Ralph McTell - Daddy's Whistling Home lyrics

Daddy's whistling home from work
Mamma's ironing daddy's shirt
Tea is on the table, baby's in his cot
Money's tight for everyone and they ain't
Got a lot

But what they got's their own
Rent's paid on their basement home
And from the chilly kitchen she's
Gazing at the moon
Looking for the stars and wishing
She did hear the tune
Of daddy whistling home

She seems to spend so much time on her own
He swallows down his tea then
It's off to evening school
He's doing it for the family
But sometimes life is cruel
Lately he seems so tired
Too tired for making love
Shouts out loudly in his sleep sometimes
She's scared he'11 wake the neighbours
On the floor above

Or baby in his cot he's got his dddy's eyes
He doesn't cry a lot
The war is over now, it'll take a little time
Till he can say that we are his
And she can say he's mine

Maybe we're all too tired
Expecting too much so soon
Through the black-out curtain she
Can see some stars
But can't explain the hurting while
She's searching for the moon

Baby's lying in his bed
Trying to remember what was said
Something about a letter dropped
Behind a back
But someone pulls a curtain and the
Whole scene fades to black

Mama's ironing kiddie's clothes
Nothing's ever said but everybody knows
Singing in the kitchen
Wonderin' who he's kissing
Wonderin' if he ever talks about me
And listening for daddy whistling home