1
The man at the back of the queue was sent
To feel the smack of firm government
Linger by the flyposter, for a fight
It's the same story every night
I've been hurt and we've been had
You leave home, and you don't go back
Someone told me Monday, someone told me Saturday
Wait until tomorrow and there's still no way
Read it in a book or write it in a letter
Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee
Only last night I found myself lost
By the station called King's Cross
Dead and wounded on either side
You know it's only a matter of time
I've been good and I've been bad
I've been guilty of hanging around
Someone told me Monday, someone told me Saturday
Wait until tomorrow and there's still no way
Read it in a book or write it in a letter
Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee
So I went looking out today
For the one who got away
Murder walking round the block
Ending up in King's Cross
Good luck, bad luck waiting in a line
It takes more than the matter of time
Someone told me Monday, someone told me Saturday
Wait until tomorrow and there's still no way
Read it in a book or write it in a letter
Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee
Someone told me Monday, someone told me Saturday
Wait until tomorrow and there's still no way
Read it in a book or write it in a letter
Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee
And there's still no guarantee
There is still no guarantee
To feel the smack of firm government
Linger by the flyposter, for a fight
It's the same story every night
I've been hurt and we've been had
You leave home, and you don't go back
Someone told me Monday, someone told me Saturday
Wait until tomorrow and there's still no way
Read it in a book or write it in a letter
Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee
Only last night I found myself lost
By the station called King's Cross
Dead and wounded on either side
You know it's only a matter of time
I've been good and I've been bad
I've been guilty of hanging around
Someone told me Monday, someone told me Saturday
Wait until tomorrow and there's still no way
Read it in a book or write it in a letter
Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee
So I went looking out today
For the one who got away
Murder walking round the block
Ending up in King's Cross
Good luck, bad luck waiting in a line
It takes more than the matter of time
Someone told me Monday, someone told me Saturday
Wait until tomorrow and there's still no way
Read it in a book or write it in a letter
Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee
Someone told me Monday, someone told me Saturday
Wait until tomorrow and there's still no way
Read it in a book or write it in a letter
Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee
And there's still no guarantee
There is still no guarantee
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But it is actually about migration from Newcastle to London to find a better life, Kings cross being the station you arrive at when you come down the north line.
Neil has even stated that this is what the song is about. (being a Geordie n' all)
At the time of Actually Tennant was more in the closet than out (like George Michael) but the themes of sin and redemption merge nicely with the legendary station, neglected for many years(St.Pancras moreso) and one can image tramps, drug dealers, rent boys etc etc... the lyrics really promote this sober imagery, brill song too, in my mind the only omission off Discography (wasn't released as a single - why not?).
I've always thought that this song at least partly refers to the fire at King's Cross Underground Station in London (dead and wounded etc.), where 31 people died. However, as I've now found out, that fire happened on November 18th and the song was released on the album Actually on September 7th, both 1987. Spooky.
this song to me is about some guy reflecting on a battle that took place during the time of knights and king arthur. after the big fight he is walking around and sees all of these slain warriors from both sides of the war. he survived the battle because he was protected by God.
well thats how i interpret the song.
I view this as a song about someone waiting to meet someone else at King's Cross station after some sort of crime has been comitted, but he doesnt know when they will arrive. I always found a "crime story" element to Actually, the Album this song comes from.
Most favourite PSB song, though I think it is a doom laden account of urban decay. It was NOT about the King's Cross disaster in any way - it was actually written sometime BEFORE the event. I understand that Tennant/Lowe were quite shaken up by the fact parts of the song seem to describe the horror though.
Running away from home and arriving in the bright lights of London hoping to find a better life. The reality that you arrive on the train into King's Cross, one of the biggest sh1tholes in London. The dead and wounded being the down-and-outs, wineos, homeless etc. Reality hitting home that London doesn't offer success on a plate.
Yeah one of my favourites too, one of their truly haunting tracks. I love the use of the sampled train and station sounds in the middle of the song. I can also still remember the television footage of the King's Cross fire and I was only 9. A complete coincidence though, I think this track has to be about the promise of a better life, realising your dreams in the bright lights and the big city, the reality however, is somewhat different...!
Kings Cross , is one of my fave PSB tracks...such a hauntingly beautiful song...the lyrics as ever with this band are very powerful and conjure up so much imagery in your head that as soon as the melody kicks in you're there in Kings Cross amongst the wounded souls that line the streets.