You can have charleston
The cobblestone streets
The steeples looking down
On the battery
The topsails and the clydesdales
Pulling people all around
The ocean breeze and the live oak trees
God, I'm gonna miss this town, but

You can have charleston
I'll pack up and leave
Maybe find a spot on the west coast
Give you lots of room to breathe
With your new life and your new love
I won't get in your way
I'll just wish you well and try like hell
To smile and walk away, from
My home, my heart

Where I was born, where I was raised
Where one day they're gonna take my body
And lay it in a grave
My soul, don't wanna go
But it's got to be this way
It's gonna break my heart to say, goodbye
But it'll kill me if I stay
You can have charleston
It's really for the best

Girl, it's your town now
Plus I could never rest
There're too many ghosts on this old coast
Too many memories
It's where we met and we fell in love
It's where you cut me deep and made me bleed
From time to time
I might be passing through
But I promise you
That's all I'll do

You can have charleston
I'll take these broken dreams
Load 'em in up in a suitcase
And see where it leads
Take 26 until I get
A million miles away
Try and start over
In a brand new place