Gentle Giant (1970)


Giant

Together the parts make a Giant.
See the world in the palm of his hand,
Striding steps that will cover the land.
He is coming;
Hear him coming;
Are you ready 
For his being?
See the Giant
Feel the Giant
Touch the Giant 
Hear the Giant.
The birth of a realisation;
The rise of a high expectation;
Emerging successful, defiant;
Together the parts make a Giant.


Funny Ways

I'm sorry to have been so much of a bore
But in my own funny way I find I learn much more.
I realise what you think from your eyes,
But in your own funny way I find I learn much more.
My ways are strange
They'll never change
They stay, strange ways
I'm sorry to have been so close from the start,
But for all that I cared we could be miles apart.
I understood that you never would
Understand a way of life that I never could.
My ways are strange
They'll never change
They stay, strange ways
Go your own way or wait for me
Go your own way or wait for me
Go your own way or wait for me
Go your own way or wait for me
And so you see what happened to me
Since the time when I judged my life in nights and days
I realised that my life was lies
So you see what I mean with all my funny ways.
I'm sorry to have been so much of a bore
But in my own funny way I find I learn much more
Funny ways, Funny ways, Funny ways, Funny ways.


Alucard

Lying still;
Am I dreaming 
Feel the chill
Breath of fear
Evil fingers 
Hover, linger
Someone help me
Terror fills my soul.
Living dead;
Am I breathing
Sightless, blind
Heart stopped beating
Hear the crying 
Of the dying
Someone help me 
Ogres of the night.


Isn't It Quiet And Cold?

Isn't it quiet and cold walking all alone, alone?  
Happened I missed the bus and found I had to walk, alone.  
What was that?  
Only me.  
Hear the echo of my feet  
Footsteps  
Are they mine?  
Hear the echo of the street.  
Wished I lived near at hand although I live alone, alone  
At least I'll find company, so why should I moan, alone.  
Movement  
By my feet  
Paper wind across the street  
Curtains closed  
Sleepy heads  
Wrapped together in their beds  
I used to walk with someone else  
I didn't seem to notice sights and sounds of the lonely street  
I used to talk with someone else  
Now the only answers are the calls of the night  
Look at that alley cat, it's winding home to rest, alone  
Half-past four and daylight shows itself once more  
Walking all alone
Walking all alone


Nothing At All

Now she sits by the riverside
Watching the waters glide by,
With a sigh
And the things she put faith in
Are ripples just waving her by
With a sigh
She sees lovers pass by with much more than a kiss
Ah this - little girl who had everything finds
she's nothing at all
Now the wind seems so cold
Seems all old as it laughs at her fears
And her tears
And as ducks swim away from her
Visions of past love appear
In her tears
She sees love in his face as she tells him to go,
And so - here's a girl who had everything now
she's Nothing at all
What could she do if she saw him now;
Now that he's gone she's losing
If she could see what she's seeing now
For sure she's more than just choosing 
Now she sits by the riverside
Watching the waters glide by,
With a sigh
And the things she put faith in
Are ripples just waving her by,
With a sigh
She sees lovers pass by with much more than a kiss
Ah this - little girl who had everything finds
She's nothing at all


Why Not?

Don't sing a tune to yourself
You might believe this one.
Try not to sew it yourself
The threading won't stretch none.
Don't give me none of that line.
Why not?
Got to sing something.
Love's song there's nothing to find
Why not?
Dead before playing.
Don't sing a tune to yourself
You might believe this one 
Try not to sew it yourself
The threading won't stretch none
Who says the things that go in
The song is only saying.
Dead thought can kill a good thing
The band is only playing.
Why not climb a hill
With someone that hates you
Why not hate someone 
Who climbs a hill with you
And as time passes by
Your feet start slipping
You are wondering why
There is no forgetting
Don't sing a tune to yourself,
You might believe this one
Try not to sew it yourself
The threading don't stretch none
Who says the things that go in
The song is only saying
Dead thought can kill a good thing
The band is only playing
Don't give me none of that line
Why not?
Got to sing something
Love's song there's nothing to find
Why not?
Dead before playing
Dead before playing.






Acquiring The Taste (1971)


Pantagruel's Nativity

How can I laugh or cry
When my mind is sorely torn?
Badabec had to die
Fair Pantagruel is born
Shall I weep, yes, for why?
Then laugh and show my scorn

Born with a strength untold
Foreseen to have great age
Set in Gargantuan mould,
Joyful laugh, yet quick to rage
Princely wisdom, habits bold;
Power, glory, lauded sage

Pantagruel born -- the earth was dry and burning
In Paradise dear Badabec prays for him
Pantagruel born -- the earth was dry and burning
In Paradise dear Badabec prays for him.

Pantagruel born -- the earth was dry and burning
In Paradise dear Badabec prays for him

How can I laugh or cry
When my mind is sorely torn?
Badabec had to die;
Fair Pantagruel is born
Shall I weep, yes, for why?
Then laugh and show my scorn.


