Tracks
1Bitter HeartYouTube
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah…
Down in the desert, down in the sand…
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah…
Out in the desert, under the sun,
I saw a creature — a naked one,
Squatting down in the burning sand,
Holding his own heart in his hands.
And I watched him eat it, slow and alone,
Chewing on something I've never known —
Bitter, bitter, oh so bitter,
(Ooh-wah, ooh-wah, bitter-bitter-wah)
Bitter as the desert air,
(Ooh-wah, ooh-wah)
But he don't care —
Bitter, bitter, hear him say:
"It's mine, all mine, and I like it that way."
I said, "Hey friend, is it any good?"
He looked at me like only he understood.
"It's bitter," he said, "bitter through and through,
But it's the only heart I ever knew."
And something in his eyes made me catch my breath —
He was smiling, friend, like a man possessed —
Bitter, bitter, oh so bitter…
Bitter, bitter, oh so bitter…
Maybe we've all got a heart like that,
Something we chew on and can't give back.
Something that hurts us, something that stings,
But we hold on tight to our bitter things.
Bitter, bitter, oh so bitter…
Because it's bitter — and it's mine.
(Ooh-wah, ooh-wah…)
Down in the desert, down in the sand…
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah…
Out in the desert, under the sun,
I saw a creature — a naked one,
Squatting down in the burning sand,
Holding his own heart in his hands.
And I watched him eat it, slow and alone,
Chewing on something I've never known —
Bitter, bitter, oh so bitter,
(Ooh-wah, ooh-wah, bitter-bitter-wah)
Bitter as the desert air,
(Ooh-wah, ooh-wah)
But he don't care —
Bitter, bitter, hear him say:
"It's mine, all mine, and I like it that way."
I said, "Hey friend, is it any good?"
He looked at me like only he understood.
"It's bitter," he said, "bitter through and through,
But it's the only heart I ever knew."
And something in his eyes made me catch my breath —
He was smiling, friend, like a man possessed —
Bitter, bitter, oh so bitter…
Bitter, bitter, oh so bitter…
Maybe we've all got a heart like that,
Something we chew on and can't give back.
Something that hurts us, something that stings,
But we hold on tight to our bitter things.
Bitter, bitter, oh so bitter…
Because it's bitter — and it's mine.
(Ooh-wah, ooh-wah…)
2'You Lie,' He CriedYouTube
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah, round and round…
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah, never to be found…
I saw a man out on the plain,
Chasing the horizon through the sun and rain,
Round and round and round he sped,
That thin blue line forever on ahead.
I watched him run and shook my head,
I stepped up close and this is what I said:
Friend, it's futile, can't you see?
That line out there, it will never let you be —
You can never —
You lie! he cried, and ran on,
You lie! he cried, and ran on,
Nothing I could say would slow him down,
Round and round and round,
Never to be found —
He cried you lie! and ran on.
I stood there watching, lost for words,
The most determined man I'd ever heard,
So I called out one more time:
Friend, you're chasing something you can never find,
You can never —
You lie! he cried, and ran on…
Maybe there's a kind of grace
In never stopping, never giving up the chase.
Or maybe not.
But either way, he's gone —
And I'm still standing here,
And he keeps running on.
You lie! he cried, and ran on…
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… round and round…
Never to be found.
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah, never to be found…
I saw a man out on the plain,
Chasing the horizon through the sun and rain,
Round and round and round he sped,
That thin blue line forever on ahead.
I watched him run and shook my head,
I stepped up close and this is what I said:
Friend, it's futile, can't you see?
That line out there, it will never let you be —
You can never —
You lie! he cried, and ran on,
You lie! he cried, and ran on,
Nothing I could say would slow him down,
Round and round and round,
Never to be found —
He cried you lie! and ran on.
I stood there watching, lost for words,
The most determined man I'd ever heard,
So I called out one more time:
Friend, you're chasing something you can never find,
You can never —
You lie! he cried, and ran on…
Maybe there's a kind of grace
In never stopping, never giving up the chase.
Or maybe not.
But either way, he's gone —
And I'm still standing here,
And he keeps running on.
You lie! he cried, and ran on…
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… round and round…
Never to be found.
3Gold and ClayYouTube
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah, gold in the sky…
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah, watch that man climb high…
A man looked up and what did he see,
A ball of gold shining down so bright and free,
He said I'm gonna climb, gonna reach that thing,
Gonna grab hold of whatever glory brings.
