This is another of my '80s favorites and definitely one of the more somber songs of its era. I love the simplicity and evocative power of a short lyric like "In winter 1963, it felt like the world would freeze, with John F. Kennedy and The Beatles." The rather generic house song Sunchyme nearly ruined this song for me a few years back when it sampled the chorus chant. At any rate, I think it's a beautiful song, and I'm just listening to the entire album in its entirety for the first time.


LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN
Dream Academy

A Salvation Army band played
And the children drank lemonade
And the morning lasted all day,
All day
And through an open window came
Like Sinatra in a younger day,
Pushing the town away

(Chant)
Ah hey ma ma ma
Life in a northern Town.

They sat on the stoney ground
And he took a cigarette out
And everyone else came down
To listen.
He said in "in winter 1963
It felt like the world would freeze
With John F. Kennedy
And The Beatles."

(Chant)
Ah hey ma ma ma
Life in a northern Town.
Ah hey ma ma ma
All the work shut down.

The evening had turned to rain
Watch the water roll down the drain,
As we follow him down
To the station
And though he never would wave goodbye,
You could see it written in his eyes
As the train rolled out of sight
Bye-bye.

(Chant)
Ah hey ma ma ma
Life in a northern town.
Ah hey ma ma ma
Life in a northern town.