Song notes · AI-assisted
THE STORE CLOSED YEARS AGO
a song about home
About the song
He still meets you where the store used to be. A song about the ones who never left, and the ones who did.
The city moved; you held your post / Now you guard a ghost
About these notes
AI-assisted song notes, based on the sources shown here. Not yet human-reviewed.
Words from the artist’s archive
THE STORE CLOSED YEARS AGO lyrics
Artist-supplied lyric sheet, matched by title. The sheet may differ from this released performance. Production notes and alternate promotional cuts are omitted.
Read the lyric sheet
Intro
You told me, "Swing by the store when you land." I drove past it twice. All glass and rent signs.
Chorus
The store closed years ago You nod at that door "Meet me where we used to meet" That place ain't there no more The city moved; you held your post Now you guard a ghost
Verse 1
You came down the walk in that old team coat Loose thread on the sleeve, bus card in your phone You knew which front step had the weak third board Which porch kept a key in the red clay pot The barbershop's juice now, plants by the glass You waved through the window like the chairs might wave back You asked for Ray; the new clerk checked the screen Said, "Nobody here by that name works with me" Your hand sign rose when a bike rolled slow The kid flashed peace, then he kept on going You laughed like, "Close enough," tied up your lace Then took the long cut through a short-gone place
Chorus
The store closed years ago You nod at that door "Meet me where we used to meet" That place ain't there no more The city moved; you held your post Now you guard a ghost
Verse 2
We call when a face from the school comes to mind You know who moved north, who did county time Who lost their mom, who got clean, who got ill The one renting back rooms on the far side of Fifth We post from tall homes with two cars in frame Then text, "What happened to old what's-his-name?" You send back a number, no need to be thanked Like you keep our first lives in a box by the bank I said, "You could leave." You looked down at my shoes New white on the soles, old dirt in the grooves Said, "Y'all leave me the map, then ask why I read it" I had a flight home. I let that line beat me
Bridge
Maybe stuck has more than one set of feet Maybe miles make old streets look small We come back when we need proof we were here Then ask why you never left at all
Verse 3
Next day, one black car eased up to the curb You gave it the nod that the young had not learned The glass came down; suit coat, gray at the chin Both called each other names no one says to them For one small grin, all the shops came back The pay phone rang by the laundromat Then the car light changed; he pulled from the lane The juice bar door let two new folks in You said, "I know that store been gone for years I meet right here so the old crew knows where" No plea in your voice, no shame in your stance Just one man on watch while the skyline advanced
Chorus
The store closed years ago You nod at that door We meet you where we used to meet That place ain't there no more The city moved; you held our post We left you with the ghost
Inside the recording
You told me, "Swing by the store when you land." I drove past it twice. All glass and rent signs.
The store closed years ago You nod at that door
The store closed years ago You nod at that door
Excerpts from artist-supplied lyric files matched by title. Lyric sheets may differ from the released performance.