He climbed and climbed through cloud and air,
He stretched his hands out — and it was there.
But what he held was cold and grey,
Just a ball of clay, just a ball of clay.
He came back down, his heart like lead,
Looked up again — and this is what he said:
Now this is the strange part,
Now this is the strange part —
There it was, shining like before,
Gold in the sky, golden to the core.
Aye, by the heavens —
It was a ball of gold.
Aye, by the heavens —
It was a ball of gold.
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… it was gold…
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… so we're told…
Aye, by the heavens, it was a ball of gold.
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah, watch that man climb high…
A man looked up and what did he see,
A ball of gold shining down so bright and free,
He said I'm gonna climb, gonna reach that thing,
Gonna grab hold of whatever glory brings.
He climbed and climbed through cloud and air,
He stretched his hands out — and it was there.
But what he held was cold and grey,
Just a ball of clay, just a ball of clay.
He came back down, his heart like lead,
Looked up again — and this is what he said:
Now this is the strange part,
Now this is the strange part —
There it was, shining like before,
Gold in the sky, golden to the core.
Aye, by the heavens —
It was a ball of gold.
Aye, by the heavens —
It was a ball of gold.
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… it was gold…
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… so we're told…
Aye, by the heavens, it was a ball of gold.
4This One is MeYouTube
Ooh-wah, the sage stood up to speak,
Sha-na-na, and the pupils sat to seek,
Ooh-wah, he pointed to two faces on the wall —
Now this one is a devil,
And this one is me,
This one is a devil,
And this one is me.
He turned his back, and a cunning one,
Slipped up quick and switched them round for fun,
The sage turned back and looked upon the wall —
Now this one is a devil,
And this one is me,
This one is a devil,
And this one is me.
The pupils grinned and nudged and laughed,
Delighted by their clever little craft,
Sha-na-na, they thought they'd won the game —
But the sage was a sage.
Oh, the sage was a sage.
Sha-na-na-na — the sage was a sage.
Sha-na-na, and the pupils sat to seek,
Ooh-wah, he pointed to two faces on the wall —
Now this one is a devil,
And this one is me,
This one is a devil,
And this one is me.
He turned his back, and a cunning one,
Slipped up quick and switched them round for fun,
The sage turned back and looked upon the wall —
Now this one is a devil,
And this one is me,
This one is a devil,
And this one is me.
The pupils grinned and nudged and laughed,
Delighted by their clever little craft,
Sha-na-na, they thought they'd won the game —
But the sage was a sage.
Oh, the sage was a sage.
Sha-na-na-na — the sage was a sage.
5Impossible DistancesYouTube
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah, the hill was high…
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah, beneath a grey sky…
There was set before me a mighty hill,
And I began to climb,
Through regions of snow and bitter cold,
Day after day after day after time.
Long days I climbed, long nights I dreamed,
Of what waited at the top,
Some answer there, some resting place,
Some reason I could stop.
And when I reached the summit-view,
I stood and caught my breath —
I looked out wide across the world,
And here is what was left:
Gardens, gardens,
Lying at impossible distances,
Gardens, gardens,
Green and gold and far,
Ooh-wah, impossible distances,
That's all there are.
I had climbed so long, I had climbed so high,
Through the cold and through the years,
And all my labor brought me to
More longing, not less — just new tears.
Gardens, gardens,
Lying at impossible distances,
Gardens, gardens,
Ooh-wah, near and far…
All that climbing,
All those impossible distances —
That's all we are.
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… the gardens glow…
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… impossible and so…
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah, beneath a grey sky…
There was set before me a mighty hill,
And I began to climb,
Through regions of snow and bitter cold,
Day after day after day after time.
Long days I climbed, long nights I dreamed,
Of what waited at the top,
Some answer there, some resting place,
Some reason I could stop.
And when I reached the summit-view,
I stood and caught my breath —
I looked out wide across the world,
And here is what was left:
Gardens, gardens,
Lying at impossible distances,
Gardens, gardens,
Green and gold and far,
Ooh-wah, impossible distances,
That's all there are.
I had climbed so long, I had climbed so high,
Through the cold and through the years,
And all my labor brought me to
More longing, not less — just new tears.
