I'd never live in a small town
I've made too many mistakes
For where you gotta write your book early
Or it gets written up in your place
Where you never get away from your first love
It's like one brand of soap's sold in town
'Cause anyone you can get close to
Smells like your first time around

But in a lake, you can backstroke forever
The sky before you, the dark right behind
And in a big city, you can start over

And everywhere you go makes your heart ache
When you've done enough walks of shame
Some days, you just go the long way
To stay off of memory lane
So I'd never live in a small town
I'm slow to learn all the rules
I've tried very hard to be good
But when they think you're bad, people act worse

But in a lake, you can backstroke forever
The sky before you and the dark behind you
And in a big city, you can start over
The lights all around you, the dark safe in the sight
In a big city, you can start over