Small Towns
Rio Romeo Lyrics


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I ran into my pastor at a gay bar
Let me tell you he looked so bizarre
In fishnets instead of a suit
I ran into my dad's girlfriend named Pam
At a strip club with fives jammed
In every place you can imagine
All these things keep happening to me
And every time it's all so confusing
I just want to be left alone
Please don't make me leave my home
Small towns don't forgive
I ran into my grandma at a sex store
I always thought she was such a bore
No wonder she's always so tired
I ran into an old one night stand
Asked if I had any big plans
I'm whipping and gagging your mom
All these things keep happening to me
And every time it's all so confusing
I just want to be left alone




Please don't make me leave my home
Small towns don't forgive

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Small Towns" by Rio Romeo bring up a series of jarring and unexpected encounters that the singer experiences in their small town. These encounters challenge the listener's assumptions about what they might expect to encounter in a particular space based on their preconceived notions about the people and situations they expect to find there. In this way, the song serves as a commentary on the judgement and hypocrisy that can manifest within small communities, where expectations are high and conformity is expected.


The opening lines of the song reveal that the singer has run into their pastor at a gay bar, dressed in fishnets instead of his usual suit. This moment subverts the listener's expectation of what they might expect to find in a church or at a gay bar, and highlights the disconnect between an individual's professional persona and their personal desires. The subsequent encounters with the singer's dad's girlfriend Pam at a strip club, their grandmother at a sex store, and an old fling who makes lewd comments about their mother continue to challenge the listener's sense of what is appropriate behavior in different contexts.


Throughout the song, the singer expresses a desire to be left alone, indicating that they are tired of the judgement and scrutiny that comes with living in a small town. The repetition of the line "Small towns don't forgive" emphasizes the idea that once someone is marked as different or other in a small community, it can be difficult for them to escape that label, and even more difficult to find acceptance.


Line by Line Meaning

I ran into my pastor at a gay bar
I unexpectedly saw my religious leader at an establishment commonly associated with homosexuality.


Let me tell you he looked so bizarre
His appearance was unusual and unexpected in that setting.


In fishnets instead of a suit
He was wearing clothing that was opposite of what would typically be associated with his profession.


I ran into my dad's girlfriend named Pam
I encountered the partner of my father, whose name happens to be Pam.


At a strip club with fives jammed
She was present at a venue where strippers were performing and where five-dollar bills were being thrown at them.


In every place you can imagine
These unexpected occurrences take place in all sorts of locations.


All these things keep happening to me
I keep having these bizarre encounters.


And every time it's all so confusing
These incidents are bewildering and hard to make sense of.


I just want to be left alone
I desire to avoid any further unusual situations.


Please don't make me leave my home
I want to stay in the place where I feel most secure.


Small towns don't forgive
These occurrences are more likely to happen in small towns, and these communities are less likely to forget or overlook them.


I ran into my grandma at a sex store
I unexpectedly encountered my grandmother at a shop that sells sexual items.


I always thought she was such a bore
I had previously believed her to be uninteresting.


No wonder she's always so tired
It makes sense now why she may seem fatigued or worn out.


I ran into an old one night stand
I happened upon someone with whom I had only had a casual sexual encounter in the past.


Asked if I had any big plans
They inquired about my future goals or intentions.


I'm whipping and gagging your mom
This line is intentionally shocking and vulgar and does not have a clear meaning in relation to the rest of the song.




Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Rio Baxter

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Sarah


on Everyday I Get More Gay

I was thoroughly convinced
By every guy I kissed
That we could wait and it’s no problem
To let them know when I won’t stop them

But here’s a thought
I’m just gay

I was thoroughly revoked
By half the guys I chose
I know that isn’t that uncommon
What’s wrong with me
I won’t try to solve it

They knew before me
I’m just gay

Everyday I get more gay
And I find out
that it’s okay

Every night
It’s alright
It all makes sense
I’m just a dyke