When the last of the echoes fades
When the cymbals and the strings
Have died away
When I am left with just
The ringing in my ears
I take a breath and I settle down
I try to count the things
That really count
To figure out what I've done
With the last few years
And after all the struggle
And the strain
And after all the loss for little gain
The harmonies have faded away
But the melody remains
I grew up in the countryside
There I could have lived
And I could have died
I could have had running water
And security
But I took a train up to London town
Lost my money and
Immersed myself in sound
In lame jobs, late nights
Poor diets and poverty
And after all the struggle
And the strain
And after all the loss for little gain
The harmonies have faded away
But the melody remains