“All in a Mouse’s Night”

Looking over my personal music library, one cannot miss the fact that so many popular songs are relationship based. Either the relationship is separated by distance, or there is a new romance stirring the emotional waters, or (the more likely scenario) there is a total breakdown in the relationship for any number of reasons. Given how important relationships are to our species, this should be no revelation.

Then there are the “social statement” kinds of songs; the soul searching songs,  and those that cover an historical event. We write songs for so many reasons, and express a wide range of emotions musically, but they all generally reflect a  human situation.

Then I came across this one, which posed the academic (because I knew the answer) question “Who would write a song about a mouse? Who would give it a big dramatic ending? Who would do all that without any hint of it being humorous?”  You just have to love the range of musical creativity in the 1970’s! Enjoy … a brief look into a mouse’s night!

I can’t see you but I know you’re there.
Got to get beside you ’cause it’s really cold out here.
Come up close to me you’ll soon be warm.
Hold me tightly like we’re sheltering from a storm.
Think I might go out for a stroll
Into the night, and out of this hole.
Maybe find me a meal.
Walking along this new shag pile
Presents a problem all the while.
Nearly the door.
Suddenly he bumps into wood, the door is closed.
A voice from the bed, he’ll be exposed.
Which way to run, must make for the hole,
But the light’s been turned on, now he’s blind as a mole in coal.
Now I can see they’re coming at me,
They’ve blocked off my door,
I haven’t a chance in hell.
Come on baby let the poor thing go.
I’m not sleeping with that thing around here, no.
Alright then, I’ll fetch a box from below,
Guard him carefully, they’re very quick you know.
The door’s been opened, my chance to escape.
Must run out quick, better sorry than late.
I’m out on the stairs.
They won’t catch me now, I’ve the run of the house now.
I’ll make it downstairs and into the bread bin.
That would be nice.
Suddenly he bumps into fur, that’s very unwise,
A cat is much quicker than men and their eyes.
The chase that ensues can have only one end,
Unless outside help steps in for our friend in need.
But now the cat comes in for the kill,
His paw is raised, soon blood will spill, yes it will.
Hard luck mouse, this is the end of your road.
The signpost says inside me, let me bear your heavy load.
But it’s not to be, that final pounce
Knocks a jar upon his head, and lays him out.
But it’s all in a mouse’s night
To take on all those who would fight.
There I was with my back to the wall,
Then comes this monster mouse, he’s ten feet tall,
With teeth and claws to match.
It only took one blow.
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Anthony George Banks
All In A Mouse’s Night lyrics © Concord Music Publishing LLC
____________________________________________________
If anybody is curious, it is from the Genesis album “Wind and Wuthering” released in 1976.

26 thoughts on ““All in a Mouse’s Night””

  4. The music drowns out the lyrics. Good thing you included them in the post or I wouldn’t have understood a word of this tune.
    Yes even a mouse’s life is important. Maybe even a bacterium’s life. Or a mitochondria’s. Whose to say our human lives are all that matter? Maybe there’s fun, tragedy, and adventure to be had in any life.

    Liked by 2 people

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