From the recording Sputnik
Lyrics
Tension in This Town
By Ted Horrell
You can feel it in the churches, and find it in the schools
You can feel it in your soul, and can find it in our blues
If you don’t think it’s here, brother take a look around
Sure as there’s a meanness in this world, there’s a tension in this town
If you think you might outrun it, you might as well leave town
Cause those who overcome it, are those who stare it down
It’s tension in the bow that gives the arrow its sting
And it’s the tension in this town that taught the world to sing
Sometimes it builds up, and sometimes it cools off
It may make you run, or it may make you stop
It’s tension in the strap that gives power to the sling
And it’s the tension in this town that Sputnik carried into the ring
You can only know it if you’ve felt it
You can only judge it if you’re here
Tension can be good, and tension can be bad
Some folks get to work, other folks get mad
It’s the tension in the rope that lets the child soar in a swing
But it’s the tension in this town that robbed the world of a King
And sometimes it explodes into a powerful release
And the tension in this town spills into the streets
But before your flag’s unfurled, sister take a look around
We claim the best and the worst from the tension in this town