Dirty Old Town
The Who / The Kinks [The Kinks] / Television / Devo / The Pogues [The Pogues] Lyrics

I met my love by the gas works wall
I first met my love near a gas works wall

Dreamed a dream by the old canal
I had a dream while sitting by an old canal

Kissed a girl by the factory wall
I shared a kiss with a girl near a factory wall

Dirty old town
This town may be dirty and run-down, but it holds a special place in my heart

Dirty old town
Repeating this line emphasizes how this town may not be the prettiest, but it has a certain charm that cannot be denied

Clouds a drifting across the moon
As the clouds move across the moon, it creates eerie shadows and an uneasy feeling

Cats a prowling on their beat
Cats roam the streets with a sense of authority and purpose, making them seem like they have a job to do

Spring's a girl in the street at night
The spring season presents itself in the form of a girl walking through the streets at night

Dirty old town
Repeating this line further emphasizes how this town has a special place in the artist's heart, despite its flaws

Dirty old town
This final repetition of the line serves as a reminder that no matter how dirty or run-down this town may be, it still holds a special place in the artist's heart

Heard a siren from the docks
The sound of a siren from the docks creates a sense of unease and danger

Saw a train set the night on fire
The sight of a train moving quickly through the night creates a spectacle that seems to set the night on fire

Smelled the spring on the smoky wind
The smell of spring is carried on the smoky wind, creating a unique scent that can only be found in this dirty old town

Dirty old town
Repeating this line for the third time underscores how this town has become an integral part of the singer's life, despite its flaws

Dirty old town
This final repetition of the line is a final reminder of the singer's fondness for this dirty old town

I'm going to make me a good sharp axe
The artist plans to make a sharp axe, perhaps as a tool for cutting down anything that might threaten this dirty old town

Shining steel tempered in the fire
The steel will be bright and strong, having been strengthened in the fire to make it tough and resilient

Will chop you down like an old dead tree
The sharp axe will cut through anything that gets in the way, just like it would chop down an old, dead tree

Dirty old town
Repeating this line one last time serves as a final tribute to the town that the singer loves, and a warning to anyone or anything that might threaten it