Gardens, gardens,
Lying at impossible distances,
Gardens, gardens,
Ooh-wah, near and far…
All that climbing,
All those impossible distances —
That's all we are.
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… the gardens glow…
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… impossible and so…
6Gazing and DesiringYouTube
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah, mile upon mile…
Sha-na-na, she walks, she walks in beauty's style…
There was before me mile upon mile,
Of snow and ice and burning sand,
As far as any eye could see,
A hard and unforgiving land.
And yet I looked beyond it all,
To a place of infinite beauty there,
And I could see the loveliness of her,
Who walked in the shade, beyond compare.
When I gazed,
All was lost but her,
When I gazed,
All the world was just a blur —
Nothing but this place of beauty,
Nothing but her.
When I gazed and in my gazing, desired,
Then came again,
Mile upon mile,
Of snow, ice, burning sand,
(Snow, ice, burning sand)
Mile upon mile.
So I gazed again, and she was there,
Green shade and gold and her sweet face,
And I gazed, and desired, and lost her,
Back to the cold and empty place.
When I gazed,
All was lost but her…
When I gazed and in my gazing, desired,
Mile upon mile,
Of snow, ice, burning sand.
(Snow, ice, burning sand)
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… mile upon mile…
She walks, she walks… just beyond the while…
Sha-na-na, she walks, she walks in beauty's style…
There was before me mile upon mile,
Of snow and ice and burning sand,
As far as any eye could see,
A hard and unforgiving land.
And yet I looked beyond it all,
To a place of infinite beauty there,
And I could see the loveliness of her,
Who walked in the shade, beyond compare.
When I gazed,
All was lost but her,
When I gazed,
All the world was just a blur —
Nothing but this place of beauty,
Nothing but her.
When I gazed and in my gazing, desired,
Then came again,
Mile upon mile,
Of snow, ice, burning sand,
(Snow, ice, burning sand)
Mile upon mile.
So I gazed again, and she was there,
Green shade and gold and her sweet face,
And I gazed, and desired, and lost her,
Back to the cold and empty place.
When I gazed,
All was lost but her…
When I gazed and in my gazing, desired,
Mile upon mile,
Of snow, ice, burning sand.
(Snow, ice, burning sand)
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… mile upon mile…
She walks, she walks… just beyond the while…
7Aye But BelovedYouTube
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah, and you love me…
Sha-na-na, and I love you…
And you love me.
I love you.
You are, then, cold coward.
Aye — but, beloved —
When I strive to come to you,
A thousand thickets bar the way,
Man's opinions, man's demands,
Hold me tangled where I stay.
My life caught in the stubble of the world,
Like a tender veil that tears,
No strange move can I make,
Without the whole world stopping to stare.
You are, then, cold coward.
Aye — but, beloved —
If love loves, there is no world,
No word, no stubble, no thorn,
All is lost save thought of love,
And the place where love is born.
Ooh-wah — then come to me —
Sha-na-na — but beloved —
All is lost save thought of love —
Aye, but beloved —
And you love me.
I love you.
You are, then, cold coward.
Aye — but, beloved —
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… beloved…
Sha-na-na… beloved…
Sha-na-na, and I love you…
And you love me.
I love you.
You are, then, cold coward.
Aye — but, beloved —
When I strive to come to you,
A thousand thickets bar the way,
Man's opinions, man's demands,
Hold me tangled where I stay.
My life caught in the stubble of the world,
Like a tender veil that tears,
No strange move can I make,
Without the whole world stopping to stare.
You are, then, cold coward.
Aye — but, beloved —
If love loves, there is no world,
No word, no stubble, no thorn,
All is lost save thought of love,
And the place where love is born.
Ooh-wah — then come to me —
Sha-na-na — but beloved —
All is lost save thought of love —
Aye, but beloved —
And you love me.
I love you.
You are, then, cold coward.
Aye — but, beloved —
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah… beloved…
Sha-na-na… beloved…
8She Is HereYouTube
Dom-dom-dom-be-dom-dom, places among the stars…
Dom-be-dom, soft gardens near the sun…
Places among the stars,
Soft gardens near the sun,
Keep your distant beauty,
Keep it, every one.
Shed no beams upon my weak heart,
I don't need your golden light,
I have found my reason,
Here in the blackest night.
