Lyrics of
Elbows

On a warm night in March on a dark disco floor
I danced up a storm like I'd never before
Every step in the book and then some that weren't listed
For a song or two I felt nothing else existed
Now if a dream curled at your feet you'd take it home and name it
I'm struggling now to find something to blame it on
Strobing effects or perhaps it was that dress
But my eye was captured by a beautiful actress
Now the minutiae's still my memory writ large
As she danced nearer me with her coy entourage
She tugged at the scarf round her neck it came loose
She flung it and hung it from the disc jockey's booth
But before I continue one moments reprieve
I grant you dear audience a chance to leave
For my tale never ends in that it never started
When the house lights came on I'd already departed
No not one word was spoken nor a glance exchanged
When the sun rose next morning the world hadn't changed
See we only touched elbows is the plain naked truth
And I can't even back up my story with proof
We only touched elbows, felt our bones clunk together
Then the moment was over in a falling feather
An accident sure but it happened I'll wrangle
Our elbows did touch our arms at right angles
Now there's naught the nosey observer could've guessed
But the rock and roll drummer inside of my chest
Everyone's seen her films and I'll whisper her name
That we only touched elbows is not such a shame
For the world's getting crowded and I can't see a lapse
It's not about leaving spaces but filling the gaps
We're all bumping and knocking strangers all the time
Sometimes we don't notice, mostly we don't mind
A foot brushes your ankle on a peak hour bus
Someone's hand on the small of your back as they pass
A shopkeepers fingers while handing you change
Can lightly brush yours without feeling too strange
But why I felt so alive I can't quite determine
There could be a word to explain it in German
Some take others home waking up to regret it
We only touched elbows and I'll never forget it
Now the innocent DJ still spins his black moons
And keeps us all moving with his faithful tunes
And the lights nod in synch, they're mechanically powered
We only touched elbows and I still haven't showered