Cold aeroplanes, slow boats, warm trains
remind me of Jack-A-Lynn.
Lush hotels and pretty girls
won't cheer the misty mood I'm in.
Silly, sad, I've never had to write this before,
oh, Jack-A-Lynn.

Funny how long nights allow
thoughts of Jack-A-Lynn.
When phantoms tread around my bed
to offer restless dreams they bring.
And it's just the time and place to find
a sad song to play for Jack-A-Lynn.

Magpies that shriek, old boots that leak
call me to Jack-A-Lynn.
Coal-black cats in policeman's hats
nosing where the mice have been.
And the long miaow's beginning now
and I'm far, far from home and Jack-A-Lynn.
Jack, Jack-A-Lynn
Jack, Jack-A-Lynn
Jack, Jack-A-Lynn
Jack, Jack-A-Lynn


Lyrics submitted by The Rocker

Jack A Lynn Lyrics as written by Ian Anderson

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Jack-a-Lynn song meanings
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    General Comment

    All right, I'll try:). Tough I'm not verry good at being brief, I'm afraid.

    So, "Cold aeroplains" , "slow botes" and "Warm Trains" Are uncomartable ways of travelling. In this case, away from your loved one. But even the "Lush hotels and Pretty girls" won't push away the toughts about her. He wonders why he hasn't felt this way about her before.

    The next part go's on about how the toughts about her keep him from sleeping and let him write this song.

    "Magpies that shriek , old boots that leak, call me to jack-a-lynn" Lovely line. Well, leaking boots are bad, that's obivous. The shrieking of a Magpie might be found an awfull sound(though I love it). And Magpies used to be bad omens and cruse bringers in the old folk lores. As are black cats. The next bit is a guess. But black cats searching Policeman's hats for mice, might mean something like, that there is no order or justice where he is(whatever far away country it may be). Since the bad one(Cat) is shacing after the policemen(mice) instead of the other way around.

    All of that makes him wish he were home with his girl. That's my thought, hope it's a bit clear.

    The_Promiseon December 04, 2006   Link

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