Station Approach

the meaning of this is pretty literal, he talks about when he comes home to his mum and his old friends who accept him as he is. I particularly like the line "you little sod I love your eyes" doesn't that define any lasting relationship you've ever had, despite all their annoyances you can't help but love them!

As always I don't really listen to the words initially, but what I really love about this band is that their music really hits a part of my (sorry to sound cheesy) soul, and what a way to open the album! It always reminds me of waking up, it starts really sleepily and ends on a real high.

I read that this song was written about Manchester, the city the band hail from. I figure its mostly a homecoming piece (hence, Station Approach); a love/hate with the city. You leave it for whatever reason, and then you come home to the buildings that you know so well that you might as well have built them yourself. But it's possible that something about the city drove you away in the first place... Perhaps you only leave to come back. But yes, 'You little sod' is so endearing, no matter how you look at it!

Is it just me, or is Manchester a hub of cool bands?

"Coming home I feel like I / Designed the buildings I walk by"

What a great way to describe coming back to the place you know best after a long time. Such a happy song without being sentimental.

yep. Guy wrote is about coming home to manchester. I must admit when i first listened to Leaders Of The Free World i was about dubious, especially with this as opener but i think the world of it (and the whole album) now. Every single line has class to it.

The song is actually about Bury, a town in north Manchester where the band hail from. Possibly the only successful band to every come from Bury, and apparently most of the album has references to their home town.

Every band has some sort of paean to their hometown. This is Guy's for Manchester showing how proud he is when he returns home.

And rightfully so...it's a wonderful city...if London is to New York, Manchester is to Philadelphia. It's a gorgeous city too...wonderful architecture and outstanding spaces...if you've ever been to Manchester and it's hills then you know how they could feel this way.

I just want to let everyone know that Elbow are actually from Bury in Gtr Manchester but they relocated to the city as musicians. There is a song they wrote about their 'real' hometown Bury, which is less than complimentary!

I know this as there was a South bank Show programme on them, which made very interesting viewing

Nope, it's a well-documented fact.