Toadfish Monastery

Artist: Led Zeppelin
Album: Led Zeppelin IV
Title: Stairway To Heaven

There's a lady who's sure
All that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven.
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for.
Ooh, ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven.
There's a sign on the wall
But she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
In a tree by the brook
There's a songbird who sings,
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it makes me wonder.
There's a feeling I get
When I look to the west,
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
In my thoughts I have seen
Rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who standing looking.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it really makes me wonder.
And it's whispered that soon, If we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
And a new day will dawn
For those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, Don't be alarmed now,
It's just a spring clean for the May queen.
Yes, there are two paths you can go by
But in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on.
And it makes me wonder.
Your head is humming and it won't go
In case you don't know,
The piper's calling you to join him,
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow,
And did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.
And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul.
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How ev'rything still turns to gold.
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll.
And she's buying a stairway to heaven

We all came out to montreux
On the lake geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile
We didn't have much time
Frank Zappa and the mothers
Were at the best place around
But some stupid with a flare gun
Burned the place to the ground
Smoke on the water, fire in the sky

They burned down the gambling house
It died with an awful sound
Funky claude was running in and out
Pulling kids out the ground
When it all was over
We had to find another place
But Swiss time was running out
It seemed that we would lose the race
Smoke on the water, fire in the sky

We ended up at the grand hotel
It was empty cold and bare
But with the rolling truck stones thing just outside
Making our music there
With a few red lights and a few old beds
We make a place to sweat
No matter what we get out of this
I know we'll never forget
Smoke on the water, fire in the sky

Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water

New Model Army - Ballad

When they look back at us and they write down their history
What will they say about our generation?
We're the ones who knew everything and still we did nothing
Harvested everything, planted nothing.
Well we live pretty well in the wake of the goldrush
Floating in comfort on waves of our apathy
Quietly gnawing away at Her body
Until we mortgage the future, bury our children
Storehouses full with the fruits we've been given
We send off the scrag-ends to suckle the starving
But still we can't feed this strange hunger inside
Greedy, restless and unsatisfied.
I was never much one for the great Big Bang theory
Going out in a blaze of suicidal glory
Not foolish and brave, these leaders of ours
Just stupid and petty, unworthy of power;
Just a little leak here and a small error there
Another square mile poisoned forever
A series of sad and pathetic little fizzles
And out go the lights, never to return.
The affair it is over, the passion is dead
She stares at us now with ice in Her eyes
But we turn away from these bitter reproaches
And take up distractions to forget what we're doing
I stand on these hills and I watch Her at night
A thousands square miles, a million orange lights
Wounded and scarred, She lies silent in pain
Raped and betrayed in the cold acid rain
And I wish and I wish
We could start over again
Yes I wish and I wish
We could win back Her love once again

In every heart there is a room
A sanctuary safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along

I spoke to you in cautious tones
You answered me with no pretense
And still I feel I said too much
My silence is my self defense

And every time Ive held a rose
It seems I only felt the thorns
And so it goes, and so it goes
And so will you soon I suppose

But if my silence made you leave
Then that would be my worst mistake
So I will share this room with you
And you can have this heart to break

And this is why my eyes are closed
Its just as well for all Ive seen
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows

So I would choose to be with you
Thats if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break

And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows

--------

Billy Joel - And So It Goes

Artist: Simon and Garfunkel
Album: The Sounds of Silence
Title: The Sounds Of Silence


Hello darkness, my old friend,
I've come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping,
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence.
In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
'Neath the halo of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence.

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dare
Disturb the sound of silence.

"Fools" said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows.
Hear my words that I might teach you,
Take my arms that I might reach you."
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
And echoed
In the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made.
And the sign flashed out its warning,
In the words that it was forming.
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets

are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls."
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence.

I am writing you this letter in desperation I'm afraid
And I won't be back to Lindsay for the veterans' parade
'Cause I got banged up pretty good in a street-fight in Bilbao
And I won't be coming home to see your young and pretty face

I am far too young to feel so old
And far too tired to care
That I took down twenty bastards
before they left me lying here

When I landed here a year ago I know that I believed
That it was better to die upon your feet than to live upon your knees
And it's not that I care any less for that philosophy
But I would spend one night with you in trade for all that I've achieved

'Cause I was never much on dreams
And they were never big on me
And I can't dream my way home
from a gravesite by the sea

So I'll clench my fist and once more sing the Internationale
And I'll say, "goodbye, I love you."

