Down in Memphis Town

Young lady at the counter

She lowers her eyes

She ain't happy I'm here

Lanky old black man

I see him cross the street

He don't want me near

Everybody wants to live in a perfect world

But I’m an American past

I’m just a broken girl

Down in Memphis Town

(Memphis town)

Down in Memphis Town

(Memphis town)

Remember Dr. King

At the Lorraine Hotel

They shot down like a dog

They say they got the killer

But I ain’t so sure

I think he's hangin’ around

Everybody wants to live the perfect lie

But I 'm just telling it like I see it

And I don't know why

I'm in Memphis town

(I'm in Memphis town)

I'm in Memphis town

(I'm in Memphis town)

Porter and Hayes

And that gold Cadillac

That's what brought me here

But there's a burned out building

Sitting right next to Stax

They say it's been there for years

Down in Memphis Town

(Memphis town)

Down in Memphis Town

(Memphis town)

Al Green’s church

And the Beale Street blues

I think it’s all so swell

 

But them flagstones by Graceland

You can bet your bottom dollar

They got a story to tell

Down in Memphis Town

(Memphis town)

Down in Memphis Town

(Memphis town)

I wonder if they'll cancel

My words to my song

I can read the sign

Nobody ever gets

too close to the truth

Unless your good at lyin’

Everybody wants to claim this magic history

But there’s bodies and they’re floating

On that mighty Mississippi

Down in Memphis Town

(Memphis town)

Down in Memphis Town

(Memphis town)

Down in Memphis Town

Memphis Town

Down in Memphis Town

Memphis Town

I wonder why I’m still hangin’ ‘round

Down in Memphis Town

(Memphis Town)