I want to tell you about my hometown
It's a dusty old jewel in the South Puget Sound
Well the factories churn and the timbers all cut down
And life goes by slow in Tacoma

People they laugh when they hear you're from my town
They say it's a sour and used up all place
I defended its honor, shrugged off the put downs
You know that you're poor, from Tacoma

Buildings are empty like ghettos or ghost-towns
It gives me a chill to think what was inside
I can't seem to fathom the dark of my history
I invented my own in Tacoma

There was nothing to put me in love with the good life
I'm in league with the the gangs guns, and the crime
There was no hollow promise that life would reward you
There was nowhere to hide in Tacoma

People who built it they loved it like I do
There was hope in the trainyard of something inspired
Once was I on it, but it's been painted shut
I found passion for life in Tacoma

Well I don't make it home much, I sadly neglect you
But that's how you like it away from the world
God bless California, make way for the Wal-Mart
I hope they don't find you Tacoma


Lyrics submitted by delial

Thrice All American Lyrics as written by Joel Trueblood Brian Connelly

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Thrice All American song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    Neko's love song to Tacoma, Washington. It makes me want to visit (though obviously not for the sights)!

    Ohhhhh Peacheson August 09, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i'm from tacoma, and this song pretty much hits the nail on the head. our town's a shithole, everyone knows it, but goddamn we love it anyway.

    we might be a little dirty, but i guarantee we're more fun to drink with than any seattle snob!

    agent_ajaxon September 03, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I whole heartedly agree with agent ajax, and this song. We're from Tacoma, we're gritty as fuck, and we're proud as hell.

    dawnofvict0ryon November 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I defended its honor, shrugged off the put-downs You know that you're poor from Tacoma

    I thought it was "They know that you're poor from Tacoma"

    One of the songs I relate to the most -- not from Tacoma, but know the same town in Virginia. Home's home.

    There was nothing to put me in love with the good life I'm in league with the the gangs and the guns and the crime

    Makes me laugh - she's so sweet in interviews and on stage. Still, very cool passage.

    Such a fun song to sing along with - as was the whole album

    waccoon June 18, 2010   Link

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