This Town
Nashville Cast Clare Bowen and Charles Esten Lyrics

The opening lines of the song, 'Hold on until the feeling is so strong, until the ground that you walk on is where you stand' suggests that one should hold on until they feel a strong connection with the place they are in. The subsequent lines reveal that the subject is dreaming of something that both heals and haunts them at the same time. While this dream has tempted and taught them who they are, it's something they are still grappling with. The verse talks about how the dream has tied them to this town, and how they see themselves in it.

The chorus, 'This town ain't yours, and this town ain't mine. We all come here with a light in our eyes. Some will burn out, some will burn bright, some learn to fly, some will run for their lives' suggests diversity in the ways people see this town. This town is a shared space for all of them, but each individual's perception of it is unique. The last line of the chorus, 'In this town' unites them all, despite their differences.

The second verse talks about how everyone in this town is a stranger, but the song they sing puts their hearts in danger. The subject confronts the devil inside them, but they refuse to let it guide them or take away their wings (which symbolically represents their freedom). The chorus is repeated, emphasizing that the town belongs to no one and that each person's experience in it is different. The song ends on a lingering note that leaves the listener to reflect on the nature of the town and the people in it.