North Atlantic Wind

He sits in the light of the carousel

with his children running 'round his knees

While the wind howls down through the fishing boat mast

the lights sway and the barkers freeze

Well, his clothes are ragged and his smile is bright

and the world he's in is only his

so let no fool come up and look at him and say,

"How'd you get to be like this?

Not even 30 yet and you're like this!"

North Atlantic wind will warp our resting veins

It will dissolve you finally

and naked you'll die, under the black sky, lost and alone

In the all-night party at the chemical plant

everybody's feeling grand

The Irish peasants haven't had this much fun

since their ancestors fled the land

A man with a hammer smashes down a wall

and everybody shouts, "Hooray!"

and the virgins get taken in the shower stalls

where the cyanide comes up the drains

Don't call an ambulance if you can't pay

North Atlantic wind will warp our resting veins

It'll put you back down in your place

and take that arrogant look off your face

North Atlantic wind will cut through bone and brain

Oh, be glad that you can still feel pain

because naked you'll die, under the black sky, lost and alone