Edge Of Twilight

The moon is down
Casting its shadow over the night-haunted town
Mystical figures under the silence of light

The trembling air
Drifts slowly unseen over the houses there
And echoes changing into the voices of night

On the edge of twilight whispering
Whisper, whisper, whisper, whisper,
On the edge of twilight whispering
Whisper, whisper, whisper, whisper

Elusive time
In limbo active in never ending mime
The edge of twilight into the darkness of day


The House, The Street, The Room

The room and street are known only to me and a few
I won't tell nobody
A place to meet where no-one can tell you what to do
I won't tell nobody
Here,
Awake in sleep
Together

My time is spent in chains and confusion in my head
I don't tell nobody
I keep my pains and swallow the harsh tears that I shed
I don't tell nobody
Here,
In reverie
Together

I find escape in the street, in the house, in the room
I become somebody
I cast my die and leave all my troubles in the room
I become somebody
Here,
Awake in sleep
Together


Wreck

The ship's rising up from the sea to the sky heyeheh Hold on
Just one sorry scream and a desperate cry heyeheh Hold on
Their lives pass before them before they die heyeheh --

The sea yawns around like a boiling hell heyeheh hold on
And souls disappear with the toll of that bell heyeheh hold on
The arms of the sea they are dragging them down heyeheh hold on
And sorrows and sins they are lost as they drown heyeheh --

How strange when you think that the sea was their way;
And a meaningless death is the price they pay
For their living was made from the deep
To their people in comfort and keep
Keep all their people and places there
Never to be seen again, never to be loved and their last embrace --
And the kiss has a salt bitter taste

Now all that remains is the deep cruel sea heyeheh hold on
And wreckage of things that used to be heyeheh hold on
No stone marks the place of that watery grave heyeheh hold on
Together they die both the weak and the brave heyeheh hold on

The arms of the sea.... etc.


The Moon Is Down

And the horse riding up through the red skies
The moon is down
With a gold coloured bird through the cloud flies
The moon is down
Look East to the Sun, Oh where do they run
Look East to the Sun, Oh where do they run
They live in my dreams,
  in my dreams, in my dreams

And the Moon and the Earth they were mating
The moon is down
And the Angels of hell they were waiting
The moon is down
Oh bride of the winds, Reward for their sins
Oh bride of the winds, Reward for their sins
They live in my dreams,
  in my dreams, in my dreams

There's a chaos of visions and voices
Sad is the laugh of the clown
  now the old moon is down.


Black Cat

There's a cat prowling through the streets at night
And she's black and her eyes are burning yellow
fierce and bright
The lights are darkened;
Senses sharpened;
Wide awake

As she acts out her past of Jungle days
When the night was her friend in many other
different ways
It gave protection
Of detection
By her prey

With a sway and swing she walks away
And the look in her eye it never seems
to say
The way she's feeling
No revealing,
Black Cat Ways



Plain Truth

Why do you question
When there's no answer told?
Plain truth is nothing
You can't buy it when it's sold

Save all your money
And they won't reason why
Why all the worry?
They'll spend it when you die

Chorus:
Don't look for something
Plain truth is nothing,
  nothing but the plain truth

You stand and wonder
Just let it warm your skin
Take all the living
Live life and let it win

Plain truth means nothing
Cry, laugh and cry again
You question answers
Born, live and die, Amen

Chorus:
Don't look for something
Plain truth is nothing,
  nothing but the plain truth

[Repeat first and second verse and chorus]



 


The Power And The Glory (1974)

 
Proclamation


1.
You may not have all you want or you need
all that you have has been due to my hand,
it can change, it can stay the same,
who can say, who can make their claim.

2.
The situation we are in at this time
neither a good one, nor is it so unblest
it can change, it can stay the same,
I can say, I can make my claim.
Hail ........ Hail ........ Hail.

3.
Unity's strength and all must be as one,
confidence in you hope will reflect in me
I think everyone not as my nation for
you are my people and there must be no change.
It can change, it can stay the same
I can say, I can make my claim.
Hail ........ Hail ........ Hail.
Hail to Power and to Glory's way.
Hail to Power and to Glory's way.
Hail to Power and to Glory's way.
Hail to Power and to Glory's way.
Day by day.

(repeat verses 1 & 3)


So Sincere  

Hear, he'll do it all for you, you will see it,
wise and knowing what to do, what to be
and every word is ........

Lies, he only tells the truth, for he means it,
means, not anything he says, eyes unseen,
but everything is ........

So sincere, so sincere, so sincere, so sin.

Yes, that is to say no, understanding
wrong, he makes his promise right, with your hand
you'll never know why.

So sincere, so sincere, so sincere, so sincere.

So, sincere his thoughts so full, always empty
Good, or maybe things are bad, so sincere,
and every word is ........

So sincere, so ........


