‎Secret
Tyler Braden Lyrics

There's an old train track, goes back by the old mill
An old, unused train track runs near the aging mill in this small town.

With a most slip away every day to the whiskey still
Some of the residents sneak away from their daily routines to make whiskey at the hidden still.

And they sell shine by the bottle for a fire every Saturday
On Saturdays, the townsfolk purchase bottles of the homemade whiskey to drink around a bonfire.

Behind Old Red's Tavern but you didn't hear that from me
The whiskey still is located behind Old Red's Tavern, but the artist is keeping this information a secret from the listener.

'Cause we all act like we don't know
Everyone in the small town pretends not to notice the shady activities occurring within their community.

Where daddy got his money for a fishing pole
The residents are aware that some community members may be involved in illegal activities to provide for their families.

A Zebco don't come cheap in this day and time
Fishing equipment is expensive in modern times, so the singer questions how some families are able to afford it.

And we all turn the other way
Instead of confronting and addressing issues, the townsfolk choose to ignore them.

'Cause we've got bills that we can't pay
The artist suggests that the residents are preoccupied with financial struggles and are therefore hesitant to intervene in anyone else's affairs.

It's a small town and we know how it goes
The residents are familiar with the unwritten social norms of their close-knit community.

It's just another secret
The town keeps a number of secrets, large and small.

That everybody knows
Despite the attempts to keep certain issues private, the entire town is aware of the secrets they keep.

Old man Rainey spends his days at the local store
A resident of the town, Old man Rainey, spends his days at a local store.

He pays for little but sometimes leaves with more
Old man Rainey may take items from the store without paying for them.

But he's always got a story 'bout his boy shipped overseas
Old man Rainey frequently tells stories about his son who was sent overseas.

And he hasn't been the same since, so we let him be
The townsfolk leave Old man Rainey alone because they realize his son's absence has deeply affected him.

That he ain't got nowhere to go
The community is aware that Old man Rainey is a lonely man without much to occupy him.

Cause he's too proud to beg for a handout
Old man Rainey is too proud to ask for help from others.

Well, this simple life ain't as easy as it sounds
Life in this small town is more complex than it may seem on the surface.

'Cause we've all got things that we don't talk about
The residents carry secrets and problems that they are hesitant to discuss with others.

Jenny had a baby last spring, now she's all alone
A woman named Jenny gave birth to a child recently, and is now raising the child by herself.

Cause old man Rainey's boy, he ain't coming home
Jenny's partner, possibly Old man Rainey's son, will not be returning home.

Now she drinks from a bottle she got behind Old Red's
Jenny now copes with her problems by drinking whiskey obtained from Old Red's Tavern.

'Cause she can't get the sight of him leaving out of her head
Jenny is deeply affected by her partner's absence and cannot stop thinking about him leaving.

When she comes into Sunday school
Jenny attends Sunday school.

With a smile and baby boy in her arms
Jenny is holding her child and appears to be content at Sunday school.

Say 'bless their hearts' and we just pray
The townsfolk offer their prayers and well-wishes to those suffering in their community.