From the recording Trains

John Jenkins – Vocals
Jon Lawton – Guitars, Bass and Drum Programming
Amy Chalmers – Violin
Helen Maher – Accordion

About the Song

There are two songs on the album which I swear I woke up with a melody and words fully formed and this was one of them (or at least verse 1).
I was reading a book by Paula McLaine called “The Paris Wife” about Hemingway’s first wife and it inspired me to write this.

About the Recording

After the “Sweet Delphine” recording I was desperate to get Amy and Helen back in to work their magic on the next song. Initially it was another song I had written called “That Girl is going to Make you Cry” but by the time they arrived at the studio that song had taken a distinctive Latin American feel and I hastily started on this song so they hadn’t much time to prepare for the recording – not that you can tell as they both give it the Parisian feel I dreamt of (literally)

Lyrics

The Paris Wife

Bad Dreams – Woke me up this morning
Sad dreams – haunt me through the night
I’m so afraid to turn out the light
Sleeping – why’s it so difficult
Moonlight - Shining through the blinds
Should I turn on my bedside light?

Paris – Should have been so wonderful
But she was taken in by lies
Sadness – solitude was her reward
Every night - The Paris Wife
Paris – a never ending love affair
Even though we were so poor
Sadness
Every night – The Paris Wife

Hemingway – didn’t have a lot to say
Should have been faithful to his wife
But it was much late and she gave up that fight

Paris – Should have been so wonderful
Ezra, Scott and their crowd
Drinks flow – Acting so Bohemian
Every Night
Paris – a never ending love affair
Even though we were so poor
Sadness
Every night – The Paris Wife