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, away

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, into the night

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, hey, ah

Life in a northern town

Hey, ma, ma, ma, ma

They sat on the stony ground and he took a cigarette out

And everyone else came down to listen

It was the winter 1963, it felt like the world would freeze

With John F. Kennedy and the Beatles, yeah, yeah, yeah

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, into the night

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, hey, ah

Life in a northern town

Hey, ma, ma, ma, ma

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, into the night

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, hey, ah

They shut the factory down

Hey, ma, ma, ma, ma

The evening had turned to rain, watched the water roll down the drain

As they followed him down to the station

And he would never wave goodbye, you could see it written in his eyes

As the train pulled out of sight, bye, bye

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, into the night

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, hey, ah

Life in a northern town

Hey, ma ma ma, take it easy on yourself

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, into the night

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, hey, ah

Life in a northern town

Hey, ma, ma, ma, ma

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, into the night

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, hey, ah

Life in a northern town

Hey, ma, ma, ma, ma

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, into the night

Hey, ah, ma, ma, ma, hey, ah

Life in a northern town

Hey, ma, ma, ma, ma