[Verse 1]
This is a first-rate town and all you ever notice
Are the ways it's stretched too far
Well it has been knocked down, but some of us are still left here between the scars
And when you look around, all you ever notice is you cannot see the stars
This is a first-rate town, a first-rate town you know
You just can't see very far

[Chorus]
You can never leave
Cuz they'll hold it against me
You can never leave
Cuz they'll hold it against me
You can never leave
Cuz they'll hold it against mе
You can never leavе

[Verse 2]
When the last door closed, you packed your clothes
And went back to Montreal
Said, "It was colder there," a chill hangs in the air
It helps you forget it all
You left an empty bookshelf that I didn't fill till fall
This is a first-rate town, a first-rate town you know
You just don't see it at all
[Chorus]
You can never leave
Cuz they'll hold it against me
You can never leave
Cuz they'll hold it against me
You can never leave
Cuz they'll hold it against me
You can never leave

[Bridge]
Well it will fade as all things must
I loved you but, you didn't love me enough
Winter comes, the car will rust
I'll start it up, then always run a little rough

[Verse 3]
This is a first-rate town and all you ever notice (You can never leave)
Are the ways it's stretched too far (Cuz they'll hold it against me)
They keep the death rates down (You can never leave)
It's colder than a winter spent in defrosting cars (Cuz they'll hold it against me)
We talked a lot of leaving, didn't think you'd get that far (You can never leave, cuz they'll hold it against me)
This is a first-rate town, a first-rate town you know (You can never leave)
You just can't see very far