[Verse 1] You were leanin' on a tailgate Laughin' like you owned that field Spinnin' little stories 'bout me Like the truth was somethin' you could steal You said I begged you just to stay Said I cried there on my knees Funny how your friends stayed quiet Starin' down at their boots and beer [Pre-Chorus] 'Cause they were there that Friday Heard you slam your truck in drive Heard me tell you, “Go on, honey You ain't worth another mile” [Chorus] 'Cause it's a small town, word travels fast Every little whisper, every lie you pass You tried to paint me foolish Tried to stain my name like glass But baby, this place knows better than that Yeah, in this small town, word travels fast And they see through your bullshit Like a pane in the churchhouse glass [Verse 2] You were runnin' down Main Street Tongue loose as a porch screen door Tellin' how you walked away Sayin' you didn't love me anymore You left out the late-night messages Blowin' up my old cracked phone You left out the way you begged me “Please don't leave me here alone” [Pre-Chorus] But my cousin pours your coffee At the diner every day He heard you say you miss me When you thought he looked away [Chorus] It's a small town, word travels fast Every little whisper, every lie you cast You tried to make me stupid Tried to turn me into your past But baby, this place knows better than that Yeah, in this small town, word travels fast And they see through your bullshit Like smoke from a burned-out match [Bridge] [Breakdown, just guitar and vocal] You can't hide a storm cloud Over fields this flat You can't change the ending Once the story's passed You can laugh a little louder You can swear it's all my fault But these folks have known me Since my feet first hit this chalk [Verse 3] Now you're standin' at the barroom Throwin' shadows on my name Sayin' I'm the crazy one You're the victim in this game But your best friend pulled me aside Said, “Girl, I know how you tried We all heard the way he talked to you We ain't takin' in his side” [Pre-Chorus] Now you're lookin' kinda cornered Like a fox caught in daylight All that talkin' finally trapped you Every story ain't your right [Chorus] 'Cause it's a small town, word travels fast Every crooked sentence, every busted mask You tried to make me foolish Tried to drag me through the past But baby, this place knows better than that Yeah, in this small town, word travels fast And they see through your bullshit Like tracks in the roadside grass [Chorus] It's a small town, word travels fast Truth gets around you, lappin' every lap You tried to make me stupid Tried to turn my heart to trash But baby, this place knows better than that Yeah, in this small town, word travels fast They see through your bullshit And they're laughin' behind your back [Outro] So go on, keep talkin' Let that wild tongue run In a town this tiny Everybody knows what you've done It's a small town, word travels fast And I'm finally done with that

country, Modern country-bluegrass groove with bright acoustic guitars, banjo rolls, and brushed snare; male vocals upfront with a wry, wounded tone. Verses stay storytelling and intimate, fiddle weaving around the edges; chorus lifts with stacked harmonies and a driving upright bass. Bridge drops to just vocal, guitar, and faint fiddle before kicking back into a full, stomping final chorus., bluegrass

Word Travels Fast