Jethro Tull - A Passion Play - Pt.II

[Interlude: The Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles]

Ostensibly motionless, the Hare was trembling with excitement, for without his spectacles he appeared completely helpless
Where were his spectacles? Could someone have stolen them? Had he mislaid them? What was he to do?
Bee wanted to help, and thinking he had the answer began: "You probably ate them thinking they were a carrot."
"No!" interrupted Owl, who was wise. "I have good eye-sight, insight, and foresight. How could an intelligent hare make such a silly mistake?"
But all the time, Owl had been sitting on the fence, scowling!
Kangaroo were hopping mad at this sort of talk
She thought herself far superior in intelligence to the others. She was their leader; their guru. She had the answer: "Hare, you must go in search of the optician!"
But then, she realized that Hare were completely helpless without his spectacles
And so, Kangaroo loudly proclaimed, "I can't send Hare in search of anything!"
"You can, guru, you can!" shouted Newt. "You can send him with Owl!", but Owl had gone to sleep
Newt knew too much to be stopped by so small a problem
"You can take him in your pouch." But alas, Hare was much too big to fit into Kangaroo's pouch
All this time, it had been quite plain to hare that the others knew nothing about spectacles

As for all their tempting ideas, well Hare didn't a-care
The lost spectacles were his own affair
And after all, Hare did have a spare a-pairrr...
A-pairrr...



[Act 3: The Business Office of G. Oddie & Son (two days later)]

　A. Forest Dance #2 (Instrumental)

　B. The Foot of Our Stairs

We sleep by the ever-bright hole in the door
Eat in the corner, talk to the floor
Cheating the spiders who come to say please
Politely, they bend at the knees

Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs

Old gentlemen talk of when they were young
Of ladies lost, of erring sons
Lace-covered dandies revel with friends
Pure as the truth, tied at both ends

Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs

Scented cathedral spire pointed down
We pray for souls in Kentish Town
A delicate hush; the gods, floating by
Wishing us well; pie in the sky

God of Ages, Lord of Time
Mine is the right; it's to be wrong

Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs

Jack Rabbit mister spawned a new breed of love-hungry pilgrims; no bodies to feed
Show me a good man and I'll show you the door
The last hymn is sung and the devil cries more

Show me the gypsy, a chain's weakest link
And I'll throw in a father to buy all he can drink
Til' he's down on his knees, as knocked in his heels
That they pass you the bottle, let's see how it feels

The rollicking hero has won all his wars
That don't live with memories, the news from his pores
That enjoy in the party and share in the fun
While the bomb in his pockets snuffs him out the sun

Well, I'm all for leaving and that being done
I've put in a request to take up my turn
In that forsaken paradise that calls itself Hell
Where no one has nothing and nothing is, well
Meaning fool
Pick up thy bed and rise
Up from your gloom smiling
Give me your hate and do as the loving heathen do

　C. Overseer Overture

Colours I've none dark or light, red, white or blue
Cold is my touch, freezing!
Summoned by name; I am the overseer over you

Given this command to watch o'er our miserable sphere
Fallen from grace, called on to bring sun or rain
Occasional corn from my oversight grew

Fell with mine angels from a far better place
Offering services for the saving of face
Now you're here, you may as well admire
All whom living has retired
From the benign reconciliation

Legends were born surrounding mysterious lights
Seen in the sky, flashing!
I just lit a fag then took my leave in the blink of an eye

Passionate play join round the maypole in dance
Primitive rite; wrongly
Summoned by name; I am the overseer over you



[Act 4: Magus Perdé's Drawing Room at Midnight]

　A. Flight from Lucifer

Flee the icy Lucifer, oh, he's an awful fellow!
What a mistake! I didn't take a feather from his pillow
Here's the everlasting rub; neither am I good nor bad
I'd give up my halo for a horn and the horn for the hat I once had

I'm only breathing
There's life on my ceiling
The flies there are sleeping quietly

Twist my right arm in the dark. I would give two or three for
One of those days that never made impressions on the old score
I would gladly be a dog barking up the wrong tree
Everyone's saved we're in the grave; see you there for afternoon tea

Time for awaking, the tea lady's making
A brew-up and baking new bread

Pick me up at half past none, there's not a moment to lose
There is the train on which I came, on the platform are my old shoes
Station master rings his bell; whistles blow and flags wave
A little of what you fancy does you good... or so it should!

I thank everybody for making me welcome
I'd stay but my wings have just dropped off

　B. 10:08 to Paddington (Instrumental)

　C. Magus Perdé

Hail! Son of kings make the ever-dying sign
Cross your fingers in the sky
For those about to be
There am I waiting along the sand
Cast your sweet spell upon the land and sea

Magus Perdé, take your hand from off the chain
Loose a wish to still, the rain; the storm about to be
Here am I; voyager into life
Tough are the soles that tread the knife's edge

Break the circle, stretch the line, call upon the devil
Bring the gods, the gods' own fire in the conflict revel
The passengers upon the ferry crossing, waiting to be born
Renew the pledge of life's long song rise to the reveille horn
Animals queuing at the gate that stands upon the shore
Breathe the ever-burning fire that guards the ever-door

Man, son of man, buy the flame of ever-life
Yours to breathe and breath the pain of living, living be!
Here am I! Roll the stone away
From the dark into ever-day

　D. Epilogue

There was a rush along the Fulham Road
Into the Ever-passion Play