June Tabor - Casey's Last Ride lyrics

Casey joins the hollow sound of
Silent people walking down
The stairway to the subway in
The shadows down below
Following their footsteps through the
Neon darkened corridors
Of silent desperation
Never speakin' to a soul
The poison air he's breathin' has
The dirty smell of dying
'Cause it's never seen the sunshine and
It's never felt the rain
But Casey minds the arrows and
Ignores the fatal echoes
Of the clickin' of the turnstiles and
The rattle of his chains

"Oh!" she said, "Casey it's been so long
Since I've seen you!" "Here" she said
"just a kiss to make a body smile!"
"See" she said, "I've put on
New stockings just to please, you!"
"Lord!" she said
"Casey can you only stay a while?"
Casey leaves the under-ground and stops
Inside the Golden Crown
For something wet to wipe away the
Chill that's on his bone
Seeing his reflection in the lives
Of all the lonely men
Who reach for any thing they can
To keep from goin' home
Standin' in the corner Casey drinks
His pint of bitter
Never glancing in the mirror at
The people passing by
Then he stumbles as he's leaving and
He wonders if the reason
Is the beer that's in his belly
Or the tear that's in his eye

"Oh!" she said
"I suppose you seldom think about me
"Now" she said
"now that you've a fam'ly of your own"
"Still" she said
"it's so blessed good to feel your body!"
"Lord!" she said" "Casey it's a
Shame to be alone!"