I must've lived a thousand times
But every day begins the same
'Cause there's a small town in my mind
How can I leave without hurting everyone that made me?
How can I leave without hurting everyone that made me?

Oh, baby, baby, it's all about the moon
I wish you wouldn't have broken my camera
'Cause we're gonna get real old real soon
Today we're younger than we ever gonna be
Today we're younger than we ever gonna be
Woo!
Today we're younger than we ever gonna be

Stop, stop, what's the hurry?
Come on, baby, don't you worry, worry
Everybody not so nice, nice
Everybody not so nice, nice
Stop, stop, what's the hurry?
Come on, baby, don't you worry, worry
Everybody not so nice, nice
Everybody not so nice, nice

Thought you ought to know by now
I thought you ought to know by now
Everybody not so nice, nice
Everybody not so nice, nice

Oh, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby, baby, baby it's all about the moon
I must've lived a thousand times
But there's a small town in my mind
How can I leave without hurting everyone that made me?
How can I leave without hurting everyone that made me?
Woo!
How can I leave without hurting everyone that made me?
Oh, how can I leave without hurting everyone that made me?
Oh oh!
How can I leave without hurting everyone that made me?
Oh
How can I leave without hurting everyone that made me?


Lyrics submitted by lemonjuice, edited by tman2nd

Small Town Moon Lyrics as written by Regina Spektor

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Small Town Moon song meanings
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  • +4
    My Interpretation

    The second time I heard this song the words and their meanings started to fall into place.

    My interpretation is that the singer is using a small town as a metaphor for her "life." It is true she states that her mind is like a small town, but I took it a step further and connected the dots that if you are no longer alive to think, you've got no mind left. You could also read into this and say that she is referring to a state of mental instability or a breakdown, insanity etc... I just took it to mean her life.

    When she speaks about leaving the small town I see it as a reference to suicide. She is thinking that she wants to escape the pain she later references: "Everybody not so nice, nice / Everybody not so nice, nice" - almost as if to say: 'There is no one that is nice to me / who loves me'

    Connecting this thought to the line that precedes it: "I thought you ought to know by now" - I read it to be Regina (or whoever is singing) talking to herself. She is reiterating the "I must have lived a thousand times" line, saying in effect - 'Why haven't you figured it out yet? Every day is the same. Everyone is not so nice.' And she is in the conflict of wanting to escape the pain without hurting the ones that made her.

    The ones who "made her" could either refer to her parents, or it could be a more general reference to the society that formed her (the not so nice people) through her life experiences. If you believe it's the former, it's pretty self explanatory - she doesn't want to hurt her family with a suicide. If you believe it's the latter, it opens up another allegorical door- namely that she may be trying to live up to the expectations of those she lives around (who are not so nice.)

    When she states "Oh baby it's all about the moon" I read that to mean that she prefers the night - the end of the day - as opposed to the beginning, where "every day begins the same." Why prefer the night? Because she is away from those who hurt her, she's alone, she's with herself. Perhaps the only person she can trust? I'm reading in a lot there, but just some food for thought.

    The bit about the camera being broken. I read it to be that Regina is suggesting the singer is young, innocent, naive. It reminds me of my teenage years in high school where everything seemed to be life or death, a breakup was the end of the world etc... Now that I'm older I have the wisdom to realize there is more than just this moment and there is a future to look forward to. In this case, the camera is broken, the singer can't capture that moment in her youth, and soon she will be older. Hopefully she will live long enough to recognize that life changes and things get better.

    Hope you liked the interpretation - hope it was at least a bit helpful! God bless,

    • Antoon
    soulmiston June 25, 2012   Link

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