Jenny McLane Lyrics

On the corner of Market and Linden
lived a girl named Jenny McLane
eyes as wide as the holes in the windows
smile cut from a store bought frame
Her daddy toiled 6 days at the paper mill
mother part time at the Wal-Mart store
30 years on the house and they were home free
17 down only 13 more

On the hill the nights grew darker
something you can't put your finger on
hard lives they were getting harder
many in the neighborhood already moved on
But Jenny hung tough the kid you never hear of
had no time for the corner boys
or the pom pom girls with the plastic smiles
running around making all that noise

Jenny had plans despite the walls around her
she chipped away for all those years
high school mercifully nearly over
no more waiting on tomorrow's tears
School day just like any other
bells ringing throughout the land
she never saw the look of detachment
she never saw the 45 in his hand

Like a flash it was all but over
12 counting Jenny laying on the floor
the papers said 'this stuff has got to stop'
then moved on to the story next door
'For Sale' sign hanging in the yard
house went to hell no one asked what for
knees are battered from asking questions
they just don't seem to care no more

On the corner of Market and Linden
lived a girl named Jenny McLane
eyes as wide as the holes in the windows
smile cut from a store bought frame
her dreams meant nothing to anybody
even less now that's she's dead