I was sipping on a whisky when I got the call
Yeah my friend Lex was lying in the hospital
She'd been pretty sick for about half the year
But it seemed like this time the end was drawing near

So I dropped my plans and jumped the next London train
I found her laid up and in a lot of pain
Her eyes met mine and then I understood
That her weather forecast wasn't looking too good

So I sat and spun her stories for a little while
Tried to raise her mood and tried to raise a smile
But she silenced all my ramblings with a shake of her head
Drew me close and listen this is what she said now

You'll live to dance another day
Just now you'll have to dance for the two of us
So stop looking so damn depressed - sing with all your heart
The queen is dead

Yeah, she told me she was sick of all the hospital food
Of doctors, distant relatives draining her blood
She said I know I'm dying but I'm not finished just yet
I'm dying for a drink and for a cigarette

So we hatched a plan to book ourselves a cheap hotel
The centre of the city and to raise some hell
Lay waste to all the clubs and then when everyone else is long asleep
Then we'll know we're good and done
You'll live to dance another day
Just now you'll have to dance for the two of us
So stop looking so damn depressed - sing with all your heart
That the queen is dead

South London's not the same anymore
The queen is dead, and the last of the greats has finally gone to bed

Well I was working on some words when Sarah called me up
She said that Lex had gone asleep and wasn't waking up
And even though I knew that there was nothing to be done
I felt bad for not being there and now, well, she was gone

So I tried to think what Lex would want me to do
At times like this when I was feeling blue
So I gathered up some friends to spread the sad sad news
And we headed to the city for a drink or two
And we sang

We live to dance another day
It's just now we have to dance for one more of us
So stop looking so damn depressed and sing with all our hearts
Long live the queen