~ HALLOWED BE THY NAME ~
by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
(Lake, Sinfield)
There may be an om in moment
But there's very few folk in focus
Not the first, not the last, not the least.
You needn't be well to be wealthy
But you've got to be whole to be holy
Fetch the rope, fetch the clock, fetch the priest.
Oh this planet of ours is a mess
I bet Heaven's the same
Look the madman said, "Son,
As a friend, tell me what's in a name"
Hallowed be thy name.
I give you the state of statesmen
And the key to what motivates them
On the left, on the right, on the nail
Still I don't see a man in a mansion
That an accurate pen won't puncture
Go to town, go to hell, go to jail.
And there are bars and saloons
Where the jukebox plays blues in the night
Till the madman says, "Son,
Time to go, we could both use some light."
And thy will be done.
We live in an age of cages
The tale of an ape escaping
In the search for some truth we can use
But many a drunk got drunker
And mostly a thinker, thunker
Set the place, set the time, set the fuse
The optimist laughed and the pessimist cried in his wine
And the madman said, "Son,
Take a word, they'll all wake given time."
Let thy kingdom come.
The madman and I got drunker
Till both taught the other tank you
And we laughed all the way to the stars
The optimist asked for a taste of the pessimist's wine
And the madman said, "Son,
How do you feel?" I said, "Me? I feel fine
Lead me into temptation
Into temptation
I said into temptation
I need my allocation of recreation
I want a revelation in degradation
No hesitation, give me variation, give me inspiration...."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For the printed lyric &/or MP3 download: http://www.lyricsdomain.com/5/emerson_l ... _name.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have always found this song to be one of the inspired greats of poetry/song writing. I first heard it on a mixed tape sent to me by a friend, years ago. I only discovered today, that it was an Emerson, Lake & Palmer song! My other favourite of theirs is "Closer To Believing".
So, any comments?
~ Makera
A Sample of Alliterative Inspiration for Poetic Aspirants
A Sample of Alliterative Inspiration for Poetic Aspirants
Last edited by Makera on Tue Dec 23, 2003 12:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
.
Hey Coco, if I don't have to check out my dictionary at least once a day I think something's wrong! 
I love discovering the real origins of relatively common words, too; it adds dimension to our language.
I understand what you mean about the apparent pessimism in the song. But it's more a 'lament' about trying to find truth amidst the dogma, social constraints and obfuscations (there's a great word!). So, I see it as a reminder that it's often by breaking the imposed 'rules' that we gain enlightenment. i.e., "But you've got to be whole to be holy".
It reminds me of C G Jung's conclusion that, "It's more important to be whole than to be good."
Also: "Things are comparatively easy as long as God wants nothing but the fulfilment of his laws, but what if he wants you to break them, as he may do equally well?"
Have you ever heard "Closer to Believing"? That is a beautiful song of theirs.
~Makera
I love discovering the real origins of relatively common words, too; it adds dimension to our language.
I understand what you mean about the apparent pessimism in the song. But it's more a 'lament' about trying to find truth amidst the dogma, social constraints and obfuscations (there's a great word!). So, I see it as a reminder that it's often by breaking the imposed 'rules' that we gain enlightenment. i.e., "But you've got to be whole to be holy".
It reminds me of C G Jung's conclusion that, "It's more important to be whole than to be good."
Also: "Things are comparatively easy as long as God wants nothing but the fulfilment of his laws, but what if he wants you to break them, as he may do equally well?"
Have you ever heard "Closer to Believing"? That is a beautiful song of theirs.
~Makera
-
river’s disguise
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2003 9:36 am
- Location: Western NY
- Contact:
Great Inspiration!
I have long looked for a new avenue for my poetic mind. Writting poems to me is like writing out the alphabit...to easy! This is vastly different to the poems I've come acrossed and have been able to enjoy! Thank you very much for posting this ELP song! My close friend has only started to get into ELP and I never really listened closely to them. Well none the less thank you. Although I am cynical to my own poetry I'll probably post them up here.
P.S. And odd tid bit for all you people out there. Jimmy Hendrix was part of the group but sadly died in the begining of thier band which woudl have ebeen called HELP.
P.S. And odd tid bit for all you people out there. Jimmy Hendrix was part of the group but sadly died in the begining of thier band which woudl have ebeen called HELP.
And I’ll bury my soul in a scrapbook,
With the photographs there, and the moss
And I’ll yield to the flood of your beauty
My cheap violin and my cross
With the photographs there, and the moss
And I’ll yield to the flood of your beauty
My cheap violin and my cross
Thank you, River's D.
That info about Hendrix was fascinating! HELP?
Somehow, I can't quite imagine how his 'sound' would have gelled with ELP 
I never really understood why so many raved about Hendrix's 'music', it was just noise to me.
The best thing I thought Hendrix did was coin the memorable saying:
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will know peace."
~Makera
That info about Hendrix was fascinating! HELP?
Somehow, I can't quite imagine how his 'sound' would have gelled with ELP I never really understood why so many raved about Hendrix's 'music', it was just noise to me. The best thing I thought Hendrix did was coin the memorable saying:
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will know peace."
~Makera