Whistling Cannonballs (with Paul Kelly)

there's pictures of her mother on the wall
and when she speaks, she don't look at me at all
she likes to check the time now and then
and i start whistling cannonballs again
her old man sleeps till dark every day
then she cleans and puts the ashtrays away
i think that i could make her my friend
but i've been whistling cannonballs again
and as she pulls her skirt above her knees
i'm thinking bad things always come in threes
and so it finished right where it began
and i went whistling cannonballs again
fragile like a teacup in a storm
sweet and tender like a nurse in uniform
but every time i here a violin
then i start whistling cannonballs again
so she curled up like a cat in the chair
with her fingers drawing circles in the air
stared me down and said "lets not pretend
that you weren't whistling cannonballs again
and without a breath she made it pretty clear
that i should close the door and disappear
it's been so long i don't remember when
i started whistling cannonballs again
it's been so long i don't remember when
we started whistling cannonballs again