Other People’s Houses Paul Kelly and the Messengers

His mother always let him stay up late on Fridays
They would lie in her room together watching TV
Sometimes she fell asleep before he did and he'd be watching a talk show - one person talking, then another, then all this laughter coming from nowhere
Next thing he knew she would be shaking him gently
'Wake up little one, wake up'
Saturday morning
So he'd get up, dress himself, put his shoes on and leave the house without breakfast
Breakfast always came later in other people's houses

Other people's houses
Other people's houses
Other people's houses
Other people's houses

They had to catch two buses to reach their destination and the trip seemed to take forever unless he fell asleep along the way
When they got off at their stop they were in a bigger, brighter neighbourhood
All the houses were a long way back from the street and some of them were hidden from view by big hedges
Looking down the street was like looking through the wrong end of a telescope
His mother guided him through this country
She knew exactly where to go
She carried in her bag a big, heavy ring full of keys - all keys to other people's houses

Other people's houses
Other people's houses
Other people's houses
Other people's houses