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LYRICS |
If I was a better man
Would fellow men take me to their hearts
If I was a stronger man
Carrying the weight of popular demand
Tell me would that alarm her
I'd never harm her at all
If I was a soldier
Captive arms I'd lay before her
If I was a sailor
Seven oceans I'd sail to her
If I was a wiser man
Would other men reach out and touch me
If I was a kinder man
Dishing up love for a hungry world
Tell me would that appease her
I want to please her again
If I was a painter
I'd paint a world that couldn't taint her
If I was her leader
On food of love from above I would feed her
If I was a poet
All my love and burning words I would show it
If I was her lover
Her eyes in kisses I would cover
Come here my baby
Oh they can't touch you now
I'll keep you safe and warm
I'll never leave you at all
Come here my baby
Oh they won't touch you
Dishing up love for a hungry world
Tell me would that appease you
I want to please you again
If I was a soldier
Captive arms I'd lay before her
If I was a sailor
Seven oceans I'd sail to her
If I was a painter
I'd paint a world that couldn't taint her
If I was her leader
On food of love from above I would feed her
If I was a poet
All my love and burning words I would show it
Common people living quietly in confusion
Information's giving quite a grand illusion
Hearts are beating, keeping time
To meet a deadline
Faces pressed against the pane
To watch a headline
When the winds blow I will call
When the winds blow I will call
When the winds blow I will call you
We will stand and watch them fall
All our ships are sailing blindly
Under one sun
Sending signals, calling kindly
Reaching no-one
Echoes sound, the shifting air
Of empires calling
Hold my hand, the shifting sand
Of empires falling
When the winds blow I will call
When the winds blow I will call
When the winds blow I will call you
We will stand and watch them
Oh we'll stand and watch them fall
We confided, then decided not to follow
All the slogans, taunts and charges
Sound so hollow
With open minds across the borders
We have waited
But keeping place within this race is complicated
When the winds blow I will call
When the winds blow I will call
When the winds blow I will call you
We will stand and watch them
When the winds blow I will call
When the winds blow I will call
When the winds blow I will call you
We will stand and watch them
Oh we'll stand and watch them
We will stand and watch them fall
Happy and I'm smiling
Walk a mile to drink your water
You know I'd love to love you
And above you there's no other
We'll go walking out
While others shout of war's disaster
Oh, we won't give in
Let's go living in the past
Once I used to join in
Every boy and girl was my friend
Now there's revolution
But they don't know what they're fighting
Let us close our eyes
Outside their lives go on much faster
Oh, we won't give in
Let's go living in the past
Cross your heart and hope to die, it's love
A perfect world in my mind's eye and oh
The face that's watching me tonight has me
Falling for that certain smile
Hold your hand up, swear to God, it's love
Help me to believe, because for all
The words you said to me tonight has me
Falling for that certain smile
Falling for that certain smile
Take my tears and smile for me, it's love
Take my soul, my heart, my fears for oh
The way you're touching me tonight has me
Falling for that certain smile
Bring me passion, bring me lust or love
Bring me only truth because for all
The times you said to me tonight have me
Falling for that certain smile
Falling for that certain smile
Oh, falling for that certain smile
From city streets you came with something true
From dirt and smoke you breathed in something new
And when you laid all before you
They took what you made
And threw it away
The gift that you gave
With hands of gold and images strong
You cast the shape of things to cling on
And when you tried to show them
They took what you made
And gave it away
The gift that you gave
And in return I give you honest love
These things I see around me
I see with my soul
I feel in my heart
The gift that you gave
And in return I give you my respect
That's all that's mine for giving
I've learned from it all
The textures and form
The gift that you gave
And when they ask what prize I treasure most
What legacy I cherish
I say from the heart
The passion and art
That's the gift that you gave
The boy is listening to those records from the past
He wants to make them last
For they make him feel alive
They are the voices of the faces on the wall
He listens to them all
Hangs on every little tale they tell
He knows them all and their life stories
Shares their pain and shares their glories
One day he even cut their names upon his skin
They mean that much to him
For them he'd take the test
His bedroom window opens to the evening air
The fox is in his lair
The volume of his system is full on
But the neighbours moan and the parents call
This angry noise is the muzak of the wastelands
The wastelands
The boy is dressing in the fashion of the day
The kids all dress that way
You can tell them anywhere
The boy looks out and sees his friends are waiting there
