My Hometown
Neil Young Lyrics

I was eight years old and running with a dime in my hand
At a young age, I would run to pick up a paper for my father with a dime clutched in my hand.

Into the bus stop to pick up a paper for my old man
I would go to the bus stop and retrieve the newspaper for my father.

I'd sit on his lap in that big old Buick and steer as we drove through town
While sitting on my father's lap in his large Buick, I would help steer the car through town.

He'd tousle my hair and say son, take a good look around, this is your hometown
My father would affectionately ruffle my hair and encourage me to look at my surroundings, reminding me that this was our hometown.

Your hometown
The artist is emphasizing on the place where he grew up in to support his stance.

This is your hometown
The singer is emphasizing that this place holds significance to him and that he belongs here.

In '65 tension was running high at my high school
During 1965, there was high tension at my high school.

There was lots of fights between blacks and whites
Due to the racism prevalent in that time, there were many altercations between African American and white students.

Two cars at a light on a Saturday night, in the back seat there was a gun
On a Saturday night, two cars were stopped at a red light and in one of the cars, there was a gun present.

Words were passed in a shotgun blast
A violent outburst occurred, potentially with comments or remarks being exchanged, leading to a gunshot being fired.

And troubled times had come to my hometown
These events brought difficult times to the singer's home town.

Now Main Street's whitewashed windows and vacant stores
At present, the windows on Main Street have been painted white and the stores remain empty.

Seems like there ain't nobody wants to come down here no more
It appears there is no one who desires to come to this area anymore.

They're closing down the textile mill across the railroad tracks
The textile mill located on the other side of the railroad tracks is being shut down.

Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they ain't coming back
The boss explains that these job opportunities will soon be gone and unlikely to return.

To your hometown
The artist is urging the listener to take note of their own town and environment.

Last night me and Kate, we laid in bed
The previous evening, the artist and their partner, Kate, were lying in bed together.

Talking about getting out
The two were discussing the idea of leaving their hometown.

Packing up our bags and maybe heading south
They would pack their belongings and potentially venture south.

I'm thirty-five, we got a boy, of our own now
Currently, the artist is thirty-five and has a son.

Last night, I sat him up behind the wheel
On that same evening, the artist put their son in the driver's seat of a vehicle.

And said, "son, take a good look around
The artist encouraged their child to observe their surroundings.

This is your hometown"
And reminded their child that this was their hometown.