Two Cold Nights in Buffalo

Stuck in Nickel City on the tainted side of a coin
El Niño brought a blizzard, the Greyhound brought a boy
Those yellow city lights accent the gutters and the rats
Only the cheap motels were open, wrong side of the tracks

Two cold nights in Buffalo
On the way to see you
Outside town, all the roads are closed
Gonna wash this rust belt new

Snowy prison out on Main Street, heaters hang from the cells
A bum searches for shelter, so cold he dreams of hell
It's that American Dream dying, I hear the whispers of each ghost
Of a wealthy man who once died in downtown Buffalo

Two cold nights in Buffalo
On the way to see you
Outside town, all the roads are closed
Gonna wash this rust belt new
Gonna wash it new

What happened to the middle class, mom-and-pop, five-and-dimes?
Soon they'll be knocking it all down to build that high-rise
What happened to the good old boys rollin' dice in the street?
What happened to the neighborhood and the neighbors who had moved?
What happened to recreation? That old roller skating rink?
What happened to preserving this town's history?

Two cold nights in Buffalo
On the way to see you
Outside town, all the roads are closed
Gonna wash this rust belt new
Gonna wash it new