Open up the door, she's there With the smile in her eyes but the gray in her Betrays the fact you strayed far home With your drinkin', your smokin', you're around
Sit down by the fire, put your feet on the Spend the night reminiscin' the hour grows late remember at the end of the day You can go home, you just can't stay
it's off to the pub for to see your old mates Ah, all look older, but nothin' has changed And you drink 'til you're out of your head Hey, what are yez all doin', snakin' off to
Then you're her flat but she's no longer there The tears scald your eyes as you of her hair In the they sent you of her wedding day You can go home, you just can't stay
Then you see her at Mass the kids at her side And it all back in the blink of an eye The tears and the laughter, the love and the And that dress she wore the night you said,?
Then her husband says, "It's good to you back" And she for a moment and squeezes your hand But you know she's thinkin', she doesn't have to say You can always go home, you just stay
And you swear to yourself, time and again It was all in the past, she don't mean Now your life is full of and bars What did you leave behind, just the sun, the and the stars?
Then it's up in the mornin' at the of dawn With your stomach churnin', she says, "Come on, now, You'll be late for the plane" but crack in her voice Betrays the fact that you your choice
A long time ago, now there's no turnin' last night you had your American wake And the bells are still ringin', can't you hear what say? You can always go home, you just stay
Say goodbye, say goodbye, say In the wind, the and the pourin' rain One last drink, one last drink, one last At Shannon Airport, then we're outa
History here, catch you again next year Landin' at Kennedy, landin' at Kennedy, landin' at All you feel is the But it's too late, too late 'cause last night you had You had American wake