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 Geoffrey Reid 1979-2011, all rights reserved.