down in the tube station at midnight

The Jam

The distant echo
Of faraway voices boarding faraway trains
To take them home to
The ones that they love
And who love them forever
The glazed, dirty steps
Repeat my own and reflect my thoughts
Cold and uninviting
Partially naked
Except for toffee wrapers
And this morning's paper
Mr. Jones got run down

Headlines of death and sorrow
They tell of tomorrow
Madmen on the rampage

And I'm down in the tube station at midnight

I fumble for change
And pull out the Queen
Smiling, beguiling
I put in the money
And pull out a plum
Behind me

Whispers in the shadows
Gruff blazing voices
Hating, waiting
"Hey boy" they shout
"have you got any money?"
And I said - "I've a little money
And a take away curry

I'm on my way home to my wife
She'll be lining up the cutlery,
You know she's expecting me
Polishing the glasses and pulling out the cork

And I'm down in the tube station at midnight

I first felt a fist
And then a kick
I could now smell their breath
They smelt of pubs
And Wormwood Scrubs
And too many right wing meetings

My life swam around me
It took a look and drowned me
In its own existence

The smell of brown leather
It blended in with the weather
It filled my eyes, ears, nose and mouth
It blocked all my senses
Couldn't see, hear, speak any longer
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight
I said I was down
In the tube station at midnight

The last thing that I saw
As I lay there on the floor
Was "Jesus Saves"
Painted by an atheist nutter
And a British Rail poster read
"Have an Awayday
A cheap holiday
Do it today!"

I glanced back on my life
And thought about my wife
'Cause they took the keys
And she'll think it's me
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight
The wine will be flat
And the curry's gone cold
I'm down in the tube station at midnight