Marillion

[fox69]

"That Time Of The Night (The Short Straw)"

"That Time Of The Night (The Short Straw)"


At that time of the night
When streetlights throw crosses through window frames
Paranoia roams where the shadows reign
Oh, at that time of the night
At that time of the night
Your senses tangled in some new perfume
Criticism triggers of a loaded room
Oh, at that time of the night

So if you ask me
How do I feel inside
I could honestly tell you
We've been taken on a very long ride
And if my owners let me have some free time some day
With all good intention I would probably run away
Clutching the short straw

At that time of the night
When questions rally in an open mind
Summon all your answers with an ice cubes chime
At that time of the night

At that time of the night
Pretend you're off the hook with the telephone
Your confidence wounded in a free fire zone
Oh, at that time of the night

So if you ask me
Where do I go from here
My next destination even isn't really that clear
So if you join me and get on your knees and prey
I'll show you salvation
We'll take the alternative way
Clutching the short straw

If I had enough money I'd buy a round for that boy over there
A companion in my madness in the mirror the one with the silvery hair
And if some kind soul could please pick up my tab
And while they're at it if they could pick up my broken heart.

Warm wet circles

 

[fox69]

"The Answering Machine"

"The Answering Machine"


We flew here to see you
My feelings and I
I looked down on the city
From up in the sky
The sun was reflecting
From the roofs and the water
Spring had come early
In the parks and the old town
I came with a mission
To patch up a dream
We walked and I talked and my words were absorbed
Into the answering machine
I came two thousand miles
Just to take a look at you
But you were broken and frozen
A heartbreak of a statue
In the bullet-proof mirrors
Where your eyes used to be
I stared at myself and I called for some help
Into the answering machine

The day slipped by and I tried and tried
You took me home and you said
"Goodnight, Sleep tight"
On the floor by the bedroom door
I watched you sleep and I left before first light

The bugs don't bite
The bugs don't bite
The bugs bite

From the land of the frozen
To the land of the low
We journeyed together
But we were always alone
So if I should come calling
Best not pick up the phone
Cause I'm no good for you and you're no good for me
Let me talk to the answering machine
I can cope with the answering machine
I'm a friend of the answering machine

 

[fox69]

"The Bell In The Sea"

"The Bell In The Sea"


I dreamed I rolled on the ocean floor
In the sunken bones of a broken ship
On the shadow line where whispers creep
To the world above from the world beneath
On waves of silver I dreamed of gold
'Till I lost the peace that dreaming gives
I dreamed of the moment of my own death
That no one ever dreams and lives

I dreamed I sailed to the mirrored edge
Of the murky world for an iron bell
That dragged me down to the ocean depths
And rang to mark where my shadow fell

On waves of silver I dreamed of gold
'Till I lost the peace that dreaming gives
I dreamed of the moment of my own death
That no one ever dreams and lives
That no one ever dreams and lives

I dreamed I slept on the ocean bed
In a silent grave of silver sand
And rolled in the sway of an iron bell
I've heard it said when they go to sea
On stormy nights you can hear her moan
She tolls for the mourning of my own death
And echoes here on the village stones

I dreamed of silver I dreamed of gold
'Till I lost the peace that dreaming gives
I dreamed of the moment of my own death
That no one ever dreams and lives
That no one ever dreams and lives

 

[fox69]

"The Damage"

"The Damage"


I'm scared of opening the can
Scared of changing who I am
'Might've taken all I can
I'm scared of everything I am
Are you a natural woman?
I know I've got it comin..
The scent in the air
And the water running

The damage!

She said she's not telling it today
She said "Come back when you're alone"
"Come back when you're alone"
The damage The damage
The damage The damage
The damn damn dam damage

Are you a natural woman?
I know I've got it comin..
Dissent in the air
And the water running

Don't give me what's in the window, babe
I want the stuff you think would never sell
Whatcha have under the counter on the bottom shelf?
I'll buy the lowdown deepdown primal truthful self

I let the genie out of the box
I let the genie out of the box

Are you a natural woman?
I know I've got it comin..
The scent in the air
And the water running

Are you a natural woman?
Tell me you're the million-to-one
Are you a natural woman?
Are you a natural woman?
I'm a natural man.

 

[fox69]

"The Fruit Of The Wild Rose"

"The Fruit Of The Wild Rose"


Goodnight my love
I'm so alone
And so surrounded
By your sweet memory
I cannot sleep
For all these dreams
They come to play
Till dawn comes stealin' them away..
The fruit of the wild rose
Hangs here with summer gone
Voluptuous crimson
As the days become colder
The fruit of the wild rose

In a warmer country
Where the sea meets the land
You may walk with your baby
In the afternoon
Perhaps some aroma
From a street cafe
Might sadden your eyes
Carry you away

The fruit of the wild rose
Sweet and so sour on the tongue
Swollen and crimson
As the light fades and shortens
The thorny wild rose
She gave me a summer but she's gone
As England faces the winter

In your eyes, in your mind, in your mind
Clearer than a photograph
No passing of time
Ever could fade
You and I
Shimmering ghostly
Like a wild garden from another life

Will you throw your arm
Turn your body round
Breathe a sudden sigh
Wherever you lie sleeping
Stir your hips
Feel the seed inside so sweet
Dreaming westbound waves
And a man comin' back from the sea...

Dreaming
Dance for me rose

 

[fox69]

"The Great Escape"

"The Great Escape"


Heading for the great escape
Heading for the rave
Heading for the permanent holiday
Heading for the winter trip
Heading for the slide
Heading for the dignified walk away

Heading for the open road
Goodbye to all that
Heading for the automatic overload

Standing in the open boat
Standing in the swing
Waiting for the ringing and the bright light

Waiting to be recognised
Quiet applause will do
They shower you with flowers when they bury you

You're holding on, you're holding on ...

I. The Last Of You

Just when I thought I'd seen the last of you
You come here scratchin' at my door
Your pain and anger's in the howling dark
Of every corridor I walk

So tell me more about the love that you rejected
Tell me more about the trust you disrespected
I still don't know, why did you hurt the very one
Why did you hurt the very one
That you should have protected?

II. Falling From The Moon

Don't ask me why I'm doing this
You wouldn't understand
You're asking the wrong questions
You couldn't understand

A bridge is not a high place
The fifty-second floor
Icarus would know
A mountain isn't far to fall

When you've fallen
When you've fallen from the moon

There's murder on the street
I'm ashes on the water now, somewhere far away
I have fallen, fallen from the moon

 

[fox69]

"The Hollow Man"

"The Hollow Man"


I think I have become one of the hollow men
As I shine on the outside more these days
I can feel the outside feeding on my inside
Leaves a growing darkness in it's place
I think I have become one of the hollow men
I think I have become one of the lonely
Now that everybody talks to me
I feel I have become one of the empty

Hollow men can stop you with the twinkling of an eye
Hollow men can take you without even reaching out
Hollow men have got you long before you realise

The poison paralyses

I think I have become one of a pair of men
It's a feeling I've been having for some time
I look down upon myself and watch my movements
A blind eye sees the fragile vandalised

Watch this cold world dishing up these endless hollow men
Find us anywhere you look
Come and meet our friends
Stand us in our silly clothes
Put our batteries in
Line us up like fairground ducks
Watch us grin and grin
See the lies behind our eyes
See the will to win
We'll buy you and we'll sell you
But perhaps we'll save your skin

Sit quietly and listen to the breeze
The hollow and the lonely listen too
Sniff the air for something we can use

We're tin-hard and we rattle when we're shaken

 

[fox69]

"The Invisible Man"

"The Invisible Man"


The world's gone mad
And I have lost touch
I shouldn't admit it
But I have.
It slipped away while I was distracted
I haven't changed
I swear I haven't changed
How did this happen?
I didn't feel myself
Evaporating...

