American Wake

Open up the door and she's standing there
With a smile in her eyes
But the grey in her hair betrays the fact
You're straight far from home
With your drinking, your smoking, your whoring around
Sit down by the fire, put your feet on the grate
Spend the night reminiscing 'til the hour grows late
Always remember at the end of the day
You can always go home, you just can't stay

Then it's off to the pub for to see your old mates
How they all look older but nothing has changed
And you drink 'til you're nearly out of your head
Hey what are you all doing snaking off to bed?
Then you're outside her flat but she's no longer there
The tears scald your eyes as you think of her hair
In the photo they sent you of her wedding day

You can always go home, you just can't stay

Then you see her at mass with the kids at her side
And it all comes back in the blink of an eye
The tears and the laughter, the love and the lies
And that dress she wore the night you said goodbye
Then her husband says, "It's good to have you back"
And she smiles for a moment and squeezes your hand
But you know what she's thinking, she doesn't have to say

You can always go home, you just can't stay

Then you swear to yourself time and time again
It was all in the past, she don't mean anything
Now your life is full of laughter and bars
What did you leave behind?
Just the sun, the moon and the stars

Then it's up in the morning at the crack of dawn
With your stomach churning, she says, "Come on now Sean
You'll be late for the plane"
But that crack in her voice betrays the fact
That you've made your choice
A long time ago, now there's no turning back
Cause last night you had your American way
And the bells are still ringing, can't you hear what they say?

You can always go home, you just can't stay

Say goodbye, say goodbye, say goodbye in the wind
The wind and the pouring rain
One last drink, one last drink, one last drink
And shout, "Atta boy, and we're outta here
History around here, catch you again next year"
Land of the Kennedy, land of the Kennedy, land of the Kennedy
All you feel is the pain
And it's too late, it's too late
Cause last night you had, you had, you had your American way