Iris DeMent - Our Town Lyrics






And you know the sun's setting fast
And just like they say, nothing good ever lasts
Go on now and kiss it goodbye
But hold on to your lover 'cause your heart's bound to die
Go on now and say goodbye to our town, to our town
Can't you see the sun's setting down on our town, on our town
Goodnight

Up the street, beside that red neon light
That's where I met my baby on one hot summer night
He was the 'tender and I ordered the beer
It's been forty years and I'm still sitting here

But you know the sun's setting fast
And just like they say, nothing good ever lasts
Go on now and kiss it goodbye
But hold on to your lover 'cause your heart's bound to die
Go on now and say goodbye to our town, to our town
Can't you see the sun's setting down on our town, on our town
Goodnight

It's here I had my babies and I had my first kiss
I've walked down Main Street in the cold morning mist
Over there is where I bought my first car
It turned over once but then it never went far

And I could see the sun's setting fast
And just like they say, nothing good ever lasts
Go on now and kiss it goodbye
But hold on to your lover 'cause your heart's bound to die
Go on now and say goodbye to our town, to our town
Can't you see the sun's setting down on our town, on our town
Goodnight

I buried my mama and I buried my pa
They sleep up the street beside that pretty brick wall
I bring 'em flowers about every day
But I just gotta cry when I think what they'd say

If they could see how the sun's setting fast
And just like they say, nothing good ever lasts
Go on now and kiss it goodbye
But hold on to your lover 'cause your heart's bound to die
Go on now and say goodbye to our town, to our town
Can't you see the sun's setting down on our town, on our town
Goodnight

Now I sit on the porch and watch the lightning bugs fly
But I can't see too good, I got tears in my eyes
I'm leaving tomorrow but I don't wanna go
I love you, my town, you'll always live in my soul

But I can see the sun's setting fast
And just like they say, nothing good ever lasts
Well. go on, I gotta kiss you goodbye
But I'll hold on to my lover 'cause my heart's 'bout to die
Go on now and say goodbye to my town, to my town
I can see the sun has gone down on my town, on my town
Goodnight
Goodnight





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Iris DeMent Our Town Comments
  1. F.... B....

    Wonderful. Just Wonderful. Emmy lou compliments Iris's voice beautifully. Harmonies to die for,wonderful musicians. Always loved The Transatlantic Sessions. Never missed one. Great upload. Regards Frank

  2. V.... M....

    I keep listening to this beautiful haunting melody. What a treasure !

  3. B.... W....

    I wish this song would never end

  4. J.... C....

    So good, as I wipe away my tears. (my girlfriend tells me I cry at a good card trick!)
    I have Iris's first two albums, but what icing on the cake is Emmy Lou singing harmony in this tape. The violin slices my heart - elicits an emotional response is the cliche - Iris's songs and voice keeps the historical Country genre alive, with her twang, yodel, lack o drums. I'm surprised new ears get her.

  5. D.... T....

    She is singing this straight from the heart.

  6. B.... D....

    Probably the saddest song I have ever heard. I cry every time I hear it. Anyone who has ever experienced the death of a community and been forced to leave, would probably agree. The utter despair is nearly impossible to suffer, at times. She has such a haunting and pleading voice, too. Unusual, desperate, and forlorn.

  7. F.... M....

    Wouldn't you love to hear her sing Tom Waits?

  8. M.... D....

    I don't know how she can sing this whole song without crying 😥❤

  9. J.... C....

    I love the way Emy sings backup and I mean way backup she doesn't try to croud Iris

    J.... C....

    James Cain basically perfect right? That was the best

    J.... C....

    That's what true musicians do: whatever's best for the music.

  10. P.... C....

    Just heaven!

  11. L.... P....

    Is there anything more achingly beautiful than this?

  12. D.... H....

    IRIS & EMMY..............are you kidding me. WOW....! THANK YOU buppie2000

  13. R.... B....

    A great tribute to Alan Pearsall https://omny.fm/shows/3aw-nightline-with-phil-and-simon/the-radio-asylum-with-simon-owens-tribute-to-al#description

  14. h.... ....

    This song never fails to make me tear ip

  15. g.... ....

    Name of the song "Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls was inspired by her.

  16. L.... C....

    Incredible talent - four greats.

  17. T.... S....

    I first heard this as it was played over the closing credits of the series finale of Norther Exposure. Huge fan of the song ever since. It speaks to my experience with the good and bad of my own rapidly changing hometown.

  18. F.... J....

    Iris Dement is so beautiful. She’s a heart melter.
    2.7 million views!

  19. T.... ....

    Soul moving music.

  20. M.... T....

    tearmoji

  21. M.... N....

    Iris Dement picks up where John Prine leaves off. Her music, like Johns' is 6 feet thick. Incredible writer and musician.

