The Monarch, Again

Up on the Chalk Farm Road,

between the Roundhouse and the Lock,

there's a shabby little pub

at least until it's six o'clock.

 

Then the Monarch comes to life

With a hundred brand new friends

and it's time to strike a match

and light this fire once again.

--

[chorus]:

We are kings

We are queens

In our hearts if not our genes

Call your friends and let's all go

To the Monarch again!

--

I walk up from the tube

and chat with Laura on the door.

There's Kain behind the bar

and tables moved back from the floor.

 

Go hunting for the Legion flag

and soon I find the crew

There's Zig and Jen and Giles and Tash,

and Chaz and Toby too.

--

We are kings

We are queens

In our band shirts and our jeans

Meet your friends and we'll all go

To the Monarch again!

--

Let's both head to the bar and

we can get some more beers in,

and two or four or six or

eight big goblets of the gin.

 

The soundcheck's going on

and people filling up the floor

the main act sets up merch

and there's a line outside the door.

--

We are kings

We are queens

Some of us are in-betweens

We're all ready for the show

at the Monarch again!

--

The main act steps onto the stage

and tunes up their guitars

they are with us and among us

cos there's no such thing as stars.

 

We're here for them, they're here for us,

We're one within this space.

They're royalty but so are we

our home is in this place.

--

We are kings

We are queens

Of a thousand perfect scenes.

Sing along in the front row

at the Monarch again!

--

Now the old queen's gone:

she's turned into a Beer Experience

where hipsters go to drown their woes

In chic and stylish ambience.

--

But, oh,

they don't know

what was lost to make it so,

for we'll never, ever go

to the Monarch again.

--

We are kings

We are queens

In our hearts if not our genes

But we'll never, ever go

To the Monarch again!

--

And the toilets were up-sta-a-airs.