My body has gone
But my eyes remain
Hovering. Witnessing.
Cold as a ghost ..watching the streets
Sheltering in doorways of
Venice, Vienna,
Budapest, Krakow, and Amsterdam

I have become the invisible man

The invisible heart beating against you
The invisible pulse silently thumping

I shout my name in the public places
No one seems to notice
No one understands
I stand perfectly still
In the middle of the road
I hold my nerve
I hold my nerve
Hold my nerve
But the cars don't swerve

I will hear your prayers
As you whisper alone
I am the one you felt was close
Close behind you in St.Stephen
You lit a candle
Blessings in the cold night air

I'll feel your breath as you turn to go
I'll watch you leave
From somewhere up high
As you cross the park
In the Autumn light
In the Autumn light
In the Autumn light

If I close my eyes
I can see where you live
Climb the winding stairs
Up to your apartment
The scent of you preparing
His evening meal
I must watch in dread
When he's cruel to you
In horrified silence
As you make love
I cannot lift a hand
Lift a hand to stop him
I don't exist What can I do?
What can I do?

I will scream in your ear
As you're passing by
I will wrap my arms around you
You won't hear, you won't feel me
I will walk stride for stride with you
I will try to help
When you stumble
You will stumble through me.

I have become the invisible man
It's all I am
Invisible

I have read all your letters
I know what you contain
I have dreamt your dreams
My head..
My head is haunted
I will scream again
"I am perfectly sane"
"I am perfectly sane"
But I am
The invisible man
I am
The invisible man

Talk to me
Acknowledge me
Confide in me
Confess to me ... or
Leave me be
Leave me be.

 

[fox69]

"The King Of Sunset Town"

"The King Of Sunset Town"


A ragged man came shuffling through
A puppet king on the 4th of June
And butterflies from all around
Settled on his paper crown
A pretty sight it seemed to be
An avenue of eternal peace
But he said, "What is here can soon burn down..."
"I'm the king of sunset town"

Watch a big wheel turning round
Some go up and some go down
Some go thirsty some just drown
"That's the law round here"
Said the king of sunset town

And in the night he comes to me
And the square becomes a battlefield
Of staring eyes that can't explain
The insanity and the greater game

Watch a big wheel turning round
Some go up and some go down
Some go thirsty some just drown
"That's the law round here"
Said the king of sunset town

A ragged man came shuffling through
The corridors of this white place
And as he lay his body down
I saw the scars that lined his face
And injured souls came to his bed
To hear the stories he would tell
Of butterflies and summertimes
And everyone assembled here
Remembers how it used to be
Before the 27th came
This place will never be the same

He said "I'm the king of sunset town"
Watch a big wheel turning round
Some go up and some go down
Some go thirsty some just drown
"That's the law round here"
Said the king of sunset town

 

[fox69]

"The Last Century For Man"

"The Last Century For Man"


Here we are
At the beginning of the last century for man
Usin' up parts of the world we haven't even seen or been to
The wretched of the earth exploited by the rich few
What's new?

If you are not outraged
You haven't been paying attention
If you are not outraged
You haven't been listening

God bless America, I mean it
God bless the UK, I mean it
God bless la belle France, I mean it
God help us all

Climb into the car
I know that makes you happy
The sound of your laughter
Will get you so far
Grace or disgrace
Can make you a star these days
Reality pays
Let's decide who the terrorists are

God bless America, I mean it
God bless the UK, I mean it
Hats off to China, & India
And Africa too.

Eat all we can
Drink all we can
Use all we can
Dow what we can
Screw all we can
Don't miss a chance
In the last century for man

I wanna feel alive
Gas up the 4 wheel drive!..

God bless America, I mean it
God bless the UK, I mean it
God bless our children
And God help us all