Smalltown
John Cale & Lou Reed/John Cale & Lou Reed Lyrics
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When you're growing up in a small town
When you're growing up in a small town
You say, "no one famous ever came from here"
When you're growing up in a small town
And you're having a nervous breakdown
And you think that you'll never escape it
Where did Picasso come from?
There's no Michelangelo coming from Pittsburgh
If art is the tip of the iceberg
I'm the part sinking below
When you're growing up in a small town
Bad skin, bad eyes, gay and fatty
People look at you funny
When you're in a small town
My father worked in construction
It's not something for which I'm suited
Oh, what is something for which you are suited?
Getting out of here
I hate being odd in a small town
If they stare let them stare in New York City
At this pink eyed painting albino
How far can my fantasy go?
I'm no Dali coming from Pittsburgh
No adorable lisping Capote
My hero, oh, do you think I could meet him?
I'd camp out at his front door
There's only one good thing about small town
There's only one good use for a small town
There's only one good thing about small town
You know that you want to get out
When you're growing up in a small town
You know you'll grow down in a small town
There's only one good use for a small town
You hate it and you'll know you have to leave
The song Smalltown by Lou Reed is about the struggles of growing up in a small town, and the feeling of being trapped in a place where there is no room for growth or creativity. The repetition of the phrase "When you're growing up in a small town" emphasizes the suffocating nature of being confined to a small, insular community. The lyrics go on to describe the sense of isolation and hopelessness that can come with living in a small town, particularly if one feels like they don't fit in.
Reed touches on the idea that small towns are often seen as unsophisticated, and their residents are not expected to produce anything of significance. This is reflected in the line, "You say, 'no one famous ever came from here'." Reed challenges this assumption, and wonders what might have happened if someone like Picasso or Michelangelo had grown up in Pittsburgh. He also reflects on his own status as an artist, expressing doubt about his ability to be successful while living in a small town.
The song also touches on themes of identity and self-acceptance. Reed describes feeling like an outsider in his small town because of his physical appearance, sexual orientation, and artistic sensibilities. He longs to escape the judgment and scrutiny of his neighbors and live in a place where people won't stare at him. The repetition of the phrase "I hate being odd in a small town" underscores the sense of alienation that comes from feeling like you don't fit in.
Overall, Smalltown is a powerful meditation on the challenges and frustrations of growing up in a small town, and the desire to break free from the constraints of such an insular community.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're growing up in a small town
Life starts in a small town
When you're growing up in a small town, And you're having a nervous breakdown
Small towns can be tough on mental health
And you think that you'll never escape it, Yourself or the place that you live
Small towns can feel like a trap
Where did Picasso come from?
Small towns are not known for producing great artists
There's no Michelangelo coming from Pittsburgh
Small towns are not known for producing great artists
If art is the tip of the iceberg, I'm the part sinking below
The artist feels insignificant in their small town
Bad skin, bad eyes, gay and fatty, People look at you funny, When you're in a small town
Small towns can be brutal on those who don't fit in
My father worked in construction, It's not something for which I'm suited, Oh, what is something for which you are suited?, Getting out of here
Small towns may not offer suitable career options
I hate being odd in a small town
Small towns can be unforgiving to those who are different
If they stare let them stare in New York City, At this pink eyed painting albino, How far can my fantasy go?
The artist dreams of acceptance in a bigger city
I'm no Dali coming from Pittsburgh
Small towns are not known for producing great artists
No adorable lisping Capote, My hero, oh, do you think I could meet him?, I'd camp out at his front door
Small towns lack the opportunities to meet one's heroes
There's only one good thing about small town, You know that you want to get out
The only good thing about a small town is the desire to leave
When you're growing up in a small town, You know you'll grow down in a small town
Small towns can stifle personal growth
There's only one good use for a small town, You hate it and you'll know you have to leave
The only purpose of a small town is the drive to leave
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN DAVIES CALE, LOU REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind