"The Chant Has Begun"
(M. King/P. Gould, lyrics P. Gould)
the spirit of the people
the spirit of the people
the spirit of the people
the rhythm has begun ...
old men with their protocol
lead us off to war
sometimes we don't even know
what we're fighting for
marching to the beat of their drum
leaders we no longer trust
told too many lies
the promises they made to us
were never realised
hear me now the chant has begun
nowhere left to turn
no-one left to turn to
voices raised in anger
they don't have the answer
our whole world's in danger
oil slicks on the ebbing tide
progress out of hand
blind men choke on swallowed pride
heads down in the sand
don't wanna see the damage they've done
trees destroyed by acid rain
falling from the skies
when our children place the blame
who will tell them why
hear me now the chant has begun
why is love so rare
all this talk of warfare
voices raised in anger
they don't have an answer
pass the word along
we can wait no longer
too much blind destruction
follow love's instructions
now the chant has begun
(chant)
make your choice there's no escape
add your voice, the chant has begun
- Chommar Ipiet Ira Hani Apop -
"Kansas City Milkman"
(M. King/P. Gould/M. Lindup/W. Badarou, lyrics P. Gould)
born in this place
you only see so far
hear what we say
if we put the truth in your hands
would you really like to know
kansas city milkman
a row of houses
through the dawn
a sleeping city
where I was born
I hear laughter
in the early light
outside the playground
were I learned to fight
born in this place
you only see so far
hear what we say
if we put the truth in your hands
would you really like to know
kansas city milkman
I read the papers
every word
my only access
to the outside world
yeah ... survival
that's my game
just a common man
in that there is no shame ... is there? ...
too much talking
information ... in the hands of the few
all the talking
dis-information ... that we take for the truth
born in this place
you only see so far
hear what we say
if we put the truth in your hands
would you really like to know
kansas city milkman
would you really like to know
the world is a stage
and we know just who you are
what part do you play?
if we put the truth in your hands
would you really like to know
kansas city milkman
would you really like to know
born in this place
you only see so far
hear what we say ...
- Chommar Ipiet Ira Hani Apop -
"Seven Days"
(M. King/M. Lindup/R. Gould, lyrics R. Gould)
she was so young and so afraid
of a world she could not understand
for seven days I held her close
like a child in the palm of my hand <
there were
seven tears
to wipe away
seven fears
to keep at bay
seven words
for me to say
in seven days
the strands of wisdom twist and curl
soft flame in the warmth of my heart
oh essential words that lightly fall
like snow thru the mist of her thought
the gentle rain of innocence
that flows from her ebony eyes
another secret moment shared
to be part of the rest of our lives
there were
seven dreams
to live for real
seven streams
of hope revealed
seven ways
of love to feel
in seven days
we are the only ones who know
her smile was poetry
her soul
she showed it to me
the dawning of the seventh day
saw her shine like the radiant skies
I knew that she would leave me then
bright hope in her ebony eyes
and now I watch her dance before the world
soft flame in the movements she makes
and all those secret moments shared
stay warm in my thoughts everyday
remembering
seven tears
wiped away
seven fears
kept at bay
seven words
you heard me say
seven dreams
to live and play
seven streams
of hope revealed
seven waves
of love we feel
seven days
memory of seven days
- Chommar Ipiet Ira Hani Apop -
"Hot Water"
(M. King/P. Gould/M. Lindup/W. Badarou, lyrics P. Gould)
tell - me something
why do I always find it hard just to get along
try my best - for nothing
every little thing I do is wrong
feel it in my brain
driving me insane
round and round
the same old tune
daddy's on the phone
you know you're not alone
"turn that down
and clean up your room."
sons and daughters
(don't fall in)
in hot water
sons and daughters
(they don't do)
what they oughta
tell (tell) you something (what?)
music is the key to set me free
to the beat (on the street) I'm jumping
forgetting all the things they said 'bout me
here it comes again
chugging like a train
round and round
an impeccable groove
I know it's getting late
but I won't hesitate
can't slow down
got to do what I do
sons and daughters
(always in)
in hot water
wasting time
is a crime in their eyes
but I'm still young
so much time to decide - what to do ...
I don't need confirmation
for my boyhood extrapolation
though I'm not sure of my direction
I have the groove for my protection
here it comes again
chugging like a train
round and round
an impeccable groove
I know it's getting late
but I won't hesitate
can't slow down
got to do what I do
sons and daughters
(don't fall in)
in hot water (when they fall by the way)
sons and daughters
(they don't do)
what they oughta
tell me something
where you staying tonight
your folks have waited up for you
now they've locked the door
and turned off the light
- Chommar Ipiet Ira Hani Apop -
"A Floating Life"
(M. King/P. Gould, lyrics P. Gould)
in your hands there's a photograph
you look up, she begins to laugh
so cold as she walks away
and you know that it's time to pay
you're caught in a web you spun yourself
face to face with your failure this very day
you call out her name you can't help yourself
but you need love like you need a - kick in the head
you worked hard for the things you own
fancy cars and a country home
gave it all for a glittering prize
to be a face people recognise
on the walls of your home there are works of art
but you stare at the picture - on the floor
the face of a man with an aching heart
it's no fun to be famous anymore
you said
this is a sad day
and I would gladly give it all away
in exchange
for a floating life
shed your tears for a shallow dream
let your cry be a primal scream
a song through the mists of time
a serenade to your concubine
you were wrong to believe she could set you free
you're trapped by the trappings - of success
and you know the she'll never let you be
'til the world knows the secrets - you confessed
you said
I see her cruel face
my heart is nothing but an empty space
and on this sad day
I would gladly give it all away
in exchange
for a floating life
neither asleep nor awake
losing control you start to shake
as the day begins to break
they're gonna shoot you down in flames
when that girl starts naming names
there's nowhere to hide from your shame
(guitar solo)
I see her cruel face
my heart is nothing but an empty space
and on this sad day
I would gladly give it all away
in exchange
for a floating life
- Chommar Ipiet Ira Hani Apop -
"True Believers"
(M. King/P. Gould, lyrics P. Gould)
stuck inside my harvard box
behind the door the bauhaus locked
I'm wrestling with a new ideal
I'm working out the way I feel
I just came back from Cultureburg
where I tried to learn the painted word
people there were so convinced
it's kept me thinking ever since
crazy, but true
I want to believe like you
"come with me", the teacher said
"no side-to-side, look straight ahead
'cause if you want true confidence
you'd best forget your common sense.
