Matt Shadows their lead singer says the song was written as per request from the developers of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Watching the initial trailers for the game & looking at production sketches reminded him of the 'S-Town' podcast & its main protagonist, John B. McLemore. Matt also comments specifically on the lyrics: "I decided that the lyrics would shadow McLemore's life." In 2012, antiquarian horologist John B. McLemore sent an email to the staff of the show 'This American Life' asking them to investigate an alleged murder in his hometown of Woodstock, Alabama, a place McLemore claimed to despise. After a year of exchanging emails & several months of conversation with McLemore, producer Brian Reed traveled to Woodstock to investigate. Reed investigated the crime & eventually found that no such murder took place, though he struck up a friendship with the depressed but colorful character of McLemore. He recorded conversations with McLemore & other people in Woodstock. McLemore killed himself by drinking potassium cyanide on June 22, 2015 while the podcast was still in production. In the narrative of the podcast, this occurs at the end of the second episode; subsequent episodes deal with the fallout from McLemore's death while exploring more of McLemore's life & character.
Jimmy was a small town kid
The only thing that he ever did
Was cross that south side railroad track
Annie was a small town girl
Wanted so bad to see the world
Get on a train and never look back
(chorus)
Throw caution to the wind don't ever turn your head
Cause in the end we'll all be dead
Make 'em open up their ears and listen to your song
It don't matter whose right or wrong
Headed fast out of town West on 51
Half a pack of cigarettes and a glove compartment gun
Runnin' a little short on gas she said I'll step in and pay
Got a pocket full of cash and they made their getaway
(chorus)
Arizona sun sinking slowly in the sand
Got a bag of twenty bills and a sack of contraband
Steppin' down on his foot give this thing some gas
The lights in the rearview mirror are coming on us fast
Just like the wind here cane the end
They never saw it come
Jimmy knew his fate was sealed when Annie grabbed her gun
The same old broken story
I know you've heard it too
They went out in a blaze of glory with a hand held .22
(chorus)
The only thing that he ever did
Was cross that south side railroad track
Annie was a small town girl
Wanted so bad to see the world
Get on a train and never look back
(chorus)
Throw caution to the wind don't ever turn your head
Cause in the end we'll all be dead
Make 'em open up their ears and listen to your song
It don't matter whose right or wrong
Headed fast out of town West on 51
Half a pack of cigarettes and a glove compartment gun
Runnin' a little short on gas she said I'll step in and pay
Got a pocket full of cash and they made their getaway
(chorus)
Arizona sun sinking slowly in the sand
Got a bag of twenty bills and a sack of contraband
Steppin' down on his foot give this thing some gas
The lights in the rearview mirror are coming on us fast
Just like the wind here cane the end
They never saw it come
Jimmy knew his fate was sealed when Annie grabbed her gun
The same old broken story
I know you've heard it too
They went out in a blaze of glory with a hand held .22
(chorus)
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