I grew up in Swindon but that's not where I was born
I drew my first breath in Kettering one sunny Wednesday morn'
Born unto a preachers wife, and a preacher man
Folk called them the Brookfields
I call them Mum and Dad
And they had this tiny cottage by a leather factory
That's where I spent my first few weeks, sister, Mum, Dad and me
And we didn't have a lot, but what we had we made it count
My first few weeks were happy, of that fact I have no doubt
Oh work took Dad to London when I was just a few weeks old
I don't remember much, but we moved to flat in Streatham, so I'm told
And my only memory here was condensation ran the walls
And in winter it would freeze, but Mum and Dad would keep us warm
Four years in we moved again as Dad's job took us East
Only as far as Essex, to a town called Chadwell Heath
And that's where I started school, and I hated every day
But we moved on to pastures new, September '88
Oh I had lived in many towns, and I'll live in a hundred more
As I drive these songs around, finding folk to play them for
I've lived in many towns, and I'll live in a hundred more
So we packed up Dad's Montego, and my family headed West
Settled down in Swindon town, that's where I spent the rest
Of my formative years learning how to get things right and wrong
It's where I had my first love, it's where I wrote my first song
Oh I left home at 17 and it's funny how things go
In Northamptonshire again, with Kettering just down the road
And I spent two years there trying to make sense of who I am
Oh I left home boy, but returned a man
Oh I had lived in many towns, and I'll live in a hundred more
As I drive these songs around, finding folk to play them for
I've lived in many towns, and I'll live in a hundred more
And at 24 I joined a band and moved back to London town
Feeling like I'd chased the ghost of my younger self around
And we thought we knew everything, but we didn't have a clue
And we did all of the stupid things that all guys in bands do
But it was doomed to failure, so I went where I felt safe
That bungee chord of Swindon town took me back once again
And I've never felt as low as then, never felt as beat
But I'm not the kind of person easily admits defeat
Oh I had lived in many towns, and I'll live in a hundred more
As I drive these songs around, finding folk to play them for
I've lived in many towns, and I'll live in a hundred more
These days I live in Bristol, but I still travel round
And by the law of averages I'll soon be in your town
And we can share a drink or two and dance into the night
'Coz playing songs to folk like you is what keeps me alive
And that keen sense of belonging, and that feeling that I'm home
Comes from every town I play in, and I don't feel so alone
And when people ask the question, "Where do you come from?"
Oh I'll say, "I come from everywhere!" And I'll play them this song!
Oh I had lived in many towns, and I'll live in a hundred more
As I drive these songs around, finding folk to play them for
I've lived in many towns, and I'll live in a hundred more
One more time!
Now I had lived in many towns, and I'll live in a hundred more
As I drive these songs around, finding folk to play them for
I've lived in many towns, and I'll live in a hundred more