The distant echo -
Of faraway voices boarding faraway trains
To take them home to
The ones that they love and who love them forever
The glazed, dirty steps - repeat my own and reflect my thoughts
Cold and uninviting, partially naked
Except for toffee wrapers and this morning's papers
Mr. Jones got run down
Headlines of death and sorrow - they tell of tomorrow
Madmen on the rampage
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight

I fumble for change - and pull out the Queen
Smiling, beguiling
I put in the money and pull out a plum
Behind me
Whispers in the shadows - gruff blazing voices
Hating, waiting
"Hey boy" they shout "have you got any money?"
And I said "I've a little money and a take away curry,
I'm on my way home to my wife.
She'll be lining up the cutlery,
You know she's expecting me
Polishing the glasses and pulling out the cork"
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight

I first felt a fist, and then a kick
I could now smell their breath
They smelt of pubs and Wormwood Scrubs
And too many right wing meetings
My life swam around me
It took a look and drowned me in its own existence
The smell of brown leather
It blended in with the weather
It filled my eyes, ears, nose and mouth
It blocked all my senses
Couldn't see, hear, speak any longer
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight
I said I was down in the tube station at midnight

The last thing that I saw
As I lay there on the floor
Was "Jesus Saves" painted by an atheist nutter
And a British Rail poster read "Have an Awayday - a cheap holiday -
Do it today!"
I glanced back on my life
And thought about my wife
'Cause they took the keys - and she'll think it's me
And I'm down in the tube station at midnight
The wine will be flat and the curry's gone cold
I'm down in the tube station at midnight
Don't want to go down in a tube station at midnight

Overall Meaning

The Bad Shepherds's song "Down In The Tube Station At Midnight" offers a snapshot of London in the 1970s, a city marked by social unrest, violence, and uncertainty. The song's narrator finds himself in a tube station at midnight, surrounded by the echoes of distant voices and headlines of death and sorrow. The lyrics capture a sense of cultural dislocation, isolation, and fear, as the singer navigates his way through a seedy, claustrophobic underworld of menacing strangers, pubs, and right-wing politics.

The song's opening lines evoke a sense of longing and nostalgia, as the distant voices of travelers boarding their trains reflect their desire to be reunited with their loved ones. The "glazed, dirty steps" of the tube station are "cold and uninviting," reflecting the grim, industrial landscape of urban life. Amid the toffee wrappers and newspapers, the singer confronts the social realities of post-war British society, where headline news is dominated by madmen on rampages, and life is constantly threatened by death and sorrow.

As the song progresses, the singer encounters a group of strangers that embody the city's darker side. The whispers in the shadows are "gruff blazing voices," and they demand money and question his motives. The singer responds with a statement of simple honesty and humility, confessing that he only has a little money and a take-out curry, and that he is on his way home to his wife. Despite his efforts to placate the strangers, he is met with violence and brutality. The last thing he sees is a "Jesus Saves" sign and a British Rail poster, reminding him of the fleeting nature of life and its cruel injustices.

Overall, this song offers a poignant commentary on the harsh realities of modern urban life, highlighting themes of alienation, fear, and isolation in a way that resonates with people all over the world. While the specific references to London may be lost on some listeners, the song's appeal transcends its local context, offering a powerful critique of societal dislocation and the darker side of human nature.

Line by Line Meaning

The distant echo - Of faraway voices boarding faraway trains To take them home to The ones that they love and who love them forever
The distant sound of people heading home on trains, to be reunited with their loved ones.

The glazed, dirty steps - repeat my own and reflect my thoughts Cold and uninviting, partially naked Except for toffee wrapers and this morning's papers
The dirty and cold steps reflect the singer's own thoughts as they wait on the platform, surrounded by discarded candy wrappers and newspapers.

Mr. Jones got run down Headlines of death and sorrow - they tell of tomorrow Madmen on the rampage And I'm down in the tube station at midnight
The singer is surrounded by news of death and violence (such as Mr. Jones getting run over), emphasizing the precariousness of their situation down in the tube station at midnight.

I fumble for change - and pull out the Queen Smiling, beguiling I put in the money and pull out a plum
The artist is distractedly looking for change and ends up pulling out a coin with the Queen's face on it. They put the coin in the slot and receive their train ticket ('pull out a plum').

Behind me Whispers in the shadows - gruff blazing voices Hating, waiting "Hey boy" they shout "have you got any money?"
Unknown voices call out from the shadows, asking for money in a way that makes the artist feel threatened and hateful.

And I said "I've a little money and a take away curry, I'm on my way home to my wife. She'll be lining up the cutlery, You know she's expecting me Polishing the glasses and pulling out the cork"
The singer responds to the request for money, explaining that they have a little bit on them but need it to get home to their expectant wife, who is waiting with a meal ready to go.

I first felt a fist, and then a kick I could now smell their breath They smelt of pubs and Wormwood Scrubs And too many right wing meetings
The singer is attacked and overwhelmed by the smell of the assailants' breath, which reminds them of the atmosphere of right wing meetings and local pubs where they have been known to congregate.

My life swam around me It took a look and drowned me in its own existence The smell of brown leather It blended in with the weather It filled my eyes, ears, nose and mouth It blocked all my senses Couldn't see, hear, speak any longer And I'm down in the tube station at midnight I said I was down in the tube station at midnight
The artist's life flashes before their eyes as they are attacked, feeling like it is consuming them in that moment. They also describe the overpowering scent of the brown leather worn by their assailants, which completely overwhelms their senses and leaves them unable to see, hear or speak - this repetition emphasizes their desperation and fear.

The last thing that I saw As I lay there on the floor Was "Jesus Saves" painted by an atheist nutter And a British Rail poster read "Have an Awayday - a cheap holiday - Do it today!"
The artist is left clutching to their last moments of consciousness as they see two contrasting messages - 'Jesus Saves' painted by someone who claims to be an atheist, and the slogan 'Have an Awayday' which seems ironic in light of the artist's current situation.

I glanced back on my life And thought about my wife 'Cause they took the keys - and she'll think it's me And I'm down in the tube station at midnight The wine will be flat and the curry's gone cold I'm down in the tube station at midnight Don't want to go down in a tube station at midnight
As the artist lies helpless, they think of their wife who will assume they are responsible for their own absence from the safety of their home. They feel the certainty of what they will find upon their eventual return, including bad wine and cold food. Finally, they express their wish to never be caught in such a dangerous and vulnerable situation again.

Contributed by Alexis S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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