Henry's Songbook

Casey joins the hollow sound of silent people walking down
The stairway to the subway in the shadows down below
Following the footsteps through the neon-darkened corridors
Of silent desperation, never speaking to a soul
The poisoned air he's breathing 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 echo
Of the clicking of the turnstiles and the rattle of his change

Oh, she said, 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 put on new stockings just to please you
Lord, she said, Casey, can you only stay awhile

But Casey leaves the underground and steps inside the Golden Crown
For something wet to wipe away the chill that's on his bones
Seeing his reflection in the eyes of all the lonely men
Who reach for anything they can to keep from going home
Standing in the corner, Casey drinks his pint of bitter
Never glancing in the mirror at the people passing by
And 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 you have a family 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

As sung by Iain MacKintosh