Down in the tube station at midnight    (video)    (intro)

 

    Am - D - Am - D

 

  Am                    D

1.    The distant echo

Am                  D                       G

    of faraway voices boarding faraway trains,

Am                     D

    to take them home to

Am                             D                                       G

    the ones that they love and who love them forever.

 

   Am                               D

2.      The glazed, dirty steps

Am                  D                              G

    repeat my own and reflect my thoughts,

Am                     D       - Am               D

    cold and uninviting,         partially naked,

                      G                                     Bm

    except for toffee wrappers and this morning's paper.

     C                            D

    Mr. Jones got run down.

 

        G                                            Bm

    Headlines of death and sorrow, they tell of tomorrow,

        C                            D

    madmen on the rampage,

                   G                                       Bm             - C - D

    and I'm down in the tube station at midnight, o............h.

 

+ Am - D - Am - D

 

   Am                        D

3.      I fumble for change,

Am                              D        G

    and pull out the Queen, smiling, beguiling.

Am                   D

    I put in the money,

Am                        D         G

    and pull out a plum behind me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Am                             D          

4.     Whispers in the shadows,

Am                     D          G

    gruff blazing voices, hating, waiting.

Am                             D     - Am                                 D

    "Hey boy!" they shout,          "Have you got any money?"

 

                       - G                                       Bm

    And I said,      "I've a little money and a take away curry,

           C                                    D

    I'm on my way home to my wife.

                   G                                       Bm

    She'll be lining up the cutlery, you know she's expecting me,

      C                                       D

    polishing the glasses and pulling out the cork."

                   G                                       Bm             - C - D

    And I'm down in the tube station at midnight, o...........h.

 

+ Am - D - Am - D

 

    Am                   D

5.      I first felt a fist,

Am                  D                            G

    and then a kick, I could now smell their breath.

Am                        D

    They smelt of pubs,

Am                              D                            G

    and Wormwood Scrubs and too many right wing meetings.

 

   Am                          D

6.      My life swam around me,

Am                              D                                  G

    it took a look and drowned me in its own existence.

Am                                D        - Am                                       D

    The smell of brown leather,          it blended in with the weather,

                      G                              

    it filled my eyes, ears, nose and mouth,

        Bm

    it blocked all my senses,

 

                   C                               D

    couldn't see, hear, speak any longer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                   G                                        Bm            - C - D

    And I'm down in the tube station at midnight, o............h,

                         G                                       Bm             - C - D

    I said I was down in the tube station at midnight, o............h.

 

            G                                   Bm

    The last thing that I saw as I lay there on the floor

               C                                         D

    was "Jesus Saves" painted by an atheist nutter.

                 G                                  Bm

    And a British Rail poster read "Have an Awayday,

C                             - D

    A cheap holiday  -   do it today!"

 

         G                                          Bm

    I glanced back on my life and thought about my wife,

                   C                                   D

    'cause they took the keys - and she'll think it's me.

                   G                                       Bm

    And I'm down in the tube station at midnight,

            C                                   D

    the wine will be flat and the curry's gone cold,

            G                                       Bm            - C - D

    I'm down in the tube station at midnight, o...........h !

                                 G                                    Bm             - C - D

    Don't want to go down in a tube station at midnight, o............h !

                                 G                                    Bm             - C - D

    Don't want to go down in a tube station at midnight, o.........,..h !

 

 

(subway noises)    + G - Bm - C - D (4x) ....

 

    (The Jam)