Zoo time, is she and you time?
The mammals are your favourite type, and you want her tonight
Heartbeat, increasing heartbeat
You hear the thunder of stampeding rhinos, elephants and tacky tigers
This town ain't big enough for the both of us
And it ain't me who's gonna leave

Flying, domestic flying
And when the stewardess is near do not show any fear
Heartbeat, increasing heartbeat
You are a khaki-coloured bombardier, it's Hiroshima that you're nearing
This town ain't big enough for both of us
And it ain't me who's gonna leave

Daily, except for Sunday
You dawdle in to the cafe where you meet her each day
Heartbeat, increasing heartbeat
As twenty cannibals have hold of you, they need their protein just like you do
This town ain't big enough for the both of us
And it ain't me who's gonna leave

Shower, another shower
You've got to look your best for her and be clean everywhere
Heartbeat, increasing heartbeat
The rain is pouring on the foreign town, the bullets cannot cut you down
This town ain't big enough for the both of us
And it ain't me who's gonna leave

Census, the latest census
There'll be more girls who live in town though not enough to go round
Heartbeat, increasing heartbeat
You know that this town isn't big enough, not big enough for both of us
This town isn't big enough, not big enough for both of us
I ain't gonna leave


Lyrics submitted by agnamaracs

This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us Lyrics as written by Ron Mael

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us song meanings
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7 Comments

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  • +4
    General Comment

    Basically, the song's protagonist keeps trying to work up the nerve to ask out various women, but then he gets terrified and chickens out (each time accompanied by an imagined disaster). He later reaffirms his masculinity by watching old cowboy movies, but the next day, the exact same thing happens. It's a vicious cycle.

    It's also interesting to note that I submitted this to the site two and a half years ago, and after a horrible series of downtimes, it's still here. I was afraid everything got deleted.

    agnamaracson March 15, 2005   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation

    The song is about the inner conflict of a young and inexperienced male trapped between his strong ("animalistic") urges and his timidity (increasing heartbeat) in preparation for and during different encounters with the opposite sex.

    Fear and desire are dwelling in his chest (the town), facing each other in an old-Western-movie-like show-down. Fear and desire are real, while he invents imaginary hero scenes to boost his weak self-confidence.

    Driven by his strong desire, he is firm in his will to succeed in the end (I ain't gonna leave).

    RolandHon February 11, 2020   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    One of my all-time favourites! An awesome song sung by an awesome voice. Why are there so less comments about Sparks? They're an ingenious band, and their last album is a masterpiece...

    weziudfbhon January 27, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    As a fried said "Wow, they're really unpredictable lyrics, aren't they?"

    fairfieldparlouron January 17, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is the perfect track to dedicate to someone you never wish to see again.

    Jirosworldon August 19, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    A fried? What is he, an egg?

    bartdomeon October 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    Hello, i'm french and i was guessings if the term mammals could be used to name woman's chest. And i'm too, surprised to see so few comments on a song like this.

    Fildefranceon January 20, 2017   Link

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