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King's Cross
Pet Shop Boys Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The man at the back of the queue was sent
To feel the smack of firm government
Linger by the flyposter, for a fight
It's the same story every night
I've been hurt and we've been had
You leave home, and you don't go back

Someone told me Monday, someone told me Saturday
Wait until tomorrow and there's still no way
Read it in a book or write it in a letter
Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee

Only last night I found myself lost
By the station called King's Cross
Dead and wounded on either side
You know it's only a matter of time
I've been good and I've been bad
I've been guilty of hanging around

Someone told me Monday, someone told me Saturday
Wait until tomorrow and there's still no way
Read it in a book or write it in a letter
Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee

So I went looking out today
For the one who got away
Murder walking round the block
Ending up in King's Cross
Good luck, bad luck waiting in a line
It takes more than the matter of time

Someone told me Monday, someone told me Saturday
Wait until tomorrow and there's still no way
Read it in a book or write it in a letter
Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee

Someone told me Monday, someone told me Saturday
Wait until tomorrow and there's still no way
Read it in a book or write it in a letter
Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee
And there's still no guarantee
There is still no guarantee

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of King's Cross by Pet Shop Boys describe the struggles faced by individuals who are struggling to make ends meet, particularly those living in a downtrodden area. The man in the back of the queue is singled out and punished for trying to oppose the government, while others resort to violence and living in constant fear due to the instability of their environment. The singer himself laments that he has been both good and bad, and has been guilty of hanging around the dangerous King's Cross Station. The lyrics also touch on the desperation of those trying to escape their circumstances, yet finding no guarantee of a better future. The repetition of the phrase "wait until tomorrow and there's still no way" emphasizes their sense of hopelessness.


The song was written as a reflection of Pet Shop Boys' observations of the King's Cross area in London during the mid-1980s. The station was known for being a hub for drug use, prostitution and homelessness during that time, and many of the street scenes described in the song are accurate depictions of the area during that time period. The song was released on their 1987 album "Actually" and as a single in 1988, where it reached the top 10 in the UK charts. The song's somber, introspective tone and the commentary on socio-economic issues made it one of their most critically acclaimed tracks.


Line by Line Meaning

The man at the back of the queue was sent
A person who had to wait in the queue was sent somewhere, possibly to face the consequences of their actions.


To feel the smack of firm government
The person was going to feel the full force of the government's authority.


Linger by the flyposter, for a fight
The person stayed near a poster (likely illegally posted) to possibly provoke a fight or to be part of something exciting.


It's the same story every night
This scenario is something that happens repeatedly.


I've been hurt and we've been had
The artist and those involved have been victimized or deceived in some way.


You leave home, and you don't go back
The situation is serious enough that leaving home could mean not returning again.


Someone told me Monday, someone told me Saturday
The information the singer has been given is unreliable, coming from different sources and different days.


Wait until tomorrow and there's still no way
Even if the artist waits until tomorrow, there's no guarantee that things will change for the better.


Read it in a book or write it in a letter
Reading something in a book or writing it in a letter does not make it any more certain.


Wake up in the morning and there's still no guarantee
Even waking up the next morning doesn't assure that things will be different from the day before.


Only last night I found myself lost
The singer experienced getting lost just the previous night.


By the station called King's Cross
This incident happened near the King's Cross station.


Dead and wounded on either side
There were casualties/bodies on both sides of the incident.


You know it's only a matter of time
It's inevitable that more violence or conflict will occur in this area.


I've been good and I've been bad
The singer has had both positive and negative experiences in life.


I've been guilty of hanging around
The artist admits to wasting time or not doing anything productive.


So I went looking out today
The artist went out today to look for someone.


For the one who got away
The singer is searching for someone who was able to evade them or their grasp somehow.


Murder walking round the block
There's a possibility of someone who has committed murder still roaming the area.


Ending up in King's Cross
Whatever the search leads the artist to, it ultimately ends up near King's Cross station.


Good luck, bad luck waiting in a line
Luck, whether it's good or bad, is not guaranteed despite waiting in line.


It takes more than the matter of time
The situation can't be resolved solely by waiting for time to pass.


And there's still no guarantee
Despite all the uncertainty and efforts, there's still no assurance that things will turn out for the better.




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER LOWE, NEIL TENNANT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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