More than you've ever lost

We listened to the football last night in the car, in the middle of a long, cross-country journey. We went from headlight-flashing joy when Gordon scored to silence when Argentina headed their stoppage-time winner. I wouldn't call it stunned silence though, because we knew it was coming, with all the inevitability of death and taxes.

I was more gutted than Amusements Minor, but then his generation are used to England getting to quarter- and semi-finals at every tournament. I want to tell him it isn't always like that, but why pile misery on misery?

Speaking of Amusements Minor, he really likes this song. I'll be honest, before he got into Blossoms I mostly knew them for being Rick Astley's Smiths. But this track, Pure Pop, has some very fitting lyrics for England's biennial football comedown, not least "More than you've ever lost, we came close..." and "I'm falling, my head and my heart up against the wind, I'm all in, praying for change again...". And then there's the opening line of the chorus which is how everyone I've spoken to today is feeling, even if only figuratively: "Can you believe the rainfall hasn't stopped?"

Also, for a song called Pure Pop, I quite like how the opening guitar motif seems to ape Gimme Gimme Gimme by Abba.

Anyway, strap in now for more heartache at the Euros in 2028 (though since that will be co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland we might actually have a home-advantage chance). But until then, with no sense we can dance to some Blossoms.

More than you've ever lost
We came close, pure pop
Are you sure that you've had enough
On your soul to wake it up?

I'm falling
My head and my heart up against the wind
I'm all in
Praying for change again, won't you say something

Can you believe the rainfall hasn't stopped?
All the things that made us happy
With no sense we dance to pure pop

Have I said too much
Of this life you curse?
Close enough to touch
Twist the knife, rumours

I'm trying
But you played love like it was a game
Your silence
Puts in the pain, the strain, the distance in you

Can you believe the rainfall hasn't stopped?
All the things that made us happy
With no sense we dance to pure pop

The days are long
You're hanging on
Let's call it off
Let's call it off
The days are long
You're hanging on
Let's call it off (repeat to fade)