"Let the toast to absent members push through the ceiling, before we say goodnight."
The absent members aren't just away from the club, they're away from life (the toast "pushes through the ceiling" towards heaven). Samson--great writer that he is--connects the dying (one of the themes of the album), the passing of Canadian traditions, and the living members' hope that this won't be the last goodnight into a short and poignant line.
"Let the toast to absent members push through the ceiling, before we say goodnight."
The absent members aren't just away from the club, they're away from life (the toast "pushes through the ceiling" towards heaven). Samson--great writer that he is--connects the dying (one of the themes of the album), the passing of Canadian traditions, and the living members' hope that this won't be the last goodnight into a short and poignant line.