Valuing a Small Town

Small town people want to keep their small towns, but then they raise kids who know, love, and appreciate small town life.

Tim McGraw, Where the Green Grass Grows

Six lanes
Taillights
Red ants marchin' into the night
They disappear to the left and right again
Another supper from a sack
A ninety-nine cent heart attack
I got a poundin' head and an achin' back
And the camel's buried in a big straw stack

I'm gonna live where the green grass grows
Watch my corn pop up in rows
Every night be tucked in close to you
Raise our kids where the good Lord's blessed
Point our rocking chairs towards the west
Plant our dreams where the peaceful river flows
Where the green grass grows

Well I'm from a map dot
A stop sign on a black top
I caught the first bus I could hop from there
But all this glitter is gettin' dark
There's concrete growin' in the city park
I don't know who my neighbors are
And there's bars on the corners and bars on my heart

I'm gonna live where the green grass grows
Watch my corn pop up in rows
Every night be tucked in close to you
Raise our kids where the good Lord's blessed
Point our rocking chairs towards the west
Plant our dreams where the peaceful river flows
Where the green grass grows

I'm gonna live where the green grass grows
Watch my corn pop up in rows
Every night be tucked in close to you
Raise our kids where the good Lord's blessed
Point our rocking chairs towards the west
Plant our dreams where the peaceful river flows
Wo-o where the green grass grows

Justin Moore, Small Town USA

A lot of people called it prison when I was growin’ up
But these are my roots and this is what I love
Cause everybody knows me and I know them
And I believe that's the way we were supposed to live
I wouldn't trade one single day here in small town USA

Chorus
Give me a Saturday night my baby by my side
A little Hank Jr. and a six pack of light
Old dirt road and I’ll be just fine
Give me a Sunday morning that’s full of grace
A simple life and I'll be okay here in small town USA

‘round here we break our backs just to earn a buck
We never get ahead but we have enough
I watch people leave and then come right back
I never wanted any part of that
and I'm proud to say that I love this place
Good ole small town USA

Chorus
Give me a Saturday night my baby by my side
David Allen Coe and a six pack of light
Old dirt road and I’ll be just fine
Give me a Sunday morning that’s full of grace
A simple life and I'll be okay here in small town USA
Oh yeah

I wouldn't trade one single day
I'm proud to say I love this place

Chorus
Give me a Saturday night my baby by my side
Sweet Home Alabama and a six pack of light
Old dirt road and I’ll be just fine
Give me a Sunday morning that’s full of grace
A simple life and I'll be okay
Yeah I'll be okay here in small town USA
Oh yeah small town USA

Oh yeah, small town USA

That's where I live. Where my heart has always been. I've seen and lived in bigger places, but Small Town-that's me.

An interesting note to add to this. A dear friend of ours (our age) recently had a massive heart attack. They took him off meds Friday and his wife, if he doesn’t come out of the coma, will probably have them pull the plug. He would want it that way.

He had worked for a national restaurant chain-in the accounting department. When he was asked to do something he knew to be immoral (not illegal mind you) he quit. He walked away from a very lucrative position. He became a mail man. In a small town. What an awesome example he’s set for everyone who knows him.

Small ways. Small town. Small worldly ambitions. Great rewards. Great eternal ramifications. Great man. Gary-this one's for you:

Alan Jackson - Small Town Southern Man

Born the middle son of a farmer
And a small town Southern man
Like his daddy's daddy before him
Brought up workin' on the land
Fell in love with a small town woman
And they married up and settled down
Natural way of life if you're lucky
For a small town Southern man

First there came four pretty daughters
For this small town Southern man
Then a few years later came another
A boy, he wasn't planned
Seven people livin' all together
In a house built with his own hands
Little words with love and understandin'
From a small town Southern man

Chorus:
And he bowed his head to Jesus
And he stood for Uncle Sam
And he only loved one woman
(He) was always proud of what he had
He said his greatest contribution
Is the ones he'll leave behind
Raised on the ways and gentle kindness
Of a small town Southern man


Callous hands told the story
For this small town Southern man
He gave it all to keep it all together
And keep his family on his land
Like his daddy, years wore out his body
Made it hard just to walk and stand
You can break the back
But you can't break the spirit
Of a small town Southern man

Chorus:
And he bowed his head to Jesus
And he stood for Uncle Sam
And he only loved one woman
(He) was always proud of what he had
He said his greatest contribution
Is the ones he'll leave behind
Raised on the ways and gentle kindness
Of a small town Southern man

Finally death came callin'
For this small town Southern man
He said it's alright 'cause I see angels
And they got me by the hand
Don't you cry, and don't you worry
I'm blessed, and I know I am
'Cause God has a place in Heaven
For a small town Southern man

Chorus:
And he bowed his head to Jesus
And he stood for Uncle Sam
And he only loved one woman
(He) was always proud of what he had
He said his greatest contribution
Is the ones he'll leave behind
Raised on the ways and gentle kindness
Of a small town Southern man
(Raised on the ways and gentle kindness)
(Of a small town Southern man)

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