Montreal - Marillion

200 fates entwined inside the plane

We watched as England dropped away from us again

I wasn’t waiting, I wasn’t sure what I would find

I was prepared to let it happen on its own this time

I had a feeling I was floating into time spent amongst friends

Reintroduced from other strange and wonderful weekends

As the seat belt signs announced the fall

I realised I’d been falling for a while

We’d been falling for some time into Montreal

I saw ice upon the river as the plane came in to land

I heard Joni Mitchell singin' her poems of isolation

The man at immigration said his friends all knew the band

Bizarre to come so far to an outstretched hand and easy conversation

We were welcomed through arrivals without the usual transatlantic fuss

And greeted by the fans who led us to the chilly street onto the bus

The snow had hung around on the corners of the vacant lots

And France was singing in the air of hi-rise North America

And as we made our way into the hotel hall

The man behind the desk broke a knowing smile, and said

«Hello sir, welcome back to Montreal.»

We hid away for the day in our identical rooms

Like we usually do

Another new bed, upside down in our heads

And afternoon was morning

And night was afternoon

Only the jet-lagged know the way I sleep tonight.

So I Skyped home and said «It's me.

How are you babe?

I can’t be with you but I can see you on the screen

Technology is wonderful when it isn’t in the way

The little one seems older now with every passing day

I hope the vibes are good.

I’m behavin' as I should

Going down to breakfast .What time is it now there?

I’ll go shopping for shoes .or whatever ensues

Je t’aime my darling, Je t’aime my darling

See you soon.»

We were invited to the circus — guests of honour if you please — by a girl with

an eskimo name

And in the cafe of the Cirque 'Soleil

We bought Easter-eggs from outer-space

40 different languages are spoken in this place

And inside the steel-glass building I gazed up at the trapeze

The building 30 metres tall — we watched the acrobat fall

He was quite safe

He was falling into Montreal

Down at the sports-bar the ice-hockey never ends.

Down at the sports-bar the ice-hockey never ends.

So up in my room I discovered Leonard Cohen on TV

Live in London.

Ain’t that perfect symmetry?!

It warmed the heart to watch him float around the hall

Soaking up, reflecting, radiating

Just as I would, tomorrow night

On the outstretched tender hands, tender hands

Tender hands of Montreal

The fleur de lis was always kind to me

I’ll make the time if ever you should call

The fleur de lis was always kind to me

I’ll make the time if ever you should call

And so I shall…

Je t’aime my darling, Je t’aime my darling

Montreal