[Verse 1]
Findlay, Ohio, 1968
Poking hot tar bubbles with a stick on the driveway
Grammy’s a Republican, Nixon is her man
In two years time Ohio will be up in flames
I like the smell of the trash and leaves
Burning in the cans
Roger is the boy next door, he's a wanderer
He starts with his hands...

[Verse 2]
Cathy's the outcast, we're nice but we steer clear
And everyone says watch out for her mom
The word is she's crazy, she's always drinking beer
Cathy's dad never came back from Vietnam
I like the smell of the trash and leaves
Burning in the cans
Roger is the boy next door, he's a wanderer
He starts by holding my hands

[Chorus]
Scared but curious
Raised up right but furious
What happens to a fence-scaling girl?
And if you catch your pants on top
First you're stuck, then you'll drop
And you'll look back, first you'll feel the thrill
And then...
[Verse 3]
I wasn't into poetry, but Sexton changed all that
"The awful rowing" past in tow and sinking slowly
Listless and listing the things I leave behind
So unkind, the pull of history
We drove in a station wagon, wheels soft slapping
Trenton on the turnpike
The smell of the refineries rushes back to me
And how I loved the lights

[Chorus]
Scared but curious
Raised up right but furious
What happens to a fence-scaling girl?
And if you catch your pants on top
First you'll stick, then you'll drop
And you'll look back, first you'll feel the thrill