Local Hero
I was driving through my hometown
I was just kinda killin' time
When I seen a face
Staring out of a black velvet painting
From the window of the five and dime
I couldn't quite recall the name
But the pose looked familiar to me
So I asked the salesgrirl, Who was that man?
Between the doberman and Bruce Lee?
She said, "Just a local hero"
"Local Hero", she said with a smile
"Yeah a local hero
He used to live here for a while"
I met a stranger dressed in black
At the train station
He said, "Son your soul can be saved"
There's beautiful women
Nights of low livin'
And some dangerous money to be made
There's a big town cross the whiskey line
And if we turn the right cards up
They make us boss
The devil pays off
And them folks that are real hard up
They get their local hero
Somebody with the right style
They get their local hero
Somebody with just the right smile
Well I learned my job
I learned it well
Fit myself with religion
And a story to tell
First they made me King
Then they made me Pope
Well then they brought the rope
I woke to a gypsy girl sayin' "Drink this"
Well my hands had lost all sensation
These days I'm feelin' allright
'Cept I can't tell my courage
From my desperation
From the tainted chalice
Well I drunk some heady wine
Tonight I'm layin' here
But there's something in my ear
Sayin' there's a little town
Just beneath the flood line
Needs a local hero
Somebody with the right style
Lookin' for a local hero
Someone with the right smile
Local hero, "Local Hero", she said with a smile
Local hero, "He used to live here for a while"