Dum-dum, dum-doo-dum, dooby-doo
Dum-dum, dum-doo-dum, dooby-doo
Since she is here,
(she is here)
In a place of blackness,
Not your golden days,
Not your silver nights,
Can call me to you —
Since she is here,
(she is here)
I stay.
All your glory, all your shimmer,
All your distant silver streams,
Cannot move me, cannot reach me,
I am done with all those dreams.
Since she is here,
In a place of blackness,
Here I stay and wait.
Dom-dom-dom-be-dom-dom, here I stay and wait.
Dom-be-dom, here I stay…
And wait.
(and wait)
(and stay)
Dom-be-dom, soft gardens near the sun…
Places among the stars,
Soft gardens near the sun,
Keep your distant beauty,
Keep it, every one.
Shed no beams upon my weak heart,
I don't need your golden light,
I have found my reason,
Here in the blackest night.
Dum-dum, dum-doo-dum, dooby-doo
Dum-dum, dum-doo-dum, dooby-doo
Since she is here,
(she is here)
In a place of blackness,
Not your golden days,
Not your silver nights,
Can call me to you —
Since she is here,
(she is here)
I stay.
All your glory, all your shimmer,
All your distant silver streams,
Cannot move me, cannot reach me,
I am done with all those dreams.
Since she is here,
In a place of blackness,
Here I stay and wait.
Dom-dom-dom-be-dom-dom, here I stay and wait.
Dom-be-dom, here I stay…
And wait.
(and wait)
(and stay)
9No Sense of ObligationYouTube
Bom-bom, bom-bom…
A man walked up to the universe one day,
Straightened his tie and had something to say,
He cleared his throat and he stood up tall —
And hollered out to the infinite all:
Sir! I exist!
Sir, I exist!
Sha-na-na, hear me, I exist!
The universe paused, and it turned around,
Considered the man and the size of his sound,
And spoke these words in a voice like stone:
However —
The fact has not created in me,
A sense of obligation.
Bom-bom… bom-bom…
No sense of obligation.
Bom-bom… bom-bom…
No sense at all.
A man walked up to the universe one day,
Straightened his tie and had something to say,
He cleared his throat and he stood up tall —
And hollered out to the infinite all:
Sir! I exist!
Sir, I exist!
Sha-na-na, hear me, I exist!
The universe paused, and it turned around,
Considered the man and the size of his sound,
And spoke these words in a voice like stone:
However —
The fact has not created in me,
A sense of obligation.
Bom-bom… bom-bom…
No sense of obligation.
Bom-bom… bom-bom…
No sense at all.
10Clip-Clapper TongueYouTube
Sha-la-la, sha-la-la…
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo…
There was a man with a tongue of wood,
Who wanted to sing like he knew he should,
He opened his mouth and he gave it his all —
And in truth it was lamentable.
Clip-clapper, clip-clapper, tongue of wood,
Saying everything less than it could,
Every note that he reached for fell wide and wrong —
And in truth it was lamentable.
But there was one who heard,
One who leaned in close,
One who caught the meaning
That mattered most.
She heard the clip-clapper of his tongue of wood,
And she knew what he wished to say,
Knew the song inside the stumbling sound —
And with that, he was content to stay.
Sha-la-la, sha-la-la…
Sometimes one is enough.
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo…
When the hearing is made of love.
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo…
There was a man with a tongue of wood,
Who wanted to sing like he knew he should,
He opened his mouth and he gave it his all —
And in truth it was lamentable.
Clip-clapper, clip-clapper, tongue of wood,
Saying everything less than it could,
Every note that he reached for fell wide and wrong —
And in truth it was lamentable.
But there was one who heard,
One who leaned in close,
One who caught the meaning
That mattered most.
She heard the clip-clapper of his tongue of wood,
And she knew what he wished to say,
Knew the song inside the stumbling sound —
And with that, he was content to stay.
Sha-la-la, sha-la-la…
Sometimes one is enough.
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo…
When the hearing is made of love.
11Little Red DevilsYouTube
Many red devils ran from my heart,
Out upon the page they came,
Tiny little devils, every one,
Playing their lamentable game.
But the pen could mash them,
Oh the pen could mash them flat,
Many struggled in the ink,
And that was that.
Bop-oom-bop, mash them down,
Bop-bop, drown them out,
Red muck on the pages,
That's what the heart's about.
