Stuck in Nickel City, on the tainted side of a coin
El Niño brought a blizzard, Greyhound brought a boy
Those yellow city lights accent the gutters and the rats
Only the cheap motels were open on the wrong side of the tracks
Two cold nights in Buffalo on the way to Syracuse
Outside town all the roads are closed
Gonna wash this rust belt new
A snowy prison out on Main Street, heaters hang from the cells
A bum searches for shelter, so cold he dreams of hell
Is that American dream dying? I hear whispers of each ghost
Of the wealthy man who once dined in downtown Buffalo
Two cold nights in Buffalo on the way to Syracuse
Outside town all the roads are closed
Gonna wash this rust belt new, gonna wash it new
What happened to the middle class? Mom and pop five and dimes?
Soon they'll be knocking it all down to build that high rise
What happened to the good ol' boys throwing dice in the street?
What happened to the neighborhood, and the neighbors you would meet?
What happened to recreation? The old roller skating rink?
What happened to preserving this town's history?
Two cold nights in Buffalo on the way to Syracuse
Outside town all the roads are closed
Gonna wash this rust belt new, gonna wash it new