disrepair of the community hall is a significant issue and poses a threat to the town's welfare.


Graffiti on the back of the wall
The vandalism of a public building shows a lack of respect for communal spaces and signifies urban decay.


Teddy tunes his car
Teddy engages in a pastime that could be considered trivial or 'boy racerish,' given the context of the song.


It rattles in time with the phone
The condition or age of his car sounds like it needs repair. Making it sound like it's in sync with the phone that's been ringing adds a humorous tone to the situation.


He just missed a call
The missed call could be interpreted in a few ways. Either Teddy was busy tuning his car and missed an important call, or missing a call isn't a big deal or surprise in his small town.




Contributed by Aaliyah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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