Over dale and over hills I'll take you through the cotton mills To the ginnels where we played And where are friendships all were made Still they came and tore them down And now we live in Anytown They came and tore it down And now this place could be Anytown Can't forget and won't forgive The places we've been forced to live Sticks and stones may break my bones But rather that than live alone For they came and tore it down And now we live in Anytown They came and tore it down And now this place could be Anytown Rags to riches, that's a lie For some things money just can't buy Thicker than water blood may be And comfort still brings misery For they came and tore it down And now we live in Anytown They came and tore it down And now this place could be Anytown They took the heart when they ripped it down And in its place sent Anytown Summer in the driving rain I can hear the Oldham train.