Connection

*Good grief, this one was an emotional roller-coaster to write. The prompt at songwriting group was 'strangers', which reminded me of a drunken conversation on a late-running train nearly 20 years ago. (I know exactly when it was. It was after the Rab Noakes gig at my dad's.) While it's not a documentary record of the journey, it's -- what do they call it? emotionally true. Based on real events. Inspired by a true story. The 'bastards' line was originally much ruder and cruder, but I took soundings from Sam Hartburn and other friends and wrote a more PG-13 line. You catch my eye as we suddenly brake
The train making noises that no train should make
You pull out a bottle and pat on your bag
With its neatly embroidered Canadian flag
No introductions, just slàinte and prost
Raising our beakers and raising a toast
Here's to the train crew and here's to delays
And here's to corrupt information displays
And here's to a woman who's wild in her eyes
Who doesn't keep secrets and doesn't tell lies
And here's to a pair of degenerates
And generous measures of rye.

I'm coming home from an afternoon show
Surprised the guitarist was someone you'd know
Favourites and deep cuts and overlooked gems
We belt out a chorus and sing it again
No interruptions, just slàinte and prost
Raising our beakers and raising a toast
Here's to the Waterboys, here's to the Waifs
Here's to the Beatles, boring and safe
And here's to a woman who's wild in her eyes
Who doesn't keep secrets and doesn't tell lies
And here's to a pair of degenerates
And generous measures of rye.

You're heading north to your godmother's place
Needing some mountains and needing some space
A cheating fiancé, a world blown apart
Hoping some hiking's a salve for your heart
No consolation, just slàinte and prost
Raising our beakers and raising a toast
I drink to your exes and you drink to mine
To bastards and asshats and shitheels and swine
And here's to a woman who's wild in her eyes
Who doesn't keep secrets and doesn't tell lies
And here's to a pair of degenerates
And generous measures of rye.

We limp into nowhere and staff give directions
Pop us in buses and cabs
I say I hope that you make your connection
You say you already have.

And here's to a woman who's wild in her eyes
Who doesn't keep secrets and doesn't tell lies
And here's to a pair of degenerates
And generous measures of rye.