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There's no mistake
I smell that smell
It's that time of year again
I can taste the air
Clocks go back railway track
Something blocks the line again
And the train runs late for the first time
A pebble beach, we're underneath a pier, just been painted red
Where I hear the news for the first time
And all the friends lay down the flowers
Sit on the banks and drink for hours
Talk of the way they saw him last
Local boy in the photograph
He'll always be twenty three
Yet the train runs on and on
Past the place they found his clothing
There's no mistake
I smell that smell
It's that time of year again
I can taste the air
The clocks go back railway track
Something blocks the line again
And the train runs late for the first time
And all the friends lay down the flowers
Sit on the banks and drink for hours
Talk of the way they saw him last
Local boy in the photograph
Today, is gone away
I smell that smell
It's that time of year again
I can taste the air
Clocks go back railway track
Something blocks the line again
And the train runs late for the first time
A pebble beach, we're underneath a pier, just been painted red
Where I hear the news for the first time
And all the friends lay down the flowers
Sit on the banks and drink for hours
Talk of the way they saw him last
Local boy in the photograph
He'll always be twenty three
Yet the train runs on and on
Past the place they found his clothing
There's no mistake
I smell that smell
It's that time of year again
I can taste the air
The clocks go back railway track
Something blocks the line again
And the train runs late for the first time
And all the friends lay down the flowers
Sit on the banks and drink for hours
Talk of the way they saw him last
Local boy in the photograph
Today, is gone away
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I think a thousand trees was about forrest fires started by kids on the mountain above Cwmaman.
I guess like any singer song writer they take things from their surroundings and put them into songs etc.. Cwmaman and surrounding areas has a great community, it's probably the closest you'd ever get to a soap on TV (In a good way) everyone interacts with one another and covers one anothers back! Proper community spirit which is rare these days, so there is no doubt how something new is always happening, something to draw upon to write a song about.
I remember reading that this was about a local 22 year old, though 23 obviously fitter better. Incredibly powerful line "He'll always be twenty-three / Yet the train runs on and on", but the song is full of them.
I also remember reading that the pier had been repainted, so I'm not sure if that's a reference to his blood or not.
"Local boy in the photograph" is a reference to his picture in the papers after his death.
It must have happened at the end of BST in late October as "Clocks go back".
Awesome song that always gives me goosebumps.
I think what is more important about this song is that it shows that even in death, there is some kind of joy. A sense of hope... of the human spirit. In that this lad died, but his friends can remember all the good things about him. That's what makes this one of the greatest songs' ever written in my opinion. The lyrics and the melody are just amazing.
Truly the Stereophonics at their best.