MONTGOMERY STREET (Paul O’Brien)

It’s late the pubs are closing

The streets are full of life

Married men about the town

Without their wife

Groping in their pockets

For money for the girls

Longing for the comfort

Longing for the curls

Later on, later on

When the men have come and gone

She straightens out the sheets

Later on, later on

The ghosts they sing their song

Tears run down Montgomery Street

Mary keeps a picture

Of her fallen grenadier

She’s glad to be alone at last

Wishing he was here

The way he used to hold her

Like he’d never let her go

Sometimes it’s like yesterday

Sometimes it’s years ago

Later on, later on

When the men have come and gone

She straightens out the sheets

Later on, later on

The ghosts they sing their song

Tears run down Montgomery Street

Softly from the windows

Half open to the night

Some girls are singing

Just before the light

Coins have all been counted

And safe in madams purse

Jarveys pick up stragglers

And softly curse

Later on, later on

And the banshee’s come and gone

Tapping on the railing as he passed

Later on, later on

The ghosts they move along

And Mary falls asleep at last

And I listen to the carriages

And the talk as strangers meet

And I listen to the tears

Run down Montgomery Street