Daddy's Whistling Home

(album: Sand In Your Shoes - 1995)

Daddy's whistling home from work
Mamma's ironing daddy's shirt
Tea is on the table, baby's in his cot
Money's tight for everyone and they ain't got a lot

But what they got's their own
Rent's paid on their basement home
And from the chilly kitchen she's gazing at the moon
Looking for the stars and wishing she did hear the tune
Of daddy whistling home

She seems to spend so much time on her own
He swallows down his tea then it's off to evening school
He's doing it for the family, but sometimes life is cruel
Lately he seems so tired, too tired for making love
Shouts out loudly in his sleep sometimes
She's scared he'11 wake the neighbours on the floor above

Or baby in his cot
He's got his daddy's eyes, he doesn't cry a lot
The war is over now, it'll take a little time
Till he can say that we are his and she can say he's mine

Maybe we're all too tired
Expecting too much so soon
Through the black-out curtain she can see some stars
But can't explain the hurting while she's searching for the moon

Baby's lying in his bed
Trying to remember what was said
Something about a letter dropped behind a back
But someone pulls a curtain and the whole scene fades to black

Mama's ironing kiddie's clothes
Nothing's ever said but everybody knows
Singing in the kitchen, wondering who he's kissing
Wondering if he ever talks about me
And listening for daddy whistling home