Track 1 of the album Leopold Marsh · 2008
The Last Reel at the Regent
“I wanted to open the way the old picture houses closed, with the lights going down slowly and everyone staying in their seats. The horn carries the whole of the chorus.”
cinematic pop · orchestral pop · film ballad · 4:45
Lyrics
The marquee lights are flickering low Half the bulbs gave out last spring Old Mr. Hale climbs the ladder slow To spell the final evening's thing The velvet seats still hold the warmth Of every Saturday we came Our names are carved beneath the arms In pocketknife and shaky frame The projector hums its tired tune The film begins to turn Roll the last reel at the Regent Let the silver flicker on the wall Every kiss and every parting Every stranger's laugh down the hall Though the doors will close at midnight And the screen will fade to white We were here, and we were golden In the beam of borrowed light I took my girl here, nineteen sixty-nine No, I mean nineteen ninety-two We shared a box of buttered gold And never watched the show we knew Now she sits beside me, gray and bright Her hand inside my coat The usher shines a little torch Across the faded red remote The projector hums its tired tune The film begins to turn Roll the last reel at the Regent Let the silver flicker on the wall Every kiss and every parting Every stranger's laugh down the hall Though the doors will close at midnight And the screen will fade to white We were here, and we were golden In the beam of borrowed light They'll say it's only a building Brick and plaster, dust and dream But a town keeps its heart in the dark Where the faces glow on the screen And when the credits crawl and the aisle lights rise We will stand a moment, slow Not ready for the street outside Not ready yet to go Roll the last reel at the Regent Let the silver flicker on the wall Every kiss and every parting Every stranger's laugh down the hall Though the doors will close at midnight And the screen will fade to white We were here, and we were golden In the beam of borrowed light In the beam of borrowed light Goodnight, Regent, goodnight