The Pearly King's Ghost

Verse 1

Wet brick

The sky is a bruise

Puddles reflect the empty red bus

Fit as a butcher's dog

Gran wore her crown

Buttons on her sleeves

Silver shining in the rain

We sat on the curb

Tables in the street

Flags above the gutter

Chorus

They are building it over

Tearing it down

Brick by brick

Brick by brick

Stone by stone

Tearing it down

It is not the same

It is not the same

Verse 2

I saw it

I heard it

I felt it

The hound took the link

Sausage in his mouth

Running past the terrace

Mud on the paws

Sharp teeth

Grease on the pavement

A copper yelled

He missed

Laughter from the open window

Smell of coal

Gone now

Chorus

They are building it over

Tearing it down

Brick by brick

Brick by brick

Stone by stone

Tearing it down

It is not the same

It is not the same

Bridge

Glass towers

Cranes move like insects

Heavy iron swinging

Blueprints on the fence

Nobody remembers the baker

Nobody remembers the lane

Nobody remembers the name

Chorus

They are building it over

Tearing it down

Brick by brick

Brick by brick

Stone by stone

Tearing it down

It is not the same

It is not the same

Outro

Where is the dog

Where is the meat

Where is the street

Rebuilding

Rebuilding

Everything is new

Everything is cold

Old

Old

Old

Post-Chorus

Dust on my lip

Chalk on the wall

Wait for the hammer to fall

Falling

Falling

Falling down

Instrumental Outro

(The sound of a lone trumpet playing a slow melody)

(Faint mechanical sounds of construction)

(A distant dog bark)

End

Verse 3

The pearly king

Stands by the gate

Suit made of white buttons

A constellation on his back

He looks at the crane

Squinting at the sun

Silver thread is fraying

The tea is lukewarm

The paper is torn

The spirit is staying

Somewhere in the rubble

Under the grid

Hidden where the boys once hid

Outro

Fading out

Moving on

Fading out

Moving on

The butcher is gone

The dog is gone

The king is gone

Gone

Gone

Gone

Gone

Gone

Gone

Gone

Gone

End