It was strange to write this way,
In this red muck, strange to say,
Strange to see them pouring free —
All these little devils come from me.
Bop-oom-bop, bop-bop-bop…
Things from my heart…
Bop-bop-bop…
Strange dark art…
Out upon the page they came,
Tiny little devils, every one,
Playing their lamentable game.
But the pen could mash them,
Oh the pen could mash them flat,
Many struggled in the ink,
And that was that.
Bop-oom-bop, mash them down,
Bop-bop, drown them out,
Red muck on the pages,
That's what the heart's about.
It was strange to write this way,
In this red muck, strange to say,
Strange to see them pouring free —
All these little devils come from me.
Bop-oom-bop, bop-bop-bop…
Things from my heart…
Bop-bop-bop…
Strange dark art…
12Flowers, Puppies, and LambkinsYouTube
Ooh-wah, the angel came down from on high,
Sha-na-na, with a very concerned look in his eye…
It was wrong to do this, said the angel,
You should live like a flower in the sun,
Hold your malice like a puppy,
Wage your wars like a lambkin on the run.
Not so, quoth the man,
Who had no fear of spirits, no fear at all,
Not so, quoth the man,
Standing easy, standing tall —
It is only wrong for angels,
Who can live like flowers if they please,
Hold their malice like the puppies,
Wage their wars like lambkins in the breeze.
But I am not an angel,
And I live where angels never trod,
So don't bring me flowers and puppies —
Take that up with God.
Ooh-wah, the angel considered this,
Sha-na-na, and had nothing more to say…
Not so, quoth the man…
Not so.
Sha-na-na, with a very concerned look in his eye…
It was wrong to do this, said the angel,
You should live like a flower in the sun,
Hold your malice like a puppy,
Wage your wars like a lambkin on the run.
Not so, quoth the man,
Who had no fear of spirits, no fear at all,
Not so, quoth the man,
Standing easy, standing tall —
It is only wrong for angels,
Who can live like flowers if they please,
Hold their malice like the puppies,
Wage their wars like lambkins in the breeze.
But I am not an angel,
And I live where angels never trod,
So don't bring me flowers and puppies —
Take that up with God.
Ooh-wah, the angel considered this,
Sha-na-na, and had nothing more to say…
Not so, quoth the man…
Not so.
13Do Not Weep, War Is KindYouTube
Doo-wah, doo-wah, do not weep…
Sha-na-na, war is kind…
Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind,
Your lover threw wild hands toward the sky,
The affrighted steed ran on alone —
Do not weep.
War is kind.
Hoarse and booming, hear the drums,
Little souls who thirst for fight,
These men were born to drill and die,
Great is the battle-god, great his might —
A field where a thousand corpses lie.
Do not weep, little babe, war is kind,
Your father tumbled in the yellow trench,
Raged at his breast, and gulped, and died —
Do not weep.
War is kind.
Swift the blazing flag of the regiment,
Eagle with crest of red and gold,
Point for them the virtue of slaughter,
Make plain the excellence, brave and bold —
A field where a thousand corpses lie.
Mother, whose heart hung humble as a button,
On the bright splendid shroud of your son,
Do not weep.
War is kind.
Doo-wah, doo-wah, do not weep…
Sha-na-na… war is kind…
Sha-na-na, war is kind…
Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind,
Your lover threw wild hands toward the sky,
The affrighted steed ran on alone —
Do not weep.
War is kind.
Hoarse and booming, hear the drums,
Little souls who thirst for fight,
These men were born to drill and die,
Great is the battle-god, great his might —
A field where a thousand corpses lie.
Do not weep, little babe, war is kind,
Your father tumbled in the yellow trench,
Raged at his breast, and gulped, and died —
Do not weep.
War is kind.
Swift the blazing flag of the regiment,
Eagle with crest of red and gold,
Point for them the virtue of slaughter,
Make plain the excellence, brave and bold —
A field where a thousand corpses lie.
Mother, whose heart hung humble as a button,
On the bright splendid shroud of your son,
Do not weep.
War is kind.
Doo-wah, doo-wah, do not weep…
Sha-na-na… war is kind…
14The Ride of SinYouTube
Doom-doom-doom, doom-doom-doom…
Sha-na-na, they came from the sea…
Black riders came from the sea,
There was clang and clang of spear and shield,
Clash and clash of hoof and heel,
Thundering across the open field.
