Boomtown
Richard Thompson Lyrics

Well I'm a poor boy from Wabash, they call me oil trash
The singer is from an impoverished area and is referred to as a lowly individual by others because of his job in the oil industry.

I've rubber-necked and rousted around
The singer has traveled to different oil fields and has searched for different positions within them.

And every damn job the boss he says "Hoss,
Each supervisor at every job tells the singer that the work he does is worthless.

It ain't worth pumping from the ground"
The supervisors say that the oil is not profitable enough to warrant being extracted.

So I come here to Boomtown doing just fine
The artist finally finds a location where he is able to work and earn paychecks.

Till the shit hits the fan, alright
Until the unexpected and damaging situations occur.

Now I can't get no pay and I'm wasting away
The singer is no longer receiving compensation for his work and is physically and emotionally deteriorating.

Flushed out and busted in Boomtown tonight
The artist is broke, jobless, and experiencing a low point in Boomtown on this particular night.

My baby she's mad, she thinks I'm all bad
The artist's partner is angry with him and believes him to be a negative influence.

She'd like to see me work myself to death
The artist's partner wishes for him to exert himself fully in pursuit of employment to the point of harm.

She said "Go out and get yourself another damn job"
The singer's partner is instructing him to find a different job.

I said "Honey, just save your breath"
The artist tells his partner that he doesn't want to hear her pleadings.

Oh that sweet little thing, she threw back my ring
The singer's partner ends their engagement and returns the ring.

I bet she held it up to the light
The singer imagines his partner examining the ring after returning it.

Now the kids are all yakking, my baby she's packing
The children are chattering and the singer's partner is piling her belongings to depart.

Flushed out and busted in Boomtown tonight
As before, the artist is down on his luck on this particular night in Boomtown.

Oh Boomtown is busted, the rigs are all rusted
The entire town is struggling, and the infrastructure previously used for oil extraction is now in disrepair.

There's no lights on my Christmas tree
The singer does not have the resources to celebrate Christmas.

Well I tried El Paso and I tried Amarillo
The singer attempted to find work elsewhere in Texas.

But I didn't find a drop of Texas tea
Despite his efforts, he was not able to find oil in these other locations.

Well they hit us when we're down, and we can't get up
The society or system oppresses people who are already suffering, which makes it difficult for them to improve their conditions.

Though we're trying with all of our might
Despite the obstacles and disadvantages, people are doing everything possible to overcome their difficulties.

Now the bottle's run dry and I'm wondering why
The singer has run out of alcohol and is contemplating his troubles.

Flushed out and busted in Boomtown tonight
As previously mentioned, the artist is still in dire straits on this night in Boomtown.

Yes I'm flushed out and busted in Boomtown tonight
The song ends with a repetition of the previous line to emphasize the hopeless situation in which the singer finds himself.