Sometimes when this place gets kind of empty
Sound of their breath fades with the light
I think about the loveless fascination
Under the Milky Way tonight

Lower the curtain down on Memphis
Lower the curtain down all right
I got no time for private consultation
Under the Milky Way tonight

Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find

And it's something quite peculiar
Something shimmering and white
It leads you here
Despite your destination
Under the Milky Way tonight

Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find
Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find

And it's something quite peculiar
Something shimmering and white
It leads you here
Despite your destination
Under the Milky Way tonight

Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find
Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find

Under the Milky Way tonight
Under the Milky Way tonight
Under the Milky Way tonight

Documentation

Lyrically The Church are as obscure as ever. It is difficult to say exactly what most of the songs are about. But the listener is caught by seemingly random conjured images that come at you in an incomprehensible emotional crossfire. "Under The Milky Way" may seem like a romantic, dreamy song; but Steve Kilbey says its really about a hash bar in Amsterdam. Some listeners, however, thought it was a conversation between an ancient Egyptian priest and a supplicant as they stood on the roof of a temple in the dead of night. Others thought with the mention of "Memphis" the song was actually a monologue spoken by Elvis as he drove the streets by night.

"Under the Milky Way is a mixed blessing," says Kilbey. "I've written and recorded hundreds of other songs and some of them are as good as that. 

"It's like being a father and you've got 10 children and you love them all, but it's when people only talk about one of them and you feel like saying, 'Yeah - but I've got these other kids as well'."

Kilbey was surprised to discover, via the internet, that more than 20 versions of the song have been recorded. He singles out Jimmy Little's cover for praise and says it's an "immense compliment for another artist to cover your song".

Kilbey says Under the Milky Way "also gets played at a lot of weddings and even some funerals", further proof that the song is lodged deep in people's hearts. 

This is on Rick's  cd "The Day After Yesterday"