The Salvation Army band played
And the children drunk 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, aaaaah

(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma, may-ni-ya)
(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma, hey-ah-ah-ah-ya)
Life in a northern town
All of the work shut down
(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma)

He sat on the stony ground
And he took a cigarette out
And everyone else came down to listen

He said in Winter 1963
It felt like the world would freeze
With John F. Kennedy and the Beatles

(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma, may-ni-ya)
(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma, hey-ah-ah-ah-ya)
Life in a northern town
(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma)
(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma, may-ni-ya)
(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma, hey-ah-ah-ah-ya)
All of the work shut down

Evening turned to rain
Watch the water roll down the drain
As we followed him down to the station
And though he never would wave goodbye
I could see it written in his eye
As the train rolled out of sight, bye, bye

(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma, may-ni-ya)
(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma, hey-ah-ah-ah-ya)
Life in a northern town
(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma)
Rain falling down
(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma, may-ni-ya)
(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma)
All of the work shut down
(Hey-ah-ah-ah-ya)
Life in a northern town
(Hey-ah, ma-ma-ma)...