  22. b.... c....

    Why is she doing that with her voice?

  23. T.... S....

    Great stuff🤗

  24. N.... B....

    Just saw her live in concert tonight love her, wow 😮 ❤️💋

  25. 1.... ....

    cant listen to this without crying

  26. L.... W....

    Also takes one hell of a fiddle player to be good enough to play with these two angel geniuses.

  27. K.... T....

    When Emmy Lou sits in with you on a recording, you know that you have arrived. ELH has inspired so many, been a pillar of support, even saved a couple of lives. She is the one of a lifetime. Thank you Iris; God bless you EMH.

  28. M.... R....

    Ain't. It just like family?

  29. M.... M....

    I’ll never forget hearing you on A Prairie Home Companion. A fan ever since! Thanks.

  30. B.... ....

    Buppie, can you, as the uploader of this, add to your information notes? It would be very helpful to know the names of the artists in this wonderful piece. Indeed, there are many comments asking for just that information. You posted a reply a long time ago saying you didn't know all the names. Though you possibly do know them by now, let me list them.
    Vocals: Iris DeMent
    Harmony: EmmyLou Harris
    Dobro: Jerry Douglas
    Fiddle: Aly Bain
    Bass: Molly Mason (single shot at 1:55)

  31. K.... C....

    I first heard this song on the last episode of Northern Exposure. It was so fitting because that was one of shows I loved and felt truly spoke to my heart. Watching that episode and knowing I'll never see those beloved characters again made me sad. Like a friendship coming to end.

  32. J.... ....

    This is the song I listened to leaving Mississippi when Katrina was coming. It always make me cry. I said good bye to my town.

  33. G.... P....

    Listen to the same song by Kate Rusby

  34. A.... P....

    I must be getting old....just me. ladies still young.... forever....did i get that wrong? Her voice...just great!

  35. M.... L....

    Emmy Lou has to be 5 5 years old and still beautiful

  36. M.... L....

    Emmy Lou is the most be . woman i ever did see

  37. J.... D....

    Yesterdays coming back. Hard times but also great times. Growing up in a small
    town was me. I miss those days. Young & no cares. Life was good in our town. I lived by the railroad tracks. Walked to school each day until I finished the 12 th grade. Was 1954
    It was the best of times. Then did 30 years in the USAF.. Retired & 83.. I still like Pizza.

    J.... D....

    Know the feeling...

    J.... D....

    I had been gone 30 years when they closed the paper mill that had been our town's life blood and this is the song that immediately came to my mind and which I shared on one of our area's discussion group. It's what I think of each time I go home where most of the stores on one side of main street are closed and on the other side all that remains of the booming business that fed my family for decades is a huge fenced off 1500' long vacant lot.

    J.... D....

    @Marie Giroux Our town lost a chemical plant in the 70's...sad memories also!

  38. G.... A....

    I first heard Iris sing this around 1990. She has been my favorite female singer ever since.

  39. M.... ....

    I was in kindergarten when this was posted,now i have a job......

  40. r.... o....

    Somewhere recently I saw it written that the ideal of a certain kind of people today is "experience", "openness to experience", and there was always the search for older notions like "adventure" and "variety". Albeit a much safer, less real version of these things nowadays compared with a few generations gone. But country and folk music were described as being about the other kind of human experience- the romance and tragedy of going through life's stages, the dreams and the losses, with someone and in a place and time. It's not wholly genre-specific- you can hear it in Springsteen too.
    Funny I thought of that just now.

  41. B.... ....

    Thanks for posting....beautiful! One of the reasons there is for us to exist.

  42. E.... W....

    Nowadays my tastes run to the Country end of Americana - Iris, Birds of Chicago, Lindi Ortega, Handsome Family, Secret Sisters etc - and of course the greats like Johnny Cash and Hank Williams - but also still a sucker for quintessentially British stuff Beatles, Kinks, Sex Pistols, Jam, Smiths, Oasis, and latterly Giant and the Georges. Love Iris.

  43. g.... m....

    God rest Gerry Anderson..

  44. s.... ....

    2.7 Million times now Buppie.... ;)

  45. G.... S....

    Total original, I love when she did the true grit soundtrack “leaning on the everlasting arms “, and in spite of ourselves with John Prine. Thank you for being brave enough to do you Iris.

  46. s.... t....

    Sometimes music just works, undefinable and just a bit wonderful; sunshine on a cold day, it's just one of those things.

  47. G.... R....

    Stunning

  48. M.... H....

    Quite brilliant and Possibly the saddest song I ever heard.

    M.... H....

    Mine too actually. Just heard this song for the first time ever 30mins ago while driving in my car

  49. G.... B....

    Half of all of us came from this town. - scott

  50. P.... C....

    If you don't get it, then you just don't get it.

