Swiss Cottage Manoeuvres Lyrics - Al Stewart

On a Christmas cake day one Friday in August 

In a bookshop in Charing Cross Road 

I first set eyes on a girl and at once I did know 

She had eyes like a poet and hair like a rainbow 

Reflecting the lights that did glow 

And the sadness she kept in her eyes 

Struck my senses a blow 

And so as by chance at the touch of a glance 

We could find ourselves out in the road 

With no crush of time to defeat us and no place to go 

And I couldn't say how but the coffee bar crowd 

Had appeared through the silence that broke 

And she said, Oh my father's a judge in St Albans you know 

Oh well, then perhaps I could help you 

You know that St. Albans is miles away 

And I've got a room in Swiss Cottage in which you could stay 

She laughed, Oh I couldn't do that, for I've got 

To be up in the morning you see 

So I rang up to find out the first morning train she could take 

And so in the gloom of a candlelit room 

With spaghetti, two forks and a plate 

She said, Oh I really would like to be free and escape 

Oh well if it's like that 

You don't have to go back 

And you're perfectly welcome to stay 

But I've not finished school yet 

She said as she got into bed 

And so as she slept and the pure morning crept 

Through the windows to take her away 

I thought you can't make people be what you want them to be 

I could see my self nailed to a dormitory tale 

Of a holiday night's escapade 

And just yesterday she had seemed like a woman to me