Lyrics

Verse 1

Thirty-seven shops. Eleven still open. Fifty-two dark. Baxter retired - nobody took the lease The councillor owns the lease and the councillor's in the list The form doesn't mention that

Chorus

The list is the form I know The list is the form I love The list keeps the names And the names keep us quiet

Verse 2

Drummond's land was worth more than the business WHO decided the land was worth more? The form doesn't name the developer The council vote, the back-room minute The form doesn't ask

Chorus

The list is the form I know The list is the form I love The list keeps the names And the names keep us quiet

Bridge

The baker is here and the post office is here The man who fixed boilers is here They're not here to listen - they're here because the shops Are closing and the rents are rising And the form has never helped And the form has never asked why

Chorus

The list is the form I know The list is the form I loved The list keeps the names But I'm tearing it out

Outro

I'm not the form I'm not the clerk The form kept the names I'm keeping the reasons I'm not reading it the same way