The Jam
Down in the Tube Station at Midnight (Single Version)
The distant echo
Of far away voices boarding far away 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 wrappers and this morning's papers
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"
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
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
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
Don't wanna go down in a tube station at midnight
Don't want to go down in a tube station at midnight