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