Sin City
Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris Lyrics
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It will swallow you in
If you've got some money to burn
Take it home right away
You've got three years to pay
But Satan is waiting his turn
The scientists say
It will all wash away
Cause we've got our recruits
And our green mohair suits
So please show your I.D. At the door
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poor house
It seems like this whole town's insane
On the thirty-first floor a gold plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
A friend came around
Tried to clean up this town
His ideas made some people mad
But he trusted his crowd
So he spoke right out loud
And they lost the best friend they had
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poor house
It seems like this whole town's insane
On the thirty-first floor a gold plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
On the thirty-first floor a gold plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
The first stanza of "Sin City" describes a bleak and corrupt urban landscape with an unavoidable cycle of sin and financial ruin. Those who come to the city with money to spare will inevitably fall prey to the temptation and be consumed by it, with Satan waiting patiently to claim their souls. Despite the attempts of scientists to rationalize and explain away the destructive forces at play, the singer and their cohorts are no longer willing to believe in such remedies. They have instead turned to their own means of self-expression and identity, embodied by their unique fashion choices and tight-knit community. The final line of the stanza prepares the listener for what is to come: a city with a dark past and uncertain future, where entry is closely guarded and those who fall victim to its allure may never escape its grasp.
The second stanza shifts focus to a friend who attempted to bring order to the chaos of the city, but ultimately failed and was ostracized by those around him. The singer acknowledges the sacrifice of their friend and the sense of impending doom that looms over the city like an earthquake, threatening to leave them destitute and without hope. The final line of the stanza reinforces the religious overtones of the song, suggesting that even the wealthiest and most powerful members of society are not immune to divine judgement when it comes.
Overall, "Sin City" is a dark and cautionary tale about the perils of urban life and the dangers of unchecked greed and corruption.
Line by Line Meaning
This old town is filled with sin
The city is bad and full of wrongdoing
It will swallow you in
It will consume and trap you
If you've got some money to burn
If you have extra money to spend
Take it home right away
Leave this dangerous place quickly
You've got three years to pay
You can use credit but must pay it all back in three years
But Satan is waiting his turn
Evil is present and ready to corrupt
The scientists say
Experts suggest
It will all wash away
The city will eventually be destroyed
But we don't believe any more
We don't trust that outcome anymore
Cause we've got our recruits
We have our followers or supporters
And our green mohair suits
Our fancy clothes symbolize our success
So please show your I.D. At the door
We need proof of your identity to enter
A friend came around
Someone showed up
Tried to clean up this town
Attempted to improve the city
His ideas made some people mad
His suggestions angered some
But he trusted his crowd
He relied on his supporters
So he spoke right out loud
He spoke up boldly
And they lost the best friend they had
They lost a good friend due to backlash from his ideas
On the thirty-first floor a gold plated door
A fancy entrance high up in a building
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
It won't protect from God's punishment
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poor house
The disaster will make me poor and destitute
It seems like this whole town's insane
The city is crazy and out of control
On the thirty-first floor a gold plated door
Referring back to the fancy entrance
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
It won't protect from God's punishment
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER HILLMAN, GRAM PARSONS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind