Great Expectations Lyrics

Lyric discussion by WayToBlue 

Cover art for Great Expectations lyrics by Elbow

No, it's definitely "vow" (look at the booklet) and this supports acoustikid's theory (which was mine too) that he imagined the marriage and probably the whole relationship. They never married, never exchanged vows, she just smiled at him and he took this smile as a vow for this (imagined) marriage. Look at the first verse "wrap you in the stories, tailored entirely for you". He just made this up. Or at least that's what I think ;-) .