Morna
Liner notes
We lost my grandmother, Nanny Pat, to dementia some years ago. I got thrown for a loop by an interview with 80s/90s comedian Russ Abbott talking about his mum visiting him in a dressing room and saying 'It's so nice to meet you' -- just a heartbreaking line, which I thought deserved to be dressed up for a song. The Kinema Ballroom was a club in Dunfermline, best known as an incredible music venue, but which definitely had ballroom dancing at some point.She takes the Polaroid down from the mantelpiece
A baby-faced couple flushed with success
Jim looking smart in a rented tuxedo
Morna demure in a sparkling dress
The king and the queen of the Kinema Ballroom
Lords of the dancefloor and all they surveyed
"Remember you said, we would always have Paisley?"
Jim doesn't answer, confused and afraid
It's one-two-three, one-two-three, move to the music
One-two-three, one-two-three, follow my lead
Just for a moment, he almost remembers
Just for a moment, she almost believes
They never cared much for the chaos of ceilidhs
Always preferring their feet on the floor
Round after heat after meet after contest
And finally the finals in '74
Nobody gave them a sniff of a medal
They'd never compete with the toffs and the snobs
But they finished third in the Argentine tango
And neutral observers agreed they were robbed
It's one-two-three, one-two-three, move to the music
One-two-three, one-two-three, follow my lead
Just for a moment, he almost remembers
Just for a moment, she almost believes
That was the summer Jim had to stop dancing
Anterior cruciate ligament popped
At least he conceded he'd hold off competing
Adamant dancing's not something you stop
Fifty years on, fifty years married
She went to the doctor with what she'd observed
When Morna asked questions about his prognosis
They answered with grimaces rather than words
It's one-two-three, one-two-three, move to the music
One-two-three, one-two-three, follow my lead
Just for a moment, he almost remembers
Just for a moment, she almost believes
These days a slow waltz is all Jim can manage
Having a ball in a world of his own
Morna says he's away with the fairies
Lights are on, but there's nobody home
She kisses his forehead and tells him she loves him
Gives him his tablets and tops up his glass
He says "I know you -- you're the girl from the photo"
He says "It's lovely to meet you at last."
It's one-two-three, one-two-three, move to the music
One-two-three, one-two-three, follow my lead
Just for a moment, he almost remembered
Just for a moment, she almost believed.