In the cold electric glare
Of those lamps that make you think that night is day
They drag their lusts into your sight
With shouts and screams they meet the night
They block your way in twos and fours
In uniforms from city stores
They're closing in, who knows the score
It won't be long before
A martyr's blood is nourishing the wastelands
Yes it won't be long before
A martyr's blood is nourishing the wastelands
The wastelands
Oh wastelands
Yes it won't be long before
A martyr's blood is nourishing the wastelands
Oh wastelands
She cried
The tears that fell were from Asian ways
She cried
The tears that fell were from Asian ways
She, promised to a stranger
Arranger kisses
She, torn between her heart
And the others' wishes
Try to please them
Try to reason
She cried
The tears that fell were from Asian ways
She cried
The tears that fell were from Asian ways
She tries to understand
What her father preaches
She wants to live the life
That her new world teaches
Try to tell them
What she felt then
She cried
The tears that fell were from Asian ways
She cried
The tears that fell were from Asian ways
Try to tell them, oh she felt then
She cried
The tears that fell were from Asian ways
She cried
The tears that fell were from Asian ways
She cried
The tears that fell were from Asian ways
She cried
The tears that fell were from Asian ways
She cried
The tears that fell were from Asian ways
She cried
The tears that fell were from Asian ways
Don't speak to me of changing scenes
Or what you saw in magazines
I've watched you change
Follow every move, oh
A dancing clown
Where design turns you round
To spend a lifetime keeping hold
Of slipping years and not get old
You hear the cry but can't be told
You're only chasing
After a fashion
After a fashion
After a fashion
Hey ho you wear it well
And if you felt the sympathy
And if you saw what others see
Through different eyes
You might see something true, new
An empty shell with no taste and no sell
You try the stance of those you know
But dance the dance of those below
You lost your grip but won't let go
You know you're chasing
After a fashion
After a fashion
After a fashion
Hey ho you wear it well
After a fashion
After a fashion
Hey ho
Hey ho
Hey ho you wear it well
Hey ho you wear it well
After a fashion
After a fashion
Hey ho you wear it well
After a fashion
After a fashion
Hey ho you wear it well
After a fashion
After a fashion
Hey ho
After a fashion
After a fashion
Ho ho you wear it well
After a fashion
After a fashion
Hey ho you wear it well
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I know you're leaving
But it's too long overdue
For far too long
I've had nothing new to show to you
Goodbye dry eyes
I've watched your plane
Fade off west of the moon
And it felt so strange to walk away alone
There's no regrets
No tears goodbye
I don't want you back
We'd only cry again
Say goodbye again
The hours that were yours
Echo like empty rooms
The thoughts I used to share
I now keep alone
I woke last night and spoke to you
Not thinking you were gone
And it felt so strange
To lie awake alone
There's no regrets
No tears goodbye
I don't want you back
We'd only cry again
Say goodbye again
There's no regrets
No tears goodbye
I don't want you back
We'd only cry again
Say goodbye again
It's Christmastime
There's no need to be afraid
At Christmastime, we let in light and we banish shade
And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy
Throw your arms around the world at Christmastime
But say a prayer
Pray for the other ones
At Christmastime it's hard, but when you're having fun
There's a world outside your window
And it's a world of dread and fear
Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears
And the Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging chimes of doom
Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you
And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime
The greatest gift they'll get this year is life
Where nothing ever grows
No rain or rivers flow
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?
Here's to you, raise a glass for everyone
Here's to them, underneath that burning sun
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?
Feed the world
Feed the world
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again
One thing I know I've learned over all
The more that you trust The harder you fall
The more you believe The more you recall
You'll see the signs You'll hear the sound
When your feeling of hope Is turned upside down
My hope lay in tatters Lying cold on the ground
When I found
You lied
From your head down to your toes
You lied
But somehow I know I'll survive
And I can't believe another word you say
So go your way
You lied
You lied
Every little word you said You whispered lies
And right now I know I despise
Every thing I find that came from you
'Cos I hurt too
You lied
You lied
As you looked me in the eyes I saw you lie
But somehow I knew I'd get by
When nothing seems to matter anymore
Who did you lie for?
Dear God, is there somebody out there?
Is there someone to hear my prayer?
I'm a simple man with simple words to say
Is there some point in asking?
