A bitter, ironic story about how you used to know someone before they, perhaps, 'turned bad' or were awoken to the world around them, and this completely changed them. This song has its origins in personal experience but the 'big city' concept is just expressing how I feel in a different context.

Big City Blues

Gonna go put a record on
Sink into the wilderness
Of my endless bed...

As I fall asleep
Time and again
Dreamy thoughts echo through my head...

(build up)

(phone voice)

Do you remember
Because guess what, I do

Back in the day
Me and you

Together
I remember

The way we laughed, sung and played
I never thought those times would go away...

(end phone voice)

But then you ran away
To the big city
Without me
Just to see
What you could be with the new guy
Driving me out of my mind...

(build up)

Why do I remind myself of bad times
what makes me bring this back up in my mind
It's as if I enjoy putting myself through pain
of days gone by
I wonder what happened to you
What you managed to do in the big city...

(build down)

You walk down the street
Paved with gold beneath your feet
Arm in arm with mister charm
But I bet you still think of me
Occasionally

I know you too well
To see that you are going through a private hell
Your not happen with him
I know it's a sin because you are in
The big city

But remember me
And how we used to be together
We were never rich
Never that successfull
But we where happy together in each others arms

(build up)

Why do I remind myself of bad times
(Just like those I describe)
what makes me bring this back up in my mind
(I thought i'd left it behind)
It's as if I enjoy putting myself through pain
of days gone by
(I really do not want to rewind)
I wonder what happened to you
(what ever you did i'm still here with you)
What you managed to do in the big city...

(build down)

(phone voice)

I bet it swallowed you whole
You just weren't ready
For the heady suger rush of the big, bad city

No, you were not ready
No, you were not prepared
No, I do not want to watch you
As the big city tears
You apart...

(end phone voice, build up)

Why do I remind myself of bad times
(i'll block them out of my simple head)
what makes me bring this back up in my mind
(as I lie here trying to block them out, in my bed)
It's as if I enjoy putting myself through pain
of days gone by
(why, oh why...)
I wonder what happened to you
What you managed to do in the big city...
(that swallowed you whole...)

(build up)

You still send me a birthday card
A christmas letter too
But i'm not like you I never think
What you managed to do

Because I read your letters
Throw them away
I don't want to end up
micromanaging your day
Because I couldn't care less
What kind of mess
The big city has got you into

You used to be a good girl
Before you entered the real world
As a underground
Big city
Round and round
Sleep around
Hip hop girl

You forgot the good times, baby
Forgot the happy days you had with me
And you've thrown it all away
Thrown it all away
Thrown it all away
Thrown it all away today
Yeah...(echo)

(build up)

(phone voice)

You used to be a nice girl...
Before you came into the world...

(end phone voice)

But then you ran away
To the big city
Without me
Just to see
What you could be with the new guy
Driving me out of my mind...

(build up)

Why do I remind myself of bad times
I don't know but I don't any more
what makes me bring this back up in my mind
I've forgetten about the times when you made me poor
And lifeless

It's as if I enjoy putting myself through pain
of days gone by
Watching myself wonder why you did this
What you had to gain
I wonder what happened to you
What you managed to do in the big city...

(build down)

On second thoughts...

(build up)

(silence)

No, I don't care any more...

(end)