The "Railway Arms" is a common name for an English pub.
It really helps to understand Squeeze songs if you understand English culture, especially working and middle class culture. Their songs are very English.
The railway arms we're missing means that he is no longer hanging out at the pub, because he's spending his time with his new love. Sadly, his behavior reverts to his old drinking habits, and it costs him his happiness in life--he loses his wife and daughter because he refuses to grow up and out of his adolescent behavior. He comes to understand this, but it's hard-earned knowledge.
I love how this song paints a picture of a life with a couple of simple verses. One minute, he's experiencing the joy of his daughter's birth. A couple of lines later, his daughter's two years older and he's lost his wife and child to another man, a solider who will provide.
@rbraxley thank you so much for the explanation. I've been wondering what that meant since I first fell in love with the song. In this context, I thought a railway was a common piece of British furniture and they were so poor that it didn't even have arms. Your answer clarified my confusion. Now, what the heck is a "proper stinging"?
@rbraxley thank you so much for the explanation. I've been wondering what that meant since I first fell in love with the song. In this context, I thought a railway was a common piece of British furniture and they were so poor that it didn't even have arms. Your answer clarified my confusion. Now, what the heck is a "proper stinging"?
The "Railway Arms" is a common name for an English pub.
It really helps to understand Squeeze songs if you understand English culture, especially working and middle class culture. Their songs are very English.
The railway arms we're missing means that he is no longer hanging out at the pub, because he's spending his time with his new love. Sadly, his behavior reverts to his old drinking habits, and it costs him his happiness in life--he loses his wife and daughter because he refuses to grow up and out of his adolescent behavior. He comes to understand this, but it's hard-earned knowledge.
I love how this song paints a picture of a life with a couple of simple verses. One minute, he's experiencing the joy of his daughter's birth. A couple of lines later, his daughter's two years older and he's lost his wife and child to another man, a solider who will provide.
He's really up the creek w/out a paddle.
@rbraxley thank you so much for the explanation. I've been wondering what that meant since I first fell in love with the song. In this context, I thought a railway was a common piece of British furniture and they were so poor that it didn't even have arms. Your answer clarified my confusion. Now, what the heck is a "proper stinging"?
@rbraxley thank you so much for the explanation. I've been wondering what that meant since I first fell in love with the song. In this context, I thought a railway was a common piece of British furniture and they were so poor that it didn't even have arms. Your answer clarified my confusion. Now, what the heck is a "proper stinging"?