A writer must “know and have an ever-present consciousness that this world is a world of fools and rogues… tormented with envy, consumed with vanity; selfish, false, cruel, cursed with illusions… He should free himself of all doctrines, theories, etiquettes, politics…” —Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?). “The nobility of the writer's occupation lies in resisting oppression, thus in accepting isolation” —Albert Camus (1913-1960). “What are you gonna do” —Bertha Brown (1895-1987).
And the night comes again to the circle studded sky The stars settle slowly in loneliness they lie 'Til the universe explodes as a falling star is raised The planets are paralyzed, the mountains are amazed But they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze With the speed of insanity, then he dies.
In the green fields of turning a baby is born His cries crease the wind and mingle with the morn An assault upon the order, the changing of the guard Chosen for a challenge that is hopelessly hard And the only single sign is the sighing of the stars But to the silence of distance they are sworn.
(Refrain): So dance, dance, dance, teach us to be true Come dance, dance, dance, 'cause we love you Images of innocence charge him to go on
But the decadence of history is looking for a pawn To a nightmare of knowledge he opens up the gate A blinding revelation is served upon his plate That beneath the greatest love is a hurricane of hate And God help the critic of the dawn.
So he stands on the sea and shouts to the shore But the louder that he screams the longer he's ignored For the wine of oblivion is drunk to the dregs And the merchants of the masses almost have to be begged 'Till the giant is aware someone's pulling at his leg And someone is tapping at the door.
(Refrain)
Then his message gathers meaning, and it spreads across the land The rewarding of the pain is the following of the man But ignorance is everywhere, and people have their way Success is an enemy to the losers of the day In the shadows of the churches who knows what they pray And blood is the language of the band.
The Spanish bulls are beaten; the crowd is soon beguiled The matador is beautiful, a symphony of style Excitement is esthetic, passion places bets Gracefully he bows to ovations that he gets But the hands that are applauding are slippery with sweat And saliva is falling from their smiles.
(Refrain)
Then this overflow of life is crushed into a liar The gentle soul is ripped apart and tossed into a fire The death of beauty, the victory of the night Truth becomes a tragedy limping from the light The heavens are horrified, they stagger at the sight And the cross is trembling with desire.
They say they can't believe it, it's a sacrilegious shame Now who would want to hurt such a hero of the game But you know I predicted it, I knew he had to fall How did it happen? I hope his suffering was small Tell me every detail, I've got to know it all, And do you have a picture of the pain.
(Refrain)
Time takes her toll and the memory fades But his glory is growing in the magic that he made Reality is ruined; there’s nothing more to fear The drama is distorted to what they want to hear Swimming in their sorrow in the twisting of a tear As they wait for the new thrill parade.
The eyes of the rebel have been branded by the blind To the safety of sterility the threat has been refined The child was created to the slaughterhouse he's led So good to be alive when the eulogies are read The climax of emotion, the worship of the dead As the cycle of sacrifice unwinds.
(Refrain)
And the night comes again to the circle studded sky The stars settle slowly in loneliness they lie 'Til the universe explodes as a falling star is raised The planets are paralyzed, the mountains are amazed But they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze With the speed of insanity, then he dies.
Crucifixion by Phil Ochs (sung by Jim & Jean)
ReplyDeleteAnd the night comes again to the circle studded sky
The stars settle slowly in loneliness they lie
'Til the universe explodes as a falling star is raised
The planets are paralyzed, the mountains are amazed
But they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze
With the speed of insanity, then he dies.
In the green fields of turning a baby is born
His cries crease the wind and mingle with the morn
An assault upon the order, the changing of the guard
Chosen for a challenge that is hopelessly hard
And the only single sign is the sighing of the stars
But to the silence of distance they are sworn.
(Refrain): So dance, dance, dance, teach us to be true
Come dance, dance, dance, 'cause we love you
Images of innocence charge him to go on
But the decadence of history is looking for a pawn
To a nightmare of knowledge he opens up the gate
A blinding revelation is served upon his plate
That beneath the greatest love is a hurricane of hate
And God help the critic of the dawn.
So he stands on the sea and shouts to the shore
But the louder that he screams the longer he's ignored
For the wine of oblivion is drunk to the dregs
And the merchants of the masses almost have to be begged
'Till the giant is aware someone's pulling at his leg
And someone is tapping at the door.
(Refrain)
Then his message gathers meaning, and it spreads across the land
The rewarding of the pain is the following of the man
But ignorance is everywhere, and people have their way
Success is an enemy to the losers of the day
In the shadows of the churches who knows what they pray
And blood is the language of the band.
The Spanish bulls are beaten; the crowd is soon beguiled
The matador is beautiful, a symphony of style
Excitement is esthetic, passion places bets
Gracefully he bows to ovations that he gets
But the hands that are applauding are slippery with sweat
And saliva is falling from their smiles.
(Refrain)
Then this overflow of life is crushed into a liar
The gentle soul is ripped apart and tossed into a fire
The death of beauty, the victory of the night
Truth becomes a tragedy limping from the light
The heavens are horrified, they stagger at the sight
And the cross is trembling with desire.
They say they can't believe it, it's a sacrilegious shame
Now who would want to hurt such a hero of the game
But you know I predicted it, I knew he had to fall
How did it happen? I hope his suffering was small
Tell me every detail, I've got to know it all,
And do you have a picture of the pain.
(Refrain)
Time takes her toll and the memory fades
But his glory is growing in the magic that he made
Reality is ruined; there’s nothing more to fear
The drama is distorted to what they want to hear
Swimming in their sorrow in the twisting of a tear
As they wait for the new thrill parade.
The eyes of the rebel have been branded by the blind
To the safety of sterility the threat has been refined
The child was created to the slaughterhouse he's led
So good to be alive when the eulogies are read
The climax of emotion, the worship of the dead
As the cycle of sacrifice unwinds.
(Refrain)
And the night comes again to the circle studded sky
The stars settle slowly in loneliness they lie
'Til the universe explodes as a falling star is raised
The planets are paralyzed, the mountains are amazed
But they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze
With the speed of insanity, then he dies.