Ol miltown

There’s a whistle that don’t blow no more

’Cept the wind through the pines by the ol’ front door

Of the mill that raised my daddy, and his daddy before him

Brick walls fading like the paint on the water tower

Folks countin’ paychecks by the hour

When the gates locked up, felt like the sun quit risin’

But we ain’t ones to lay down in the dust

Carolina clay’s built outta grit and trust

So we’re standin’ strong in this mill town

Fiddles cryin’ but we won’t bow down

Bass thumpin’ like the heartbeat of the Blue Ridge dawn

Guitar pickin’ out a working man’s song

Yeah, they shut us out but they ain’t breakin’ us down

We’re standin’ strong… in this ol’ mill town

Mama’s keepin’ shelves full in her little roadside store

Boys fixin’ trucks like their daddy did before

And Sunday choir still rings through the valley hollow

Evenin’ sun hits the hawks up high

And we swear we hear the old mill sigh

But hope’s growin’ where the smokestacks used to swallow

You can push us hard, but we don’t ever fold

Mountain folks are forged in the cold

’Cause we’re standin’ strong in this mill town

Fiddles cryin’ but we won’t bow down

Bass thumpin’ like the heartbeat of the Blue Ridge dawn

Guitar pickin’ out a working man’s song

Yeah, they shut us out but they ain’t breakin’ us down

We’re standin’ strong… in this ol’ mill town

Maybe the paper ain’t rollin’ no more

But dreams still do, through every back porch door

We’ll build somethin' new from the dust and the pride

’Cause mountain hearts never run and hide

We’re standin’ strong in this mill town

Through the highs, the lows, and the shutdowns

Fiddle’s flyin’ like a voice that won’t be gone

Guitar hummin’ that “carry on”

Yeah, the lights went out but the people still shine proud

We’re standin’ strong… in this ol’ mill town