The return of the gentleman
Heading down the Whyteleafe line
He has a kind of tranquility
Thinking of Germany
Or mentally he's already there
Other times he'd be looking South
To the ring roads and roundabouts
To Crawley where the rain is framed
On metal windowpanes

The Paris of the 60's
The Berlin of the 70's
The Stockholm of the 90's
His sweet municipal dream

In Whyteleafe
Such a lonely, lonely leaf
Station to station
Whyteleafe to Caterham
In Whyteleafe
Such a lonely, lonely leaf
Faber & Faber
Reading his paper

The return of the gentleman
Longing for the recent past
On the rail replacement bus
He'd never cause a fuss
Though it's ridiculous
At the staff Christmas party
In the dark Toby Carvery
He has to bite his tongue
While he's dreaming of duel nationality
The Paris of the 60's
The Berlin of the 70's
The Stockholm of the 90's
His sweet municipal dream

In Whyteleafe
Such a lonely, lonely leaf
Station to station
Whyteleafe to Caterham
In Whyteleafe
Or another lonely leaf
Faber & Faber
Reading his paper