Lyrics
Casey joins the hollow sound of silent people walking down
Casey walks alongside silent people heading to the subway, adding to the quietness.
The stairway to the subway in the shadows down below
He descends into the subway's shadowy depths.
Following their footsteps through the neon-darkened corridors
He follows their path through dark, neon-lit corridors filled with a sense of hopeless longing.
Of silent desperation, never speakin' to a soul
Despite being surrounded, Casey remains isolated, not speaking to anyone.
The poison air he's breathin' has the dirty smell of dying
The air he breathes feels poisonous and carries the scent of decay.
'Cause it's never seen the sunshine and it's never felt the rain
The environment is perpetually dark and untouched by natural elements like sunshine or rain.
But Casey minds the arrows and ignores the fatal echoes
Casey pays attention to directions but disregards warnings or signs of danger.
Of the clickin' of the turnstiles and the rattle of his chains
He ignores the sounds of the subway turnstiles and the symbolic chains that bind him.
"Oh!" she said, "Casey it's been so long since I've seen you!"
A woman speaks to Casey, expressing the long absence since she last saw him.
"Here" she said, "just a kiss to make a body smile!"
She offers him a kiss to bring joy.
"See" she said, "I've put on new stockings just to please you!"
She shows off new stockings, hoping to please Casey.
"Lord!" she said, "Casey can you only stay a while?"
She laments his limited time with her.
Casey leaves the under-ground and stops inside the Golden Crown
Casey exits the subway and enters a place called the Golden Crown.
For something wet to wipe away the chill that's on his bone
He seeks a drink to warm himself.
Seeing his reflection in the lives of all the lonely men
He sees his own struggles reflected in the lives of other lonely individuals.
Who reach for any thing they can to keep from goin' home
These men grasp at anything to avoid returning to their empty homes.
Standin' in the corner Casey drinks his pint of bitter
Casey stands apart, consuming a bitter drink, avoiding eye contact with passersby.
Never glancing in the mirror at the people passing by
He refuses to look at himself in the mirror.
Then he stumbles as he's leaving and he wonders if the reason
As he leaves, he questions whether his stumbling is due to alcohol or hidden emotions.
Is the beer that's in his belly, or the tear that's in his eye
"Oh!" she said, "I suppose you seldom think about me
A woman reflects on how Casey might not often think about her.
"Now" she said, "now that you've a fam'ly of your own"
Now that Casey has a family of his own, she acknowledges the change.
"Still" she said, "it's so blessed good to feel your body!"
She expresses joy at feeling his presence.
"Lord!" she said" "Casey it's a shame to be alone!"
She laments Casey's loneliness, emphasizing the sadness of being alone.
Comment