Procol Harum

Beyond
the Pale

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Something Magic

1976


Something Magic

Skating on Thin Ice

Wizard Man

The Mark of the Claw

Strangers in Space

The Worm & The Tree

 

Something Magic

In the centre of the storm
something magic being born
When the world is torn apart
by the beating of a heart
Like a dam about to burst
Like a drunkard's crazy thirst
In the centre of the storm
something magic being born

It's the dark hours of the soul
when the nightmares take their toll
when the shadows come to mock
against the ticking of the clock
When the demons of the night
come like vultures for their bite
In the dark hours of the soul
when the nightmares take their toll

It's the dawning of the day
night-time's panic swept away
When the clouds which seemed so dark
are exchanged for morning's lark
When the stars which burnt so bright
are exchanged for morning light
In the dawning of the day
Night-time's panic swept away

Skating on Thin Ice

You were the player
and you played it cool
I was the stranger
and I played the fool
you were the teacher
and you were the best
I was the seeker
and I failed the test

We were always skating on thin ice
Shaking the wrong dice
Swimming against the tide
Playing on the wrong side

Yes you were the player
and you were so cool
I was the greenhorn
King of the fools
Painting the picture
to fit with the frame
Changing the players
to fit with the game

You were the searcher
out for the sky
I was the traveller
just passing by
You were the taker
and you gave the call
I was the faker
and I dropped the ball

The Mark of The Claw

A question of judgement decided in haste
A case of malfunction an error of taste
A moment of madness occasioned by stress
A classic misjudgment a God-awful mess

The moment of panic preceding the crash
The sickening terror the defeating smash
A loud wail of sirens descend on the scene
The camera dissolves a crescendo of screams

The memory's imprinted like some dreadful sore
The fearful reminder: the mark of the claw

A question of judgement concerned in the case
The method of access regarding the place
The possible motive the absence of blood
the theories unanswered regarding the thud

The outcome was certain the jury was hung
Their verdict resolved by ruling of thumb
The judgement was mercy: they tendered the plea
The judge raised his hand and the prisoner was free

Strangers In Space

Strangers in space
passing through time
Travellers in haste
Partners in crime
Trace of a feeling
Trace of regret
Hard to remember
Hard to forget
Something uncovered
Something unsaid
Strangely repeated
long ago dead
Hard to remember
Hard to forget

Strangers in space
Travellers in time
passing in haste
Partners in crime
Trace of a feeling
Trace of regret
Hard to remember
Hard to forget
Fruits of discovery
some distant form
Something repeated
Something reborn
trace of a feeling
Trace of regret
Hard to remember
Hard to forget
 

Wizard Man

Wizard man's got a magic tooth
Carry it low but keep it loose
Don't wait for Christmas when the four winds blow
When they carry you out you're gonna have to go

Wizard man's got a pocketful of lead
Keep a clear eye and a steady head
Don't wait for Christmas 'cos it's bound to snow
When they carry you out you're gonna have to go

Wizard man's got an angel's heart
Show it slow but do it sharp
Don't wait for Christmas join a travelling show
When they carry you out you won't want to go

 

The Worm & The Tree

Into a great tree a small worm did go
It wormed its way inwards and soon it did grow
The tree was unhappy but what could it do?
It stood there in silence: the worm grew and grew
The tree was unhappy but what could it say
The worm kept on growing the tree sank away

The worm was so greedy it ate more each day
And each day it ate more the tree shrank away
The worm was so loathsome it felt no disgrace
The birds had been silenced the sun shunned that place
And all of the forest grew fearful to see
What terrible fate lay in store for the tree

The worm grew so monstrous its greed knew no bounds
The smell was so awful if poisoned the ground
And all of the creatures that lived in the wood
Were sickened and starving the worm spoiled their food
The birds would not sing and the sun could not shine
The forest lay dirty and blackened with grime

Now down in the forest a young man went riding
He passed by the great tree and saw it was dying
The leaves and the bark were all rotten and rife
The tree had been poisoned and drained for its life
He stripped of a piece of the bark of the tree
And straight'way he know what the right cure should be

The man built a fire and chopped down the tree
The worm started screaming it could not break free
It trashed and it lashed but it could net break loose
Trapped in that tree like a thief in a noose
The worm burst asunder a vile smelling crust
He hacked it to pieces and burnt it to dust

The forest seemed clearer and peaceful at last
Like after a storm when the rainclouds have passed
And although the great tree was fallen and dead
They knew from the ashes a new life would spread
Yes although the great tree had fallen and died
They knew from the ashes a new one would thrive

Now years may have passed since the tale I have told
Yet the truth of this story does still seem to hold
Although from a great tree a small worm may grow
That eats it with poison and tortures its soul
The worm can be killed yet the tree be not dead
For from the roots of the elder a new life will spread
 

Warning about copyright Words from other Procol Harum albums


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