Being asked the question, “Where did you grow up?” is a tricky one for the locals of true small towns.
So if you’ve ever described the place you live by naming the nearest well-known city outside of it, then Kameron Marlowe’s “This Old Town” is for you.
Kameron’s debut album We Were Cowboys is one of the most down-to-earth, relatable projects I’ve listened to. It will definitely make you feel a kindred spirit with him as both a writer, singer and overall grounded human being.
And although many of the songs are worthy of being played on repeat, “This Old Town” is an easy favorite, because of its nostalgic energy.
In the song, Kameron focuses on small town life when you are too young to appreciate it and can only see it as an unfavorable dead end, and you’ve gotta love the creativity of some looping lyrics:
“This old town and barbed wire fences,
Will get you nowhere fast if you don’t listen,
You get some dirt on your boots and cuss that ground,
While the rest of the world keeps spinnin’ around,
This old town and barbed wire fences…”
But the underlying charisma of a small town isn’t lost on Kameron. Even though locals acknowledge the easy stalemate that can occur from staying in the small corners of hometowns, many still end up starting their own lives in the same place.
And this continues the love-hate cycle of small-town life that Kameron captures perfectly in his final verse:
“Some made it out,
Yeah, but I’m still here,
Fillin’ my tank and buyin’ my beer,
But I’m headed home,
To a pretty girl and a porch light,
Now I know why some folks like,
This old town and barbed wire fences…”
This song lacks nothing in heart and soul, and Kameron Marlowe’s honky tonk and southern rock amalgam creates an easy-to-take-to sound. And I would be remiss not to mention that his live performances are just as good, or better, than the recorded versions.
Maybe I’m a sucker for a North Carolina boy, or maybe I’m a sucker for the guys still out there fighting to sing the truth, but this song is definitely something special.
