NEXT TIME ROUND
You rose from a nightmare
You say I was the star
Then you stabbed the life into me
To see the sunrise
And all I was thinking
Was where I had been
And all I was loving
Was the lady before.
You saw my dilemma
You knew where Iʼd gone
So you punched my lies
Back into the pillow
And you opened my eyes
And I knew I might love you
The next time around.
Then you slipped into your boots
And you buttered my toast
Then you said you were leaving
And you left me a ghost
So we sit, he and I, drinking lonely white gin
With the bottle tucked patiently under our chin
And my mind wonʼt say where to begin.
Take me back lady
Take me tonight
You know that Iʼm sad
Canʼt you see Iʼm alone
And Iʼm dying
But here Iʼm okay
And when Iʼm with you
I promise Iʼll love you
The next time around.
I sat on a rainbow
I fell to the ground
Then I cried for the pay man
To sell me the sun
Till the words brought the darkness
And my dream was alone
And I heard a voice crying
Thereʼs nobody home.
I fell from a bottle
I knew I was alone
So I stumbled onto a dream
To see the sunrise
And all I was thinking
Was where I had been
And all I could see
Was the night and the nightmare
But now I was lonely
And I knew I would love
The next time round.
Then you slipped into your boots
And you buttered my toast
Then you said you were leaving
And you threw me a ghost
So we sit, he and I, drinking lonely white gin
With the bottle tucked silently under our chin
And my mind wonʼt say where to begin.
Excepting
Take me back lady
Oh hold me tonight
ʻcause you see Iʼm a ghost now
Canʼt you see Iʼm a clown
And Iʼm dying
But here Iʼm alright
And when Iʼm with you
I swear that Iʼll love you
The next time around.
June 1979 (as amended)
© Michael G Reid 1979-2011