the song that makes me cry

I don't fully understand it, but the one song in the world (so far) that can make me cry every time I hear it is "This Old Town", especially Nanci Griffith's version. It's such a strong, beautiful song. Each time I play it I think, "I've heard it so many times, I can't possibly cry this time." But I do.

THIS OLD TOWN (Janis Ian/Jon Vezner)

This old town should have burned down in 1929
That's when we stood in line waiting for our soup while swallowing our pride

This old town should have burned down in 1931 when the rain refused to come
Air filled up our bellies
Dust filled up our lungs and we thought our time had come
But this old town was built by hand in the dustbowl of the motherland
There must be rock beneath this sand
I'll be damned - this town still stands

This old town should have burned down in 1944 when the last man went to war
They came back different if they came back at all

This old town should have burned down in 1956
That's when the twister hit and all our hopes lay buried beneath the boards and bricks and we almost called it quits
But this old town was built by hand in the dustbowl of the motherland
There must be rock beneath this sand
I'll be damned - this town still stands

Somewhere in the distance the city lights do shine
Sidewalks gleam with neon dreams that call from time to time
When my children's children ask me why I didn't go I'll say - The heart of any town is the people that you've known and they always call you home

This old town was built by handin the dustbowl of the motherland
There is be rock beneath the sand
I'll be damned - this town still stands