Wild shouts and the wave of hair,
In the rush upon the wind they came,
Doom-doom-doom across the water,
Everything behind them wrapped in flame.
Doom-doom, clang and clang,
Sha-na-na, clash and clash,
Hoof and heel and spear and shield,
Coming fast, coming fast —
Thus the ride of sin.
Doom-doom-doom —
Thus the ride of sin.
Sha-na-na —
Thus the ride of sin.
Doom-doom-doom, doom-doom-doom…
From the sea…
Sha-na-na, they came from the sea…
Black riders came from the sea,
There was clang and clang of spear and shield,
Clash and clash of hoof and heel,
Thundering across the open field.
Wild shouts and the wave of hair,
In the rush upon the wind they came,
Doom-doom-doom across the water,
Everything behind them wrapped in flame.
Doom-doom, clang and clang,
Sha-na-na, clash and clash,
Hoof and heel and spear and shield,
Coming fast, coming fast —
Thus the ride of sin.
Doom-doom-doom —
Thus the ride of sin.
Sha-na-na —
Thus the ride of sin.
Doom-doom-doom, doom-doom-doom…
From the sea…
15The Pathway to TruthYouTube
The wayfarer, perceiving the pathway to truth,
Was struck with astonishment there,
The road was thickly grown with weeds,
Tangled beyond all repair.
Sha-la-la, sha-la-la, the path to truth…
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo, the truest way…
Aha, he said, I see that none
Has passed here in a long long time,
He pushed on through and looked more close —
And saw the weeds were knives.
Sha-la-la, each weed a knife,
Doo-doo-doo, the sharpest kind,
Every blade a singular edge —
On the path to truth.
Well, he mumbled, looking round,
Well, he said, at last,
Doubtless there are other roads —
And he let the pathway pass.
Sha-la-la, doubtless other roads…
Doo-doo-doo, doubtless other roads…
Doubtless…
Other roads.
Was struck with astonishment there,
The road was thickly grown with weeds,
Tangled beyond all repair.
Sha-la-la, sha-la-la, the path to truth…
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo, the truest way…
Aha, he said, I see that none
Has passed here in a long long time,
He pushed on through and looked more close —
And saw the weeds were knives.
Sha-la-la, each weed a knife,
Doo-doo-doo, the sharpest kind,
Every blade a singular edge —
On the path to truth.
Well, he mumbled, looking round,
Well, he said, at last,
Doubtless there are other roads —
And he let the pathway pass.
Sha-la-la, doubtless other roads…
Doo-doo-doo, doubtless other roads…
Doubtless…
Other roads.
16Ridiculous VoyagesYouTube
God made the world…
and the sails unfurled…
God fashioned the ship of the world carefully,
With the infinite skill of an All-Master's hand,
Made He the hull and the sails so perfectly,
Held He the rudder, everything as planned.
Erect stood He, scanning His work proudly,
The finest ship that ever touched the sea —
Then at a fateful time a wrong called out,
And God turned away to see.
Lo, the ship slipped slyly,
Noiseless down the ways,
Forever rudderless now,
Lost in the haze.
So it went upon the seas,
Going ridiculous voyages,
Making quaint progress,
Turning with serious purpose —
Before stupid winds.
Ooh-wah, and there were many in the sky,
Sha-na-na, who laughed at this thing,
Many in the sky who laughed —
At us.
At this.
At everything.
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah…
Ridiculous voyages…
Sha-na-na…
Forever rudderless…
Ooh-wah…
and the sails unfurled…
God fashioned the ship of the world carefully,
With the infinite skill of an All-Master's hand,
Made He the hull and the sails so perfectly,
Held He the rudder, everything as planned.
Erect stood He, scanning His work proudly,
The finest ship that ever touched the sea —
Then at a fateful time a wrong called out,
And God turned away to see.
Lo, the ship slipped slyly,
Noiseless down the ways,
Forever rudderless now,
Lost in the haze.
So it went upon the seas,
Going ridiculous voyages,
Making quaint progress,
Turning with serious purpose —
Before stupid winds.
Ooh-wah, and there were many in the sky,
Sha-na-na, who laughed at this thing,
Many in the sky who laughed —
At us.
At this.
At everything.
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah…
Ridiculous voyages…
Sha-na-na…
Forever rudderless…
Ooh-wah…