Sin City
J. D. Crowe & The New South Lyrics
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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
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poorhouse
On the 31st floor a gold plated door
Won't keep out the lord's burnin' rain
A friend came around, tried to clean up this town
His ideas made some people mad
He trusted his crowd, so he spoke right out loud
And they lost the best friend they had
* Refrain
The first verse of J. D. Crowe & The New South's "Sin City" starts off by describing the town - it is filled with sin, and if you're not careful, it can easily consume you. It is a place where money talks, and if you've got some, it's advisable to take it home right away, because Satan is always waiting for his chance to strike. The second verse paints an even bleaker picture, describing an impending earthquake that will leave the singer in the poorhouse. The town is insane, and even on the 31st floor, a gold-plated door won't be enough to keep the lord's burnin' rain out.
The final verse of the song tells the story of a friend who tried to clean up the town. He had good intentions, but his ideas made some people mad. Nonetheless, he continued to speak out loud and trusted the crowd, ultimately losing the best friend he had. The refrain simply repeats the somber tone of the overall song, reminding the listener that "this old town's filled with sin."
Overall, "Sin City" is a powerful commentary on the darker aspects of human nature and the dangers of greed and corruption. It presents a cautionary tale of a town that appears to be consumed by sin and reminds the listener to be wary of the temptations that may lurk in the shadows.
Line by Line Meaning
This old town's filled with sin, it'll swallow you in
This town is full of immoral behavior and if you're not careful, you can get sucked into its darkness
If you've got some money to burn, take it home right away, you've got three years to pay
If you have extra money, don't spend it here because there are other places where that money could be put to better use
But Satan is waiting his turn
Evil is always lurking close by
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poorhouse
This disaster is going to leave me financially ruined
It seems like this whole town's insane
The entire town is acting irrationally
On the 31st floor a gold plated door won't keep out the lord's burnin' rain
Even the richest and most powerful people are not immune to the consequences of their actions
A friend came around, tried to clean up this town
Someone tried to bring positive change to the town
His ideas made some people mad
Not everyone was on board with this person's vision for the town
He trusted his crowd, so he spoke right out loud
The person had faith in the community and openly shared his ideas
And they lost the best friend they had
Unfortunately, the disagreement over how to improve the town led to the loss of a valuable friend and ally in the community
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER HILLMAN, GRAM PARSONS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind