M E M O R A B L E   M U S I C  
L Y R I C S   

The Musical Box
(Genesis)

Play with the Old King Cole
That I may join with you
All your hearts now seem so far from me
It hardly seems to matter now

And the nurse will tell you lies
Of a kingdom beyond the skies
But I am lost within this half-world
It hardly seems to matter now

Play me my song - here it comes again
Play me my song - here it comes again

Just a little bit, just a little bit more time
Time left to live out my ?ideal life
La la la la....

Play me my song - here it comes again
Play me my song - here it comes again

Old King Cole was a merry old soul
And a merry old soul was he
So he called for his pipe
And he called for his bowl
And he called for his fiddlers three

But the clock - tick-tock - on the mantlepiece
And I want and I feel and I know and I touch
Her warmth

She's a lady, she's got time
Brush back your hair and let me get to know your face
She's a lady, she is mine
Oh brush back your hair and let me get to know your flesh

I've been waiting here for so long
And all this time has passed me by
It doesn't seem to matter now
You stand there with your fixed expression
Casting doubt on all I have to say
Why don't you touch me, touch me
Why don't you touch me, touch me
Touch me now, now, now, now, now
Now, now, now, now, now
Now, now, now, now, now
Now, now, now, now
Now, now, now, now

from Nursery Cryme (1971)


Supper's Ready
(Genesis)
1. Lovers' Leap

Walking across the sitting-room, I turn the television off
Sitting beside you, I look into your eyes
As the sound of motor cars fades in the night time
I swear I saw your face change, it didn't seem quite right
And it's hello babe with your guardian eyes so blue
Hey my baby don't you know our love is true

Coming closer with our eyes
A distance falls around our bodies
Out in the garden, the moon seems very bright
Six saintly shrouded men move across the lawn slowly
The seventh walks in front with a cross held high in hand
And it's hey babe your supper's waiting for you
Hey my baby, don't you know our love is true

I've been so far from here
Far from your warm arms
It's good to feel you again
It's been a long long time, hasn't it?

2. The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man

I know a farmer who looks after the farm
With water clear, he cares for all his harvest
I know a fireman who looks after the fire

You, can't you see he's fooled you all
Yes, he's here again, can't you see he's fooled you all
Share his peace, sign the lease
He's a supersonic scientist
He's the guaranteed eternal sanctuary man
Look, look into my mouth he cries
And all the children lost down many paths
I bet my life you'll walk inside
Hand in hand, gland in gland
With a spoonful of miracle
He's the guaranteed eternal sanctuary man
We will rock you, rock you little snake
We will keep you snug and warm

3. Ikhnaton And Itsacon And Their Band Of Merry Men

Wearing feelings on our faces while our faces took a rest
We walked across the fields to see the children of the West
But we saw a host of dark skinned warriors
Standing still below the ground
Waiting for battle

The fight's begun, they've been released
Killing foe for peace - bang, bang, bang - bang, bang, bang
And they're giving me a wonderful potion
'Cos I cannot contain my emotion
And even though I'm feeling good
Something tells me I'd better activate my prayer capsule

Today's a day to celebrate, the foe have met their fate
The order for rejoicing and dancing
Has come from our warlord

4. How Dare I Be So Beautiful?

Wandering through the chaos the battle has left
We climb up a mountain of human flesh
To a plateau of green grass, and green trees full of life
A young figure sits still by a pool
He's been stamped "Human Bacon" by some butchery tool
He is you
Social Security took care of this lad
We watch in reverence, as Narcissus is turned to a flower
A flower?

5. Willow Farm

If you go down to Willow Farm
To look for butterflies, flutterbyes, gutterflies
Open your eyes, it's full of surprise, everyone lies
like the focks on the rocks
And the musical box
Oh, there's Mum & Dad, and good and bad
And everyone's happy to be here

There's Winston Churchill dressed in drag
He used to be a British flag, plastic bag, what a drag
The frog was a prince, the prince was a brick
The brick was an egg, the egg was a bird
Fly away you sweet little thing, they're hard on your tail
Hadn't you heard?
They're going to change you into a human being!
Yes, we're happy as fish and gorgeous as geese
And wonderfully clean in the morning

We've got everything, we're growing everything
We've got some in
We've got some out
We've got some wild things floating about
Everyone, we're changing everyone
You name them all
We've had them here
And the real stars are still to appear

All change!

Feel your body melt
Mum to mud to mad to dad
Dad diddley office, Dad diddley office
You're all full of ball

Dad to dam to dum to mum
Mum diddley washing, Mum diddley washing
You're all full of ball

Let me hear you lies, we're living this up to the eyes
Ooee-ooee-ooee-oowaa
Momma I want you now

And as you listen to my voice
To look for hidden doors, tidy floors, more applause
You've been here all the time
Like it or not, like what you got
You're under the soil - the soil, the soil
Yes, deep in the soil - the soil, the soil, the soil!
So we'll end with a whistle and end with a bang
And all of us fit in our places

6. Apocalypse In 9/8 (Co-Starring The Delicious Talents Of Gabble Ratchet)

With the guards of Magog, swarming around
The Pied Piper takes his children underground
Dragons coming out of the sea
Shimmering silver head of wisdom looking at me
He brings down the fire from the skies
You can tell he's doing well by the look in human eyes
Better not compromise
It won't be easy

666 is no longer alone
He's getting out the marrow in your back bone
And the seven trumpets blowing sweet rock and roll
Gonna blow right down inside your soul
Pythagoras with the looking glass reflects the full moon
In blood, he's writing the lyrics of a brand new tune

And it's hey babe, with your guardian eyes so blue
Hey my baby, don't you know our love is true
I've been so far from here
Far from your loving arms
Now I'm back again, and babe it's gonna work out fine

7. As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs (Aching Men's Feet)

Can't you feel our souls ignite
Shedding ever changing colours
In the darkness of the fading night
Like the river joins the ocean, as the germ in a seed grows
We have finally been freed to get back home

There's an angel standing in the sun
And he's crying with a loud voice
"This is the supper of the mighty one"
Lord of Lords
King of Kings
Has returned to lead his children home
To take them to the new Jerusalem

from Foxtrot (1972)

I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
(Genesis)

It's one o'clock and time for lunch
When the sun beats down and I lie on the bench
I can always hear them talk

There's always been Ethel:
"Jacob, wake up! You've got to tidy your room now"
And then Mister Lewis:
"Isn't it time that he was out on his own?"
Over the garden wall, two little lovebirds - cuckoo to you!
Keep them mowing blades sharp ....

I know what I like, and I like what I know
Getting better in your wardrobe, stepping one beyond your show

Sunday night, Mr Farmer called, said:
"Listen son, you're wasting your time
There's a future for you in the fire escape trade
Come up to town!"
But I remembered a voice from the past
"Gambling only plays when you're winning"
I had to thank old Miss Mort for schooling a failure
Keep them mowing blades sharp ...

I know what I like, and I like what I know
Getting better in your wardrobe, stepping one beyond your show
And I know what I like, and I like what I know
Getting better in your wardrobe, stepping one beyond your show

When the sun beats down and I lie on the bench
I can always hear them talk
Me, I'm just a lawnmower - you can tell me by the way I walk

from Selling England By The Pound (1973)


The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
(Genesis)

And the lamb lies down on Broadway

Early morning Manhattan
Ocean winds blow on the land
The movie-palace is now undone
The all-night watchmen have had their fun
Sleeping cheaply on the midnight show
It's the same old ending - time to go - get out!
It seems they cannot leave their dream
There's something moving in the sidewalk steam
And the lamb lies down on Broadway

Nightime's flyers feel their pains
Drugstore takes down the chains
Metal motion comes in bursts
The gas station can quench that thirst
Suspension cracked on unmade road
The trucker's eyes read 'overload'
And out of the subway Rael imperial aerosol kid
Exits into daylight, spraygun hid
And the lamb lies down on Broadway

The lamb seems right out of place
Yet the Broadway street scene finds a focus in its face
Somehow it's lying there, brings a stillness to the air
Though man-made light, at night is very bright
There's no whitewash victim
As the neons dim, to the coat of white
Rael imperial aerosol kid
Wipes his gun - he's forgotten what he did
And the lamb lies down on Broadway

Suzanne tired her work all done
Thinks money – honey - be on-neon
Cabman's velvet glove sounds the horn
And the sawdust king spits out his scorn
Wonder women you can draw your blind!
Don't look at me! I'm not your kind - I'm Rael!
Something inside me has just begun
Lord knows what I have done
And the lamb lies down on Broadway - on Broadway
On Broadway - on Broadway ....
They say the lights are always bright on Broadway
They say there's always magic in the air
They say the lights are always bright on Broadway ....

from Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (1974)


Carpet Crawl
(Genesis)

There is lambswool under my naked feet
The wool is soft and warm
Gives off some kind of heat
A salamander scurries into flame to be destroyed
Imaginary creatures are trapped in birth on celluloid
The fleas cling to the golden fleece
Hoping they'll find peace
Each thought and gesture are caught in celluloid
There's no hiding in memory
There's no room to avoid

The crawlers cover the floor in the red ochre corridor
For my second sight of people, they've more lifeblood than before
They're moving in time to a heavy wooden door
Where the needle's eye is winking, closing on the poor

The carpet crawlers heed their callers:
"We've got to get in to get out
We've got to get in to get out
We've got to get in to get out"

There's only one direction in the faces that I see
It's upward to the ceiling, where the chambers said to be
Like the forest fight for sunlight, that takes root in every tree
They are pulled up by the magnet, believing they're free

The carpet crawlers heed their callers:
"We've got to get in to get out
We've got to get in to get out
We've got to get in to get out"

Mild mannered supermen are held in kryptonite
And the wise and foolish virgins giggle with their bodies glowing bright
Through the door a harvest feast is lit by candlelight:
It's the bottom of a staircase that spirals out of sight

The carpet crawlers heed their callers:
"We've got to get in to get out
We've got to get in to get out
We've got to get in to get out"

The porcelain mannikin with shattered skin fears attack
And the eager pack lift up their pitchers - they carry all they lack
The liquid has congealed, which has seeped out through the crack
And the tickler takes his stickleback

The carpet crawlers heed their callers:
"We've got to get in to get out
We've got to get in to get out
We've got to get in to get out"

Got to get in - get to get out
Got to get in - get to get out ....

The carpet crawlers heed their callers: ....

from Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (1974)


Blood On The Rooftop
(Steve Hackett/Phil Collins)

Dark and grey, an English film, the Wednesday Play
We always watch the Queen on Christmas Day
Won't you stay?

Though your eyes see shipwrecked sailors you're still dry
The outlook's fine though Wales might have some rain
Saved again

Let's skip the news boy - I'll make some tea
Arabs and the Jews boy - too much for me
They get me confused boy - puts me off to sleep
And the thing I hate - oh Lord!
Is staying up late, to watch some debate on some nation's fate

Hypnotised by Batman, Tarzan, still surprised!
You've won the West in time to be our guest
Name your prize!

Drop of wine, a glass of beer, dear, what's the time?
The grime on the Tyne is mine all mine all mine
Five past nine

Blood on the rooftops - Venice in the Spring
The Streets of San Francisco - a word from Peking
The trouble was started by a young Errol Flynn
Better in my day - oh Lord!
For when we got bored, we'd have a world war, happy but poor

So let's skip the news boy - I'll go and make that tea
Blood on the rooftops - too much for me
When old Mother Goose stops they're out for 23
Then the rain at Lords stopped play
Seems Helen of Troy has found a new face again

from Wind & Wuthering (1976)

Your Own Special Way
(Mike Rutherford)

Go far enough and you will reach
A place where the sea runs underneath
And we'll see our shadow, high in the sky
Diving away in the night

I've sailed the world for seven years
And left all I love behind in tears
Won't you come here, wherever you are
I've been alone long enough

You, you have your own special way
Of holding my hand keep it way 'bove the water
Don't ever let go - oh no, no, no
You, you have your own special way
Of turning the world so it's facing the way that I'm going
Don't ever, don't ever stop

Whose seen the wind not you or I
But when the ship moves she's passing by
Between you and me I really don't think
She knows where she's going at all

You, you have your own special way
Of carrying me twice round the world
Never closer to home than the day
The day I started
You, you have your own special way
Hold onto my hand keep it way 'bove the water
Don't ever let go - no, no, no

What mean the dreams night after night
The man in the moon's a blinding light
Won't you come out whoever you are
You've followed me quiet long enough

You, you have your own special way
Of holding my hand - don't ever let go
You, you have your own special way
Of turning the world so it's facing
The way that I'm going
Don't ever, don't ever leave me

from Wind & Wuthering (1976)

Match Of The Day
(Collins/Banks/Rutherford)

There's the Reds and there's the Greens
Super slicks and has beens
And they're accompanied by three men dressed in black
One's a whistle, two are flags, and quite often they're the drags
Kick the ball into the goal, they put it back

Yes match of the day's
The only way to spend your Saturday

Each side's eleven men, with numbers on their backs
But at a distance they all tend to look the same
But some own their boutiques, well they clean up every week
Inciting riots, causing chaos, such a shame!

But match of the day's
The only way we spend our Saturday

And that's not all, our mates the keepers
Slippin' and sliding in the mud arms as long as creepers

Send him off, Ref'
Where are your specs, Ref'
Kick you to death, Ref'
Oi! Are you deaf, Ref'

There's a few things before we go
That I think you ought to know
Obstruction, body checking, heavy tackles
So put on your hat and scarf
Have a drink, have a larf'
From the terrace you can see your men do battle

Yes match of the day's
The only way you can spend your Saturday

Don't forget, the trainers with their sponges
Managers with open cheques, liquid business lunches

Send 'em off, Ref'
Where are your specs, Ref'
Kick you to death, Ref'
Oi! Are you deaf, Ref'

from Spot The Pigeon (EP 1977)