We skipped the light fandango
And turned cartwheels cross the floor.
I was feeling kind of seasick
But the crowd called out for more.
The room was humming harder
And the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink
The waiter brought a tray
And so it was that later
As the miller told his tale
That her face at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale.
She said 'There is no reason,
And the truth is plain to see,'
But I wandered through my playing cards
And would not let her be
One of sixteen vestal virgins
Who were leaving for the coast
And although my eyes were open
They might just just have well been closed.
And so it was that later
As the miller told his tale
That her face at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale.
[Additional lyrics sung in concert: ]
She said she wanted shore leave
Tho in truth we were at sea
So I took her by a looking glass
And forced her to agree
Saying you must be the mermaid
Who took Neptune for a ride
Well she smiled at me so sadly
That my anger straightway died
And so it was, etc...
My Prussian-blue electric clock's
alarm bell rings, it will not stop
and I can see no end in sight
and search in vain by candlelight
for some long road that goes nowhere
for some signpost that is not there
And even my befuddled brain
is shining brightly, quite insane
The chandelier is in full swing
as gifts for me the three kings bring
of myrrh and frankincense, I'm told,
and fat old Buddhas carved in gold
And though it seems they smile with glee
I know in truth they envy me
and watch as my befuddled brain
shines on brightly quite insane
Above all else confusion reigns
And though I ask no-one explains
My eunuch friend has been and gone
He said that I must soldier on
And though the Ferris wheel spins round
my tongue it seems has run aground
and croaks as my befuddled brain
shines on brightly, quite insane
Who will search for Holy Grail
Past the edge beyond the veil
Who will come beyond the light
Far from reach beyond all sight
Who will share this bitter cup
let the wild dogs tear them up
let the cold winds blow them down
drive them deep beneath the ground
Who will live in darkest night
Dankest gloom and quietest quiet
Buried deep beneath the ground
Far from any human sound
Who will search for treasure trove
Scour the seas and scale the globe
Past the peaks beyond the heights
Farmost reaches furthest sights
Who will share this bitter cup
let the wild dogs tear them up
let the cold winds blow them down
drive them deep beneath the ground
Our local picture house
was showing a Batman movie
You see this guy fly up in the sky,
thought to myself,
'Why shouldn't I?'
So I bought a pair of wings, went up upon a wall
I was about to jump into the air
when a guy from the street called
He said, 'Hey wait a minute!
Don't you realise the danger?
What do you think you are, some kind of angel?'
I considered for a minute,
realised he spoke the truth.
For the barbells on my eyelids
only emphasised my youth
and the sawdust in my plimsolls
means the same to him as me
But that's neither here nor further,
so I spoke considerately
'Now if you understand just what I'm trying to say,
whatever you do, don't grin,
you'll give the game away!'
By now a crowd had gathered
and it seemed that all was lost
In the anger of the moment
I had diced with death and lost
It seemed to me the time was right
so I burst into song
In the anger of the moment
the crowd began to sing along
I could not see a way out of this predicament
Just then a breeze came through the trees
and up in the air I went
I must have flown a mile,
or maybe it was eight
Thought to myself pretty soon
I'd hit the Golden Gates
Just then a passing bird for no reason I could see
took a peck at my wings
and that was the end of me
I went down, hit the ground
faster than the speed of sound
Luckily I broke no bones
only tore my underclothes
'All hands on deck, we've run afloat!'
I heard the captain cry
'Explore the ship, replace the cook:
let no one leave alive!'
Across the straits, around the Horn:
how far can sailors fly?
