The Next Verse

Beautiful South

There was a pool table there at the wedding

That most of the men stood and played

Whilst the women danced in their melancholy

Till the last record started to fade

And as D.J. turned the lights up

And packed his records away

He noticed a lonely figure still there

So quietly turned to say

Tears you thought lasted a lifetime

Won't last too much more than a day

And you'll prove that you still have your strength left

When you wipe those tears well away, well away

Roses in garden bring joy to the bleak

Lilies save wretched from worse

Music lifts up those too weary to speak

So, sister you sing the next verse

The path in life that you have taken

I can figure out just from your frown

Either it's down the up escalator

Or maybe sometimes up the down

And you may not feel that you have travelled

But sure as hell been across town

And certainly if story unravelled

You've lost more than you ever found

One thing's for certain I've travelled

And a not too dissimilar route

Those ups and downs and rounds after rounds

You're wearing them just like a suit, like a suit

So if roses bring joy to the bleak

Lilies save wretched from worse

Music lifts up those too weary to speak

Then D.J. I'll take the next verse

So sister judge strength not by muscle

Or weight that your body can lift

But by heavyweight heart that you carry

That no other young woman could shift

Hey Mr D.J. a special request

Play that last record for me

And make it as long and as painfully sad

As any slow ballad could be