go find yourself a point of view
and if you need some help to choose
just dance the dance named after me
if you believe then you will see"
crazy, but true
now I believe in you
there was a time
when we could make head nor tail of the story
now it's sublime
and we're not afraid anymore
'cause we're all
true believers
(keyboard & bass solo)
so tell me it's true
I want to believe in you
crazy, but true
I want to believe in you
blind faith makes such strange demands
sometimes a think I'll never understand
answers on a postcard, please
I'd like to know what you believe
true believers
are you
a true believer
(I wanna believe in you)
are you ...
- Chommar Ipiet Ira Hani Apop -
"My Hero"
(M. King/P. Gould, lyrics R. Gould)
my hero ...
on Baker Street
the limousine stood blacker than the darkest thing
in the rain
deep in the back
his life was ending
still they would not let him be
where is he?
his music ran through the streets of the city
straight to the heart with each song
the path he chose was a road to freedom
and I kept following on
my hero ...
I heard the news
all my emotions shattered into empty blue
where are you
the radio like distant thunder raging black rock symphonies
storm heart tears
his music runs through the heart of the city
his sound is heard in each song
you never found where his road was leading
the hope you gave lingers on
my hero ...
the brightest stars explode into a thousand moons
(solo)
his music runs through the heart of the city
the sound he made is too strong
his name remains part of my emotions
the memories linger on
my hero ...
- Chommar Ipiet Ira Hani Apop -
"Kouyate (There Is A Secret Between Us)"
(M. King/P. Gould/W. Badarou, lyrics P. Gould)
so sad I had to go (kouyate)
a total stranger came between us
until it's safe no-one will know (kouyate)
there is a secret between us
we must keep it to ourselves (kouyate)
all the love we shared between us
we can't tell nobody else (kouyate)
there is a secret between us
staring hard at my tv
but that blue flicker doesn't comfort me
it hurts so much
the memory of her tender touch
in my dreams I call
a man-of-war on glory road
a native girl whose tale was never told
now we must live a lie
to point blank accusations
I have denied it all
I live for the day
I live for the hour
when I'm free to speak your name
and reveal to the world our secret
underneath that bowl of stars
she lay me down to heal my battle scars
she taught me love
the one thing I knew nothing of
and she made me see
I had to leave that scattered place
I kept the secret to avoid disgrace
but there will come a time
when I return to make her mine
in a world so free
I live for this day
I live for this hour
when I'm in your arms again, yeah
and we both yield to love's power
be patient now we can't resist
the racing storm of prejudice
hate ... has ... silenced ... love ...
(spoken:)
we took the village by surprise
no time to see the strangers hate filled eyes
for this sad consequence
they had no defense
in the midst off all that pain
I heard her call
kouyate is my name
love conquers all
(sax solo)
I live for this day
I live for this hour
when I'm in your arms again
and we both yield to love's power
so sad I had to go (kouyate)
with so much love to share between us
until it's safe no-one will know (kouyate)
there is a secret between us
kouyate
- Chommar Ipiet Ira Hani Apop -
"Hours By The Window"
(M. King/P. Gould, lyrics P. Gould)
day and night
by the window
of my mind
there you are
in the courtyard
one last time
the singing of a famous song I've never heard before
a man without a shadow slowly walking past my door
my mind projects a face soon to be free of misery
the chiming of some distant bell that echoes in my heart
a dance upon the flagstones to the music of the stars
a mother's name that lingers on a soothing summer's breeze
all alone I said no prayers today
I couldn't kneel to please the god that failed you
now you're gone I'll sit and spend each day
hours by the window
morning comes
to my rescue
once again
whispers in the corridor and footsteps in the hall
my only point of reference now the sunlight on the wall
it draws me to the window where my dreams are memories
a step beyond the line where sunken eyes avert their gaze
an endless tract of time reveals a thousand silent ways
all searching for an answer to life's deepest mysteries
on the ocean of pure time I sail away
I go and these four walls will not contain me
maybe there I'll see your face again
hours by the window
all alone I said no prayers today
I couldn't kneel to please the god that failed you
what I'd give to see your face again
hours by the window
- Chommar Ipiet Ira Hani Apop -