Yellow Sign

On a November day
In an East End cafe
There’s a fight kicking off to the right of me
«Well, I’ve half a mind
To hurt you,» he cried.
«But I don’t want the world and his wife to see.»
And he’s dragged that girl outside
With his arms around her
There’s a yellow sign
Where they found her
'Cause there was some other man she’d hit on
Now, she’s barely alive
What a secret to try and sit on
When you know you shouldn’t have to hide
Well, it’s a year to the day
Since they put him away
Yeah, he’s down for a ten-stretch, at best
And she goes every week
Just to hear her lover speak
But there’s the one thing he can’t get off his chest
And then she forced his hand
Showed him a letter
She said, «I hope you sent my love
When you met her.»
'Cause there was some other girl he’d hit on
Yeah, he’s as guilty as sin
What a secret to try and sit on
When you’ve nothing you can keep it in
And if ever they meet
When he’s back on the street
Who knows if the caff’ll still be there?
And will she still believe
In that sinner’s reprieve
That in love, as in war, that all is fair?
And if all he’s on is his best behaviour
And she’s holding her tongue
They can clean up the bad blood later
For now they’ll sit and watch it run
For now they’ll sit and watch it run