England 1914 Lyrics - Ralph Mctell

Night stirs her inky finger in the water of the day, 

The tired sun drops slowly in the sky. 

And everywhere the gentle air hangs heavy with the day song 

Evening calls the lamplight out to come 

Children's wooden hoops go clattering down the street 

Soon they're called inside, it's getting late. 

The grand canal 

Now splashed with red 

Reflects on swallows wings. 

The lamplighter knows the song the evening sings. 

But the gas-lamps stand like soldiers 

Hiss warnings to the wind 

Their evening vespers prophicy a war. 

The world divides 

And men take sides 

The spark bursts into flame 

Nothing can be quite the same again. 

Dog barks in the distance 

Child cries in her sleep 

Night waits for the dawn with baited breath. 

The old school, the old rule 

Rung out on a muffinman's bell 

The lamplighter has made his nightly call. 

Dreams of hope and peace 

Sent clattering down the streets 

Empty like the promises they made. 

The wars rage on, and different wrongs 

Will someone please explain 

That peace is not the lamplighter 

'Cause he's not coming back again