In december 1981 werd het Wigan Casino gesloten, zogenaamd uit planningovewegingen. Het gebouw, dat jarenlang de Tempel van de Northern Soul was, moest gesloopt worden voor prettige nieuwbouw die er niet gekomen is. De ruimte werd een parkeerplaats.
Dit lied van de Kinks gaat niet over deze zaal maar zou er net zo goed wel over kunnen gaan: de ontmoetingsplaatsen van het proletariaat mogen rücksischtslos gesloopt worden voor niets.
Ray Davies slaat een beetje over in dit lied van kort daarna; emotie?
They put a parking lot on a piece of land
Where the supermarket used to stand
Before that they put up a bowling alley
On the site that used to be the local Palais
That’s where the big bands used to come and play
My sister went there on a Saturday
Come dancing
All her boyfriends used to come and call
Why not come dancing?
It’s only natural
Another Saturday, another date
She would be ready but she’d always make him wait
In the hallway in anticipation
He didn’t know the night would end up in frustration
He’d end up blowing all his wages for the week
All for a cuddle and a peck on the cheek
Come dancing
That’s how they did it when I was just a kid
And when they said come dancing
My sister always did
My sister should have come in at midnight
And my mum would always sit up and wait
It always ended up in a big row
When my sister used to get home late
Out of my window I can see them in the moonlight
Two silhouettes saying goodnight by the garden gate
The day they knocked down the Palais
My sister stood and cried
The day they knocked down the Palais
Part of my childhood died, just died
Now I’m grown up and playing in a band
And there’s a car park where the Palais used to stand
My sister’s married and she lives on an estate
Her daughters go out now it’s her turn to wait
She knows they get away with things she never could
But if I asked her I wonder if she would
Come dancing
Come on sister have yourself a ball
Don’t be afraid to come dancing
It’s only natural
Come dancing
Just like the Palais on a Saturday
And all her friends will come dancing
Where the big bands used to play
Come dancing, 1982
