The Beautiful South - Alone lyrics

[Verse 1] Like the contents of your handbag You don't know why it's there People ask you where you're heading You just answer, "Anywhere" We don't mean to be this vague It just happens that we are No one asked us to elaborate We just shrug our shoulders and be [Pre-Chorus 1] And like the stories that just happened No one thought of, no one planned We could have ruled, we could have conquered Then we could have been a man We could be ex-husband We could be ex-wife But no one looks at a menu In a greasy spoon life [Chorus] Alone, alone Half an hour is seven hours One day is several months Alone, alone A month is a calendar A year can be a decade spent alone [Verse 2] He knows, 'Hello' in eighteen languages 'I love you' in only one By the time he's got his phrasebook The chance is usually gone And we feel ourselves quite prepared But quite prepared for what? We always took the lead Before we actually knew the plot [Pre-Chorus 2] And you can tell where we've been shopping By the bags beneath our eyes Make-up shoulders burden But the smile never lies We could be ex-husband We could be ex-wife But no one looks at the menu In a greasy spoon life [Chorus] [Verse 3] So empty at the airport You don't set off the doors We used to feel like chorus girls And now we feel like who*es Hearts built like reservoirs Words built like dams Thoughts built like juggernauts Our actions built like prams [Pre-Chorus 3] And when the wind blows into our face We should be warmer and not colder Well, what price the charges On this cargo that we shoulder We could be ex-husband We could be ex-wife But no one looks at the menu In a greasy spoon life [Chorus] [Bridge] And we only smoke when bored So we do two packs a day And we've lost the difference Between bored and lonely anyway [Outro] Alone, alone Alone, alone Alone, alone