Asking for more only got us where we are today
Lost and alone and afraid
Give me, love for the lonely
Give me, food for the hungry
Give me, peace in a restless world
Give me, hope for the children
Give me, a worldwide religion
Give me, peace in a restless world
Dear God, can you hear me crying?
A whole world crying
Looking for something to say
We had it all and we threw it all away
Is there somebody watching?
Somebody watching over the mess that we've made
We're lost and alone and afraid
Give me, love for the lonely
Give me, food for the hungry
Give me, peace in a restless world
Give me, hope for the children
Give me, a worldwide religion
Give me, peace in a restless world
And we need to know there's something good
Though all our years of solitude go on and on and on...
Come lay your head upon my breast, she said
Come turn your worries into mine
I want to hear it all, so let your fortress fall and you'll be fine
Then she said
When you're tired of all your sorrows
Just fire your guns and arrows and nail me through my heart
Oh, this open heart
Told her all the things I'd kept inside,
The things I wouldn't tell a soul
She smiled and took my hand, with a look of understanding she eased it all
Then she said
When you're tired of all your sorrows
Just fire your guns and arrows and nail me through my heart
Oh, this open heart
Take me through my heart
Oh, this open heart
She gave herself up to me, the first to touch her soul
She cried and kissed my hand with a look of understanding she eased it all
Then she said
When you're tired of all your sorrows
Just fire your guns and arrows and nail me through my heart
Oh, this open heart
Just love me for my heart
Oh, this open heart
(Ultravox)
Native these words seem to me
All speech directed to me
I've heard them once before
I know that feeling
Stranger emotions in mind
Changing the contours I find
I've seen them once before
Someone cries to me
Oh the look and the sound of the voice
They try, they try
Oh the shape and the power of the voice
In strong low tones
Forceful and twisting again
Wasting the perfect remains
I've felt it once before
Slipping over me
Oh the look and the sound of the voice
They try, they try
Oh the shape and the power of the voice
In strong low tones
Sweetly the voices decay
Draw on the lines that they say
I'd lost it once before
Now it cries to me
Oh the look and the sound of the voice
They try, they try
Oh the shape and the power of the voice
In strong low tones
Oh the look and the power of the voice
They try
Oh the shape and the sound of the voice
In strong low tones
Oh the shape and the power of the voice
In strong low...
(Ultravox)
The words played on around our heads
Perhaps we went too far
We'll soldier on until the end again
This clutching hand around my hand
So pitiful and frail
Makes bleeding hearts begin to beat again
We stand in a different light that's cast upon
This gigolo and gigolette
We stand with a different frame around us now
But when we talk
We talk in time
We shine
With profiles so strong and so clear
And when we move
We move in time
Won't fade
Like pictures that come back again
Your propaganda touched my soul
Those thin and cherished words
A willing victim for the kill again
We stand in a different light that's cast upon
This gigolo and gigolette
We stand with a different frame around us now
And when we talk
We talk in time
We shine
With profiles so strong and so clear
And when we move
We move in time
Won't fade
Like pictures that come back again
We stand in a different light that's cast upon
This gigolo and gigolette
We stand with a different frame around us now
But when we talk
We talk in time
We shine
With profiles so strong and so clear
And when we move
We move in time
Won't fade
Like pictures that come back again
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(Ultravox)
We sit and watch these lifeless forms
Stark and petrified
The high suspense of an empty stage
Drawing in clutching to its breast
With murmured words we sigh and focus on the main facade
Beyond the hard reluctant windows
News from magazines
We wrote their names on books we'd borrowed
As if to bring us closer still
And threw it all away to focus on the main facade
Rage in Eden jigsaw sequence but no-one could see the end
And they were the new gods
And they shone on high
Their heavy perfume of the night
Sucked them down in red tide
All is through the looking glass focus on the main facade
Rage in Eden jigsaw sequence but no one could see the end
Disciples of the new way
Portraits in the sand
See when they run their longest mile
Holding caps in wet hand
Eyes upon them try to focus on the main facade
Rage in Eden jigsaw sequence but no one could see the end
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(Ultravox)
We tuned the dial
We heard the news
And laughed
We don't know why
We drank the wine
And spoke of times
We knew
Of days gone by
We flicked through photographs we had
Somehow they made us sad
Remembering the times we used to have
It made us cry
Oh I remember
Death in the afternoon
A silence fell about the room