  51. S.... M....

    This will be the anthem of coastal towns devastated by climate change.

  52. D.... R....

    Who is the other gal singing & playing bass guitar in pedal steel style? The bass viol Player? The violinist? Thanks for any info already provided & directing me to it or posting it in the description

    D.... R....

    I am not sure who is who -- except for Jerry Douglas on Dobro and Aly Bain on fiddle.


    I am 99 percent sure this is from the first year of the Transatlantic Sessions. Information is here:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transatlantic_Sessions#TS1_Programmes

  53. D.... A....

    The harmony at 3:57 breaks me down.

  54. M.... M....

    Dement zkurvenej

  55. S.... A....

    Played this video and sang it to my Momma before she was taken off life support :( 8-5-18 love you Momma

  56. r.... r....

    this song makes my papa cry

  57. P.... B....

    Gorgeous sad modern song, so beautifully sung

  58. P.... C....

    So enjoyable!

  59. P.... L....

    I first saw this on 'Transatlantic Sessions' in the UK.

  60. T.... O....

    Outstanding unique voice love listening to it.

  61. S.... M....

    Emmylou can harmonize to dogs squealing and make it beautiful. I love Iris but ELH is the queen.

    S.... M....

    Amen to that brother. Emmylou is and always has been amazing and so beautiful.

  62. B.... M....

    There is 359 people that don’t like this, what a bizarre world we live in 😊

  63. J.... P....

    My Lily Langtry

  64. W.... W....

    I've never heard of this woman before, but I heard this song played on our public radio station a few weeks ago, and it blew me away. Amazing song, great evocation of emotion. Makes me want to cry.

  65. j.... ....

    What more? Lynrd bowed.

  66. P.... B....

    Profoundly meaningful & good, beautifully composed and sung by these great voices

  67. W.... ....

    My mums favorite song she told she wanted this song to play at her funeral sad to say be playing it sometime next week 😥😭😭

    W.... ....

    Worldz watching this for the umpteenth time. I hope this song provides some solace for you - your mum sure chose a great song 😓

  68. K.... T....

    Saw Emmy Lou in 1974. Man she was hot and sill is.

  69. j.... b....

    don't you see man,,that sun up there is sitt'in fast,,,on our town,,our hopes, and the mentally wise,,,

  70. J.... C....

    Excellent voice

  71. R.... W....

    Wonderfully done,  may  God  bless these  beautiful ladies

  72. d.... ....

    America pure raw and sweet.

  73. j.... c....

    My parents, maternal grandparents, 3 uncles , 2 aunts and a host of other family all rest in a small town Cemetery In Upstate NY, that could just as well be "our town" described here  I will be at rest there too,  I love visiting the Town which is thriving, alive and quaint all at the same time...

  74. S.... D....

    Love to see Emmy lou Harris here.

  75. R.... D....

    Genius songwriter. Sweet voice. Big love for Iris!

  76. L.... G....

    Wonderful

  77. B.... S....

    Brilliant....

  78. B.... ....

    This song represents the United States as a whole now.

  79. P.... S....

    I suppose, as we age and look back on our lives, a lot of us can relate to this. A very pleasant discovery of a fine singer and backing. And I don't like country!

  80. D.... B....

    That's magic-you cry but didn't expect to-just human.

  81. k.... ....

    This song breaks my heart. ❤️

  82. g.... b....

    This is from Transatlantic Settings, BBC Scotland, filmed at Montgreenan House, Kilwinning, Ayrshire. I recognise the lamps.

  83. P.... C....

    what a great song...

  84. J.... R....

    dripping melancholy

  85. A.... L....

    Ending credit Kansas City Mo theme song "DAS BUS" delightful blues.

  86. V.... G....

    Love this!

  87. f.... ....

    A fitting way to end Northern Exposure.

  88. D.... B....

    🏡🌻🌻🌹💐🐦🐤🌹

  89. S.... H....

    This is one of the greatest things I have ever seen

  90. C.... T....

    Glad I found this. Fantastic!

  91. R.... N....

    Love Iris Dement

  92. D.... C....

    Two an a half million on 1/29/2019!

  93. s.... ....

    America the beautiful ❤️

  94. G.... F....

    The very last episode of northern exposure. That’s where I heard this. 😊

  95. G.... S....

    Great song......two "beautiful" ladies !!!!.

  96. d.... m....

    amazing singing and the great jerry douglas et al... thanks

  97. S.... ....

    Blessed with a show at Bridgeton Folk Festival in NJ back in the early 90s. Have loved her music ever since!

  98. G.... F....

    Iris D always delivers the best vocal! 👌👏👌👏👏❤️