Lyrics

She’s old and tired, but still standing tall
The iron lady awaits her date with the wrecking ball
The rolling mills don’t turn anymore
The hot strip is cold, padlocks on all the doors
He punched in each morning for 29 years
Now he sits here in silence chasing shots with beers

The fire went out – in the city of iron and steel
The fire went out – in the hearts of the men at the mill
The fire went out, the fire went out.

He was 18 when he started on nights
Worked his way up to be turn foreman from a millwright
The overtime put three kids through school
He had it made ‘til the day that they changed the rules
The pension he planned on has gone up in smoke
Nine months from retirement like some sick joke

The fire went out – in the city of iron and steel
The fire went out – in the hearts of the men at the mill
The fire went out, the fire went out.

Closing time – one more for the road
Two hands on the wheel, he’s got one eye closed
She wakes up as he slides into bed
Waits for his touch, but he passes out instead
She dreams of those days as she closes her eyes
When the fire burned so brightly it lit the skies

The fire went out – in the city of iron and steel
The fire went out – in the hearts of the men at the mill
The fire went out, the fire went out.