Quiet Town Lyrics
Oh yeah, oh no, the train, the train
Every two or three years, the train kills somebody
Every two or three years, yeah
Everybody knows about the train, okay?
You hear it constantly
Eh, I— I think the train is a way to find your way out of this life, if you get hit by it
[Verse 1]
A couple of kids got hit by a Union Pacific train
Carrying sheet metal and household appliances through the pouring rain
They were planning on getting married after graduation
Had a little baby girl, trouble came and shut it down
Things like that ain't supposed to happen
[Chorus]
In this quiet town, families are tight
Good people, they still don't deadbolt their doors at night
In this quiet town
[Verse 2]
When we first heard opioid stories, they were always in whispering tones
Now banners of sorrow mark the front steps of childhood homes
Parents wept through daddy's girl eulogies
And merit badge milestones with their daughters and sons
Laying there lifeless in their suits and gowns
Somebody's been keepin' secrets
In this quiet town, they know how to live
Good people who lean on Jesus, they're quick to forgive
In this quiet town
[Bridge]
Now whenever I'm near the town, I'll find some reason to give
And I will walk with the dead and the living where I used to live
And every time I see my parents in the prime of their lives
Offering their son the kind of love he could never put down
Well, part of me is still that stainless kid, lucky
[Chorus]
In this quiet town, salt of the land
Hard-working people, if you're in trouble, they'll lend you a hand
Here in this quiet town
[Outro]
The first crop of hay is up
School let out and the sun beats down
Smoke billows from a Sunday train
That cries away from a quiet town
About
Quiet Town compares unresolved tragedies from Brandon Flowers' youth: kids getting hit by a train and kids overdosing on opioids. He contrasts the tragedies in the town with the gracious and loving characteristics of the community; he doesn’t question whether or not they legitimately are good people, but he instead asks why bad things still happen despite them being good people.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
I was in eighth grade when two seniors got hit by a train. Their names were Raymond and Tiffany. I was surprised to find 25 years later how much I was still affected by it. I felt like it was the end of an innocence for me and for the town, because afterwards I noticed things started to happen. It was almost like opening this door of darkness. A lot of times we talk about stagnation with snarky terms, and I think it’s one of the things that’s associated with towns like Nephi, but it can also be a beautiful thing, because it’s these people that are holding on to ideals and traditions. I hope that it never changes in that respect.
- 1.West Hills
- 2.Quiet Town
- 4.Cody
- 5.Sleepwalker
- 10.Pressure Machine
- 11.The Getting By
