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 salesgirl "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 the king then they made me pope

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 feeling all right

'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 beaneath the floodline

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