With harsh and heavy calm
The lovers and the friends all felt the same
It kept us warm
We raised our glass
And drank to times we had
But'd see no more
The pictures of the past would haunt us still
And there remain
Oh I remember
Death in the afternoon
We tuned the dial
We heard the news
And laughed
We don't know why
We drank the wine
And spoke of times
We knew
Of days gone by
We flicked through photographs we had
Somehow they made us sad
Remembering the times we used to have
It made us cry
We tuned the dial
We heard the news
And laughed
We don't know why
We drank the wine
And spoke of times
We knew
Of days gone by
We flicked through photographs we had
Somehow they made us sad
Remembering the times we used to have
It made us cry
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(Ultravox)
The sound is on
The visions move
The image dance starts once again
They shuffle with a bovine grace
And glide in syncopation
Just living lines from books we've read
With atmospheres of days gone by
With paper smiles the screenplay calls
A message for the nation
And those who sneer will fade and die
And those who laugh will surely fall
And those who know will always feel their backs against the thin wall
Grey men who speak of victory
Shed light upon their stolen life
They drive by night
And act as if they're moved by unheard music
To step in time and play the part
With velvet voices smooth and cold
Their power game's a game no more
And long the chance to use it
And those who sneer will fade and die
And those who laugh will surely fall
And those who know will always feel their backs against the thin wall
And those who dance will spin and turn
And those who wait will wait no more
And those who talk will hear the word
And those who sneer will fade and die
And those who laugh will surely fall
And those who know will always feel their backs against the thin wall
And those who dance
And those who talk
And those who sneer
And those who laugh
And those who know
And those who dance
And those who wait
And those who talk
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(Ultravox)
Light gets through a crack in the door
I tape up the windows once more
Tight like a cold hand of fear
Don't fear the stranger within
Hands that petrify in the air
Eyes catching things never there
Sweet tension caught on my breath
Don't fear the stranger within
Watch every shape that escapes
Scared to make that final mistake
Speak to hear the sound of your voice
Don't fear the stranger within
Sit in the corner with your back to the wall
Pray to your God with your head in your hands
Your mask of fear is shrinking fast
It's closing in more, amour
You stand on borrowed time
Your sweating palms and chilling brow
That wide eyed panic makes you laugh
You cry and laugh
Freeze until the noise decays
A shuffle from behind a door
Your throat is tight
It makes you choke and smoke and choke
Eyes will grow accustomed to the dark
A stifled scream that won't come out
There's nothing more to fear
From the stranger within
Don't fear the stranger within
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(Ultravox)
What is this phase that I am going through
Oh these precious years
Please take my hand
And let me breathe again
Young depressive tears
We stumble blindly
Chasing something new and something sinful
You take my time you live my life for me
What have I done
To rate this penalty
You suck me dry
My body cries
We stumble blindly chasing instant thrills
And lasting memories
Accent on youth attention oh
Ascends on you oh oh
I scream with frustration and lost control
Open, for the blows
My hands fall limp
And hang down by my side
Take my soul and go
We stumble blindly chasing dancing lights
And others wishes
Accent on youth attention oh
Ascends on you oh oh
Just let me close my eyes and slip away
Dream a dream alone
You give me just enough rope
For the task
Let this man alone
We stumble blindly chasing silhouettes and vacant faces
So well rehearsed our moves
Once so graceful turn against us
We stalk dark passages
We're looking for that sweet surrender
Accent on youth attention oh
Ascends on you oh oh
Accent on youth
Accent on youth oh oh
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(Ultravox)
Something stops me from seeing too clear
A misty haze floats round the room
The murmurs make it hard to hear
The voices and the words
The day seems to drag away
My speech is sparse and tends to slur
I wonder what happened to my friend today
Can't hear the words
Oh oh your name has slipped my mind again
Oh oh your name has slipped my mind again
It's hard to focus in this light
I'm growing warm and feeling dull
This heartbeat pounds with vicious fright
There's something I remember
I clench my fist but feel no sensation
The walls around me spin and sway
A flashback image in my vision
I remember
Oh oh your name has slipped my mind again
Oh oh your name has slipped my mind again
Oh oh your name has slipped my mind again
Oh oh your name has slipped my mind again
Oh oh your name has slipped my mind again
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