From Langley Park To Memphis

Once upon a time i stalked the streets on raining evenings
When the distant sea blended with the sky
Past coliseum's filled with brass on pavements carved from toasted glass
I carried in my heart a word or two

You dashing horseman all gone away
Left you a stable bill to pay
And now the golden calf has turned to clay
All my feelings dressed in gloves
Couldn't touch your windswept harbour love
White and open-necked you would still play

I'd resort to sleepwalking to catch the mood that fills the sails
With harvest nets and tides don't ever bring
But every night was halloween, and every friend fell in between
And how capricious nature ruled my mind

You dashing horseman all gone away
Left you a stable bill to pay
And now the golden calf has turned to clay
All my feelings dressed in gloves
Couldn't touch your windswept harbour love
White and open-necked you would still play

Once upon a time i stalked the streets on raining evenings
When the distant sea blended with the sky
Past coliseum's filled with brass on pavements carved from toasted glass
I carried in my heart a word or two

But you would always make me see today

You dashing horseman all gone away
Left you a stable bill to pay
And now the golden calf has turned to clay
All my feelings dressed in gloves
Couldn't touch your windswept harbour love
White and open-necked you would still play

I sound so different these days, i barely can believe i'm here
If i didn't know better, i would swear i was someone else
Lord i can't believe, i don't believe i'm me
But who on earth could i be ?

You dashing horseman all gone away
Left you a stable bill to pay
And now the golden calf has turned to clay
All my feelings dressed in gloves
Couldn't touch your windswept harbour love
White and open-necked you would still play

Guess what ! summer's arrived i feel the world's on my side
The brooklyn bridge stretches below me
A billion souls all dying to know me
Well here i am ! loaded with promise
And knee deep in grace
What i want is here on my face and
I feel like i own the whole damn place

Hey manhattan ! here i am ! call me star-struck uncle sam.
Strolling fifth avenue
- just to think sinatra's been here too
These myths we can't undo they lie in wait for you
We live them till they're true,
Manhattan doobie doo. hey manhattan doobie doo.

Someday's you've got to get outside - look there's "the carlyle"
That's the place where kennedy stayed,
And where were you when he died ?
(yeah some things are slow to fade.)
There they were - loaded with promise
Knee deep in fate - when what you want shows on your face
All that's left litters the whole damn place

Hey manhattan ! here i am ! call it bad luck uncle sam.
Scrounging fifth avenue
- just to think the poor could live here too
But what are they to do ? these myths belong to you,
We live them till they're true,
Manhattan doobie doo. hey manhattan doobie doo

Nothing sounds as good as "i remember that"
Like a bolt out from the blue, did you feel it too ?
- i remember that

Name me one little thing, you'll be wanting to keep
As you give up the ghost as you sink into sleep
Maybe her face in the morning, maybe his in the evening
Maybe words never spoken, aren't they the ones worth hearin' ?
Say i remember that

Nothing sounds as good as "i remember that"
Like a bolt out from the blue, did you feel it too ?
- i remember that
Nothing sounds as good as "i remember that"
Like a bolt out from the blue, did you feel it too ?
- i remember that

'cos that's all we can have, yes it's all we can trust
It's a hell of a ride but a journey to dust
And there's nothing pathetic listing clothes she'd wear
If it proves that i had you, if it proves i was there
Say i remember that

Nothing sounds as good as "i remember that"
Like a bolt out from the blue, did you feel it too ?
- i remember that
Nothing sounds as good as "i remember that"
Like a bolt out from the blue, did you feel it too ?
- i remember that

Did you feel it too ?... i remember that
Did you feel it too ?... i remember that...

(chorus adlib)

They didn't need a driver
They walked a thousand miles
He left her on the roadside
He thumbed himself a ride

He swore he'd never leave her, he meant it till he did
He swore he'd never leave her, he meant it till he did
Before you say you're lucky, before you say he's good
Knock on wood

Broke you promise, broke your word

He's climbing up a ladder
Heaven had begun
He's found another angel
She'll take him down a rung or two

She swears she'll never leave him, she means it but she will
She swears she'll never leave him, she means it but she will
Before you say you're lucky, before you say she's good
Knock on wood

She swears she'll never leave him, she means it but she will
She swears she'll never leave him, she means it but she will
Before you say you're lucky, before you say she's good
Knock on wood

Broke your promise - knock on wood
Broke your word - knock on wood

The venus of the soup kitchen is waiting there for me
And all us poor cripples who've been in the wars
And up sleeping on her floor...

Woah !

When you're scared of down and out
You keep it to yourself and if anyone suspects
You say : "who me ? hardly !"
You tell him "thank your stars, this isn't derby day
'cos it's clear you've got the gift for backing the wrong horse, charlie."

Woah !

When you're scared of down and out
You camouflage your fear with a fakin' d.j. smile
And maybe some boogie dancin'
But there's no need to be proud
Hey if something's hurtin' you
Could be it hurts your brothers too
From langley park to memphis

Last night, last night i dreamed i dared to raise my head
The venus of the soup kitchen stood over me
Singin' : "sometimes the job gets you down
You're ashamed that the word will get round
Well all you poor cripples who've been in the wars
End up sleeping on my floor."

Woah !

Now some will spin you yarns to keep you quiet for a while
But you know that's not my style, who needs fancy footwork ?
'cos none of it adds up, no it doesn't weigh a thing
And it doesn't buy you beer, from langley park to memphis

Last ight, last night i dreamed i dared to raise my head
The venus of the soup kitchen stood over me
Singin' : "here you are, and i won't tell you've no one else but me
Every night i know you'll be here staring hungrily
Well here you are, no i won't tell 'cos everyone i know
Wanders down here every night they've nowhere else to go."
The venus of the soup kitchen is standing there over me
Every night i'm gonna be here staring hungrily

The venus of the soup kitchen is waiting there for me
And all us poor cripples who've been in the wars
End up sleeping on her floor