up above my shoulder the ragged rooftops rise
casting shadows over streets they seem to despise
(Chorus:) come on, come on, wind and rain
i know the sun will shine again
till then my lady and my Lord will keep me sane
i went down to the dead lake shore to see what i could see
along the breeze came, away my cap went, my head it was set free
(chorus)
and i hear a far away tune come drifting through the gray
it clears a path before my feet, it makes my fingers play
(chorus)
(Chorus:) come on, come on, soot and storm
i know the sun will break your arm
till then my lady and my Lord will keep me warm.
feet fall on the road bound to motion though chains be of gold they are chains all the same traveler on the bridge awakens to find it's not the river that flows but the bridge that moves o'er in the hand of the cloud liquid as time the heron's wings well know the grace of space
cloud pillars clinging like vines to the sky don't cry we'll walk down the meadow with sunrise inside so dry your eyes the winds of all kingdoms meet where we stand the gray forest people cast off their old clothes good-bye everything's sleeping as winter draws near so close your eyes the mists of all twilights dance close at hand the rust-coloured river is now slowing down going dry harvest has lifted the crown from the ground but don't you cry the song of the seasons brings life to the land
(Instrumental)
up on the hillside you can see the cross shine out in the alley hear the hungry dog whine you and i, friend, sit waiting for a sign see how the sunset makes the lake look like wine. over the mountain i can hear myself called i want to come running but my window's too small the cliffs are so high and i might fall what were you saying? -- oh, it's nothing at all. yes, the world's in convulsions and the weather is fine buicks get bigger and five cents costs a dime i must get going, you know, there's not much time the road is waiting and i'm running out of rhyme. up on the hillside, see how the cross does shine.
waves can't break without rocks that dissolve into sand we can't dance without seasons upon which to stand Eden is a state of rhythm like the sea is a timeless change turn your eyes to the world where we all sit and dream busy dreaming ourselves and each other into being dreaming is a state of death, can't you see? we must live through who we are if we can sing with the wind song chant with thunder play upon the lightning melodies of wonder into wonder life will open we are children of the river we have named "existence" undercurrent and surface pass in the same tense nothing is confined except what's in your mind every footstep must be true if we can sing with the wind song chant with thunder play upon the lightning melodies of wonder into wonder life will open
go tell the sergeant-major to get that thing repaired they're losing their pawns in Asia there's slaughter in every square oh -- it's going down slow (2x) go get the fire department to bring that hose along and them and the schoolboy bandits can water each other's lawn oh -- it's going down slow (2x) everybody seems to be leaving better say your travelling prayers it don't matter how you get it it's where do you go from there oh -- it's going down slow (4x) God, damn the Hands of Glory that hold the bloody firebrand high; close the book and end the story of how so many men have died. let the world retain in memory that mighty tongues tell mighty lies; and if mankind must have an enemy let it be his warlike pride, let it be his warlike pride.
when the sun falls the bird of paradise spreads his wings wide when the rain shines the earth sighs gratitude and spreads her hues bright you come to me bringing the sun and rain bringing my song (after Robert Graves)
he came from the mountain
to walk among the wounded
they couldn't see him
but the snow did melt whenever he passed by.
he came behind winter
his face was like the sun
they wouldn't see it
but he sang on the bank and made the waters run.
in his world we wait
in his hands our fate
keep on climbing
we shall see his gate
in good time.
he came to the lowlands
he said we must have faces
so we could see like him
before our wings would ever come to fly.
in his world we wait
in his hands our fate
keep on climbing
we shall see his gate
in good time.
(repeat)
standing on a rock in a river staring at the splintered sun you could drown yourself in jewels like a thousand other fools while you stand there looking down at what you've won. sitting on a mountain of ashes face to face with past regrets you could roll down to the canyon piss away this incarnation but remember that you pay for what you get. and he says "but don't you know how hard it is to hit the ground and mean it, and mean it?" walk the jangling streets of the city trying to find the buried sun you could drown yourself in jewels like a thousand other fools while you wander, waiting for it to be done. and he cries "why don't we celebrate? why don't we celebrate? love can make you sad come on, let's drive ourselves mad." and he's aware how hard it is to kiss the sun and mean it, and mean it. and he screams "why don't we celebrate? why don't we celebrate? life can make you sad come on, let's drive ourselves mad." standing on a rock in a river staring at the rain made one on the surface flashing diamonds rolling down the twilight canyon, and we shall kiss the sun in spite of him so why don't we celebrate? why don't we celebrate? why don't we celebrate? ...
Hmmm -- every day flashes like a spray of blue jays hmmm -- a golden crown upon each one like an eagle seen against the sun