Our Beautiful Curse

[Verse 1]
The Panini album's on the table by the Tetley's.
That new-sticker smell, you know the one, Dad, it gets me.
And June's crawling back like a sub with a pulled hamstring.
We're mapping the path to the final all over again.

[Pre-Chorus]
And the wallchart's up in the kitchen, a work of art.
Three group-stage gimmes to give us a running start.

[Chorus]
Then it's back to the cagey four-four-two in the knockouts.
We'll park the bus 'til the Gaffer has his doubts.
It's our beautiful curse, it's the hope that we can't shift.
We lose on penalties, it's the nation's final gift.

[Verse 2]
Every pub from here to Bristol will be rammed to the doors.
The floor's sticky with snakebite and ghosts of old scores.
And I'll see some lad in a shirt with his name on the back,
And for half a second, feel the future that I lack.

[Pre-Chorus]
And the pundits will say we look solid, we look tight.
Just gotta see this through under the stadium lights.

[Chorus]
Then it's back to the cagey four-four-two in the knockouts.
We'll park the bus 'til the Gaffer has his doubts.
It's our beautiful curse, it's the hope that we can't shift.
We lose on penalties, it's the nation's final gift.

[Bridge]
And you'll turn to me and say, "This year's different, son."
I'm on the spot again, believing we're the one.

[Outro]
But we'll lose on penalties, yeah we know the final script.
And I'll still be singing with your arm around my hip.