Just a mile down the road is the place where I was born
It’s dying and filled with grief
It’s cased in shadows, gray with ashes
It can’t get no relief
Do you need a passport to go down there?
Tell me is it safe?
I will keep my doors all locked
In fear for my life
Just a mile down the road
No one smiles, no one laughs
No one sings a tune
Front porches are empty and babies are hungry
In all hours of the afternoon
Teenagers can’t read too good
The police don’t even care
They’ll just arrest you and then they’ll undress you
I hope you’ve got underwear
Just a mile down the road
I say with a frown, “Why is it so?”
With hopes that it will change
My ma said, “John, don’t ask questions why.
It’ll always be the same.”
I got to thinking and I got to wondering
What it feels like when you die
And how it feels for all those folks
Who have no home tonight
Just a mile down the road
So I sat real long and I thought real hard
About how good my life has been
There are people one mile down
Who haven’t got a thing
My fair city has been so good
Been kind to me, I suppose
But people live in squalor and sell themselves for a dollar
Just a mile down the road
Just a mile down the road
I wish I could fix these kinds of things
By singing in my songs
But these thoughts don’t work too well
If no one sings along
If everybody sang or hummed or yelled
These dreams would all come true
Because sometimes music’s all you need
To bring the best out of you
Just a mile down the road
Now my story’s done, but my city’s not
It’s got a long way to go
Through the rain and the humid heat
And the next day it’ll snow
I don’t want to say farewell
Because I’m not going far
Today might be as dark as night
But we always have tomorrow
New York duo showcase an enigmatic blend of math rock guitars, pop-punk sing-a-longs, emo confessionals, and even rave-ready synths. Bandcamp New & Notable Nov 15, 2023