[Verse 1] He sits beneath the bottles at the far end of the bar Same old coat, same woolen hat same chair against the wall He never asks for whiskey never puts a coin down Just reads the faded labels when there’s no one else around [Pre-Chorus] Every time the door swings open he looks up for a while Then turns back to the bottles when it’s someone else again [Chorus] He’s waiting for somebody he says she’ll know the way Maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow maybe some forgotten day So leave the chair beside him empty leave the doorway in his sight He’s waiting for somebody who never comes at night [Verse 2] He knows which bottle moved last week which shelf has gathered dust He knows the one marked SUMMER ’87 but never asks whose it was The black dog sleeps beside him with its head against his shoe Like somehow it remembers something no one else there knew [Pre-Chorus] “You’ve been here a long time.” The bartender finally says The old man gives a little shrug “I suppose I have.” [Chorus] He’s waiting for somebody he says she’ll know the way She left before him years ago so she’ll find this place someday So leave the chair beside him empty leave the doorway in his sight He’s waiting for somebody who never comes at night [Bridge] But the bottles hold no memory with the old man’s name No glass is ever poured for him No debt is ever claimed And when the dead turn weightless he stays solid in his chair As if the room itself can’t decide why he’s there [Final Chorus] He’s waiting for somebody but somebody waits for him Beyond the bottles, beyond the doorway beyond the lights gone dim No goodbye No final drink No footsteps to the door One night the chair is occupied The next— he’s there no more [Outro] The black dog waits beside it until the morning comes Then lifts his head toward somewhere no one else can see.
