Down In The Tube Station At Midnight

Album: All Mod Cons (1978)
Charted: 15
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  • The distant echo
    Of faraway voices boarding faraway trains
    To take them home to
    The ones that they love and who love them forever
    The glazed, dirty steps
    Repeat my own and reflect my thoughts
    Cold and uninviting, partially naked
    Except for toffee wrappers and this morning's papers
    Mr. Jones got run down
    Headlines of death and sorrow, they tell of tomorrow
    Madmen on the rampage
    And I'm down in the tube station at midnight, oh

    I fumble for change, and pull out the Queen
    Smiling, beguiling
    I put in the money and pull out a plum
    Behind me
    Whispers in the shadows, gruff blazing voices
    Hating, waiting
    "Hey boy" they shout, "Have you got any money?"
    And I say, "I've a little money and a takeaway curry
    I'm on my way home to my wife
    She'll be lining up the cutlery, you know she's expecting me
    Polishing the glasses and pulling out the cork"
    I'm down in the tube station at midnight, oh

    I first felt a fist, and then a kick
    I could now smell their breath
    They smelt of pubs, and wormwood scrubs
    And too many right wing meetings
    My life swam around me
    It took a look and drowned me in its own existence
    The smell of brown leather
    It blended in with the weather
    Filled my eyes, ears, nose and mouth, it blocked all my senses
    Couldn't see, hear, speak any longer
    I'm down in the tube station at midnight, oh
    I said I was down in the tube station at midnight, oh

    The last thing that I saw as I lay there on the floor
    Was "Jesus saves" painted by an atheist nutter
    And a British rail poster read
    "Have an away day, a cheap holiday, do it today"
    I glanced back on my life, and thought about my wife
    'Cause they took the keys, and she'll think it's me
    I'm down in the tube station at midnight
    The wine will be flat and the curry's gone cold
    I'm down in the tube station at midnight, oh
    Don't want to go down in a tube station at midnight, oh
    Don't want to go down in a tube station at midnight, oh
    Don't want to go down in a tube station at midnight, oh
    Don't want to go down in a tube station at midnight, oh Writer/s: Paul John Weller
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 10

  • Greg from Gold CoastWhat "authoritative" source do we have that the train recording was at St John's Wood? I would love it to be true as I lived there for years. However, I am a bit of a train nerd and it just doesn't sound like a Jubilee Line train. They have a very distinct whine as they shift up through gears, like no other underground line trains.
  • Fred from Cannock StaffsProbably still my all time best ever song, still great live being played by Jam tributes - long live The Jam
  • Muz2549 from London A brilliant song, a forgotten classic, never get bored of singing along to it, songs like this had deep meaning and soul, that's what is missing today, glad I grew up in the jam, clash etc era
  • Nobby from LondonThe tube train sounds were recorded on a portable recorder by tape-op Phil Thornalley. Phil went on to play bass with the Cure during the Love Cats era, also with Edwyn Collins, playing and co-producing Never Met A Girl Like You.
  • Tony from BelfastNowhere in the song does Weller mention skinheads and he was a great admirer of the origianl skinhead and sudehead movements with it's emphasis on black music and sharp clothes.
  • David from Nottingham, United KingdomBrilliant song, fantastic bass line.
  • Kwami from Washington Dc, DcAbsolutely great song, and agreed a great live one too. Highlight of "Live Jam" when whole crowd hums along after the chorus and then shouts "hoy!"
  • Greg House from Princeton, NjCould have been used in the Australian skinhead film Romper Stomper. There is a scene where the skinheads beat up some Asians in the tube stop.
  • Phil from Antwerp, BelgiumThis song still sends shivers down my spine every time I listen to it, even after so many years. There is in my mind no song that expresses the harsh reality of prejudice and senseless violence so vividly. The lyrics are powerful poetry. The music grips from the first note to the very last. Sheer brilliance!
  • Davie from Scotland, IrelandThe Jam and Paul Weller at their absolute best - Brilliantly raw sound especially Live - The best song of All Mod Cons LP by a mile !!!
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