At The National Show

A cloudless summer day

Got off the wrong stop on the train

Before the low-hanging night

Was engulfed by rain

I was walking through the park

And the show decided to start

Heard the man singing about soul

And I moved nearer to take part

Had ventured out solo

Instead of staying home

A few of my recent dates

Were like talking to a stone

I swear I felt you there

And in my memory I see your hair

Hanging off the back of a black raincoat

You always say you’d never wear

Isn’t it funny?

How we almost met before we met

That was a world ago

At The National show

I was so goddamn tired of being alone

Aimless empire nights

Patrolling shadows beneath the lights

Staring into some tinted window

Set at an unreachable height

I emailed gibberish to my professors

Because I was nobody’s successor

I just couldn’t bridge that distance between

Anonymous and successful

It was like I could disappear

Without having any there to get back here

There was only rock and roll baseball

To treat my lancing fear

Chorus

Strolling with soggy shoes

Following the mid-set monsoon

I was thinking about The Land of Oz

And destined for my quiet bedroom

It was only four more months

Until I’d feel your touch

Previously my love life had been like

An album release where nobody comes

It was first the sound of your voice

Inviting me into a choice

The tone was like smoky cinnamon

Incinerating every other noise

I’d torn up a lottery ticket

Over someone’s rude opinion

I’d rather the dignity of a nobody

Instead of being a paid minion

Chorus