Aspirations  

As the dust settles, see our dreams,
          all coming true
it depends on you,
If our times, they are troubled times,
          show us the way,
tell us what to do.

As our faith, maybe aimless blind,
          hope our ideals and
our thoughts are yours
And believing the promises,
          please make your claims
really so sincere.

Be our guide, our light and our way of life
and let the world see the way we lead our way.
Hopes, dreams, hopes dreaming that all our
          sorrows gone.

In your hands, holding everyone's 
          future and fate
It is all in you,
Make us strong build our unity,
          all men as one
it is all in you.

Be our guide, our light and our way of life
and let the world see the way we lead our way.
Hopes, dreams, dreaming that all our sorrows
          gone forever.


Playing the Game  

As I hold the key to the back door
of the world I feel my
Hand touching bounds never had before.
I can view the power of my position and my
eyes can see more than anyone in any place,
I'll play the game and never ever lose.

I'm the king in fighting competition
and the other pieces
are there for my art and my tactics now.
All my games are won before they're played for
I have planned that no opposition can stage a fight
I'll play the game and never ever lose.

My thoughts never spoken only the
visions inside my head the truth never broken
within my silent words left unsaid.

I will steer the helm of all the nation
as the captain
take my rewards for all the good I'm doing now,
and no words that I'm the knave will alter my
philosophy for if any are heard, the games started
again I'll never ever lose.


Cogs in Cogs

Empty promise broken the path has
not been paved any way.
Cogs in cogs the machine
is being left where it lay.
Anger and the rising murmur breaks
the old circle, the wheel slowly turns around.

All words saying nothing
the air is sour with discontent.
No returns have been tasted
or are they ever sent.
Slowly burning is the fire, rising murmur breaks
the old circle, the wheel slowly turns around.

Cogs in cogs wheel turning
around,
The circle tuns around,
the changing voices calling
circle turns around,
the changing voices.
Slow burning is the fire rising murmur breaks
the old circle, the wheel slowly turns around.

Cogs in cogs in wheels
in circles slowly turn around.


No God's a Man
 
Now the words and claims are seen as always
the way they'll always be, way they'll always be.
Truth is halfway true, the man is only a man
who fails to know,
the people shouting for him have turned now
telling him to go.

Powers that have place, esteemed positions
telling him to cry, telling him to cry,
Soon another song is sung,
in turn for existing blame and then
Apologise, conditions turn,
then it happens all again.

After all the things are said, no God's a man,
no God's a man,
and yet after all the things are said,
no God's a man, must happen all again.

After all the things are said, no God's a man,
no God's a man,
and yet after all the things are said,
no God's a man, and then again.



The Face

Sing your song, words that have to continue.
Tell a tale, seal the screen that is in you.
Make your peace, face to face that is after.
Reasons plain, tears of pain are not laughter.
Cast off the mould, buy all you've sold,
confidence lost, pay for the cost.

Choose your way, realising our mission,
figures lay, pulling strings for position.
Take your bows, hear the people are calling.
Play the game, Take the blame as you're falling.
Time to confess, clean up the mess,
stand in the white, step in the light.

Use the time, show the face that is sorry,
for the day, questions leading to worry.
Hide your mask, show the face that is sorry.
Time to question, answering all their worry.
Time to confess, clean up the mess,
cast off the mould, buy all you've sold.


Valedictory

And though the hard times,
are really due to me, it is still in me,
to wave all this unrest.
Things must stay,
there must be no change,
anyway, time to rearrange.

You must believe, that there's
been no betrayal all that I've done,
I've really done for you.
Things must stay,
there must be no change,
anyway, time to rearrange.

Hail, to power and to glory's way.
Hail, to power and to glory's way.

Must be a reason why plans
have turned around not only in me,
must also be in you.
Things must stay,
there must be no change,
anyway, time to rearrange.

                     hail ...


 The Power And The Glory (bonus track)

Run, run, the shotgun has got you in its range.
Turn, turn away, when it's time to make a change.
Look where you're going. try not to lose your way.
What good is knowing you have to go away?
Go, you make go, never know, never know.
Time's run away, so have to go, have to go.
Put back the ace black, you never made it good.
Go while you can go.  Go while the going's good.

CHORUS:
 And the power and the glory is over, so I'll take it.
 The power and the glory is over, so I'll make it.
 The power and the glory is over, and I'll break it.
 The power and the glory is over....

Face up to reason, you know it's up to you.
Do what you can do, all that you have to do.
Move over now, and I'll try to take your place.
Time to remember that I have won the race.
Go, you make go, never know, never know.
Time's run away, so have to go, have to go.
Pick up the pieces, to you I'll have to stand.
Break up the power, the glory's at the end.

[CHORUS]

Run, run, the shotgun has got you in its range.
Turn, turn away, when it's time to make a change.
Look where you're going. try not to lose your way.
What good is knowing you have to go away?

[CHORUS, ad lib]