A twisted path, our tortured course,
and no one left alive
We sailed for parts unknown to man,
where ships come home to die
No lofty peak, nor fortress bold,
could match our captain's eye
Upon the seventh seasick day
we made our port of call
A sand so white, and sea so blue,
no mortal place at all
We fired the gun, and burnt the mast,
and rowed from ship to shore
The captain cried, we sailors wept:
our tears were tears of joy
Now many moons and many Junes
have passed since we made land
A salty dog, this seaman's log:
your witness my own hand
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Conquistador, your stallion stands
In need of company
And like some angel's haloed brow
You reek of purity
I see your armor-plated breast
Has long-since lost its sheen
And in your death-masked face
There are no signs which can be seen
And though I hope for something to find
I can see no place to unwind
Conquistador, a vulture sits
Upon your silver shield
And in your rusty scabbard now
The sand has taken seed
And though your jewel-encrusted blade
Has not been plundered still
The sea has washed across your face
And taken of its fill
And though I hope for something to find
I can see no place to unwind
Conquistador, there is no time
I must pay my respect
And though I came to jeer at you
I leave now with regret
And as the gloom begins to fall
I see there is no, only all
And though you came with sword held high
You did not conquer, only die
And though I hope for something to find
I can see no place to unwind
Though I hope for, something to find
I can see no place to unwind
We'll hoist a hand,
becalmed upon a troubled sea
'Make haste to your funeral,
' cries the Valkyrie
We'll hoist a hand or drown
amidst this stormy sea
'Here lies a coffin,' cries the cemetery,
it calls to me
And all for nothing quite in vain
was hope forever tossed
No thoughts explained, no moments gained,
all hope forever lost
One moment's space,
one moment's final fall from grace
Burnt by fire, blind in sight, lost in ire
We'll hoist a hand,
becalmed upon a troubled sea
I fear a mighty wave is threatening me
We'll hoist a hand, or drown
amidst this stormy sea
'Come follow after,' cry the humble,
'You will surely see ...'
But still for nothing quite in vain
was hope forever tossed
No moments gained, no thoughts explained,
all hope forever lost
One moment's space,
one moment's final fall from grace
Burnt by fire, blind in sight, lost in ire
In the darkness of the night,
only occasionally
relieved by glimpses of Nirvana
as seen through other people's windows,
wallowing in a morass of self-despair
made only more painful by the knowledge
that all I am is of my own making ...
When everything around me,
even the kitchen ceiling,
has collapsed and crumbled without warning.
And I am left, standing alive and well,
looking up and wondering why and wherefore.
At a time like this,
which exists maybe only for me,
but is nonetheless real, if I can communicate,
and in the telling and the bearing of my soul
anything is gained, even though the words
which I use are pretentious and make you cringe
with embarrassment, let me remind you
of the pilgrim who asked for an audience
with the Dalai Lama.
He was told he must first spend
five years in contemplation.
After the five years, he was ushered
into the Dalai Lama's presence, who said,
'Well, my son, what do you wish to know?'
So the pilgrim said,
'I wish to know the meaning of life, father.'
And the Dalai Lama smiled and said,
'Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?'
Held close by that which some despise
which some call fake, and others lies
And somewhat small
for one so tall
a doubting Thomas who would be?
It's written plain for all to see
for one who I am with no more
it's hard at times, it's awful raw
They say that Jesus healed the sick
and helped the poor
and those unsure
believed his eyes
- a strange disguise
Still write it down, it might be read
nothing's better left unsaid
only sometimes, still no doubt
it's hard to see, it all works out
While horsemen ride across the green
and Snow White still remains unseen.
Pegasus, the winged horse,
relays his messages by Morse.
And like some pirate sailor
We crossed the Spanish Main
And brought our magic carpet
to a marble staircased plain.
While Handel plays his melody
Doctors cause uncertainty
And though I know the lifeguard's brave
There is no one for him to save.
And like some pirate sailor
We crossed the Spanish Main
And brought our magic carpet
to a marble staircased plain.
Cock Robin views his frozen feet
and wraps them in a winding sheet
and calls out for his favourite drink
the Persian that's as warm as mink.
And like some pirate sailor
We crossed the Spanish Main
And brought our magic carpet
to a marble staircased plain.
It was all once bright jewels
And glittering sand
The oceans have ravaged
And strangled the land
Waste fills the temples,
Dead daughters are born
The presses are empty
The editors torn
Whose husband was the first to fall?
Who died the worst death of them all?
How many splinters in each separate band?
How many stations in the final hand?
Now gather up sea shells,
And write down brave words
Your prayers are unanswered,
Your idols absurd
The seaweed and the cobweb,
Have rotted your sword
Your barricades broken,
Your enemies Lord.
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