'Cause it's time that I should go

- "Letter from Bilbao", the Lowest of the Low

Barrett's Privateers - Stan Rogers

Oh the year was seventeen seventy eight
I wish I were in Sherbrooke now!
A letter of marque came from the King
To the scummiest vessel I've ever seen
God Damn them all! I was told
We'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns, shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers.

Oh Elcid Barrett cried the town,
I wish I were in Sherbrooke now!
For twenty brave men, all fishermen, who
Would make for him the Antelope's crew,
God Damn them all! I was told
We'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns, shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers.

The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight.
She'd a list to port and her sails in rags,
And a cook in the scuppers with staggers and jags.

On the King's birthday we put to sea.
We were ninety-one days to Montego bay,
Pumping like madmen all the way.

On the ninety-sixth day we sailed again.
When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight
With our cracked four-pounders we made to fight

The Yankee lay low down with gold.
She was broad and fat and loose in stays,
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days

Then at length we stood two cables away.
Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din,
But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in.

The Antelope shook and pitched on her side.
Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs,
And the maintruck carried off both me legs.

So here I lay in my twenty-third year.
It's been six years since we sailed away,
And I just made Halifax yesterday.

New Model Army - 51st State

Look out of your windows, watch the skies
Read all the instructions with bright blue eyes
Were W.A.S.P.s, proud American sons
We know how to clean our teeth and how to strip down a gun
We're the 51st state of America

Our star-spangled Union Jack flutters so proud
Over the dancing heads of the merry patriotic crowd
Tip your hat to the Yankee conqueror
We've got no reds under the bed with guns under our pillows
We're the 51st state of America

Here in the land of opportunity
Watch US revel in our liberty
You can say what you like
But it doesn't change anything
'Cos the corridors of power
Are an ocean away
We're the 51st state of America

When they kick out your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun

When the law break in
How you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
Or waiting in death row

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, Guns of Brixton

The money feels good
And your life you like it well
But surely your time will come
As in heaven, as in hell

You see, he feels like Ivan
Born under the Brixton sun
His game is called survivin'
At the end of the harder they come

You know it means no mercy
They caught him with a gun
No need for the Black Maria
Goodbye to the Brixton sun

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh-the guns of Brixton

When they kick out your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun

You can crush us
You can bruise us
And even shoot us
But oh- the guns of Brixton

Shot down on the pavement
Waiting in death row
His game was survivin'
As in heaven as in hell

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton

The Clash - Guns of Brixton

"Knockin' On Heaven's Door"
Bob Dylan

Mama, take this badge off of me
I can't use it anymore.
It's gettin' dark, too dark to see
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door.

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore.
That long black cloud is comin' down
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door.

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

For every opportunity we squeeze de last drop
Seeds sown inna de past and now were reaping de crop
Yer, spreading de roots an were no longer underground
Those dat turned away are now turning around
Homebeats and high-hats mightier than de sword
Version excursions an breaks from abroad
Too many secret histories dat have never been told
Reveal hidden agendas
Remove de blindfold

Examine de story before you tek de stage
Unscramble freaktalk displayed pon de front page
Frequency flashing synchronised like strobe
Cant do it alone you need to get into de collective mode
Need to get into de collective mode

Were taking note of every brand new sound
Keeping our minds open
Cor we know were future bound
Together we must recognise the signs of our times
Together we must learn to read between the lines
Make your own programme
No bother become digital captive
You need some audio
So you must be active
Get into collective mode
Spirits become positive
You live de life you love
An you love the life you give
No-one is an island whether you like it or not
All inna di same boat which is about to be rocked
Warning light flashing synchronised like strobe
Cant do it alone you need to get into de collective mode

Do you spend too much time living inside your head
Worry too much about what the other man said
Need to pay heed to dis sonic reflection
Turn dis disconnection into interconnection
And get into de collective mode

Asian Dub Foundation - Collective Mode

Here is a rainbow for your hair
Here is another sign of the times
We live we die
We laugh we cry
We know not why

Lipstick 'n leather wear 'n tear
Off another sign of the times
We're chained and bound
Hard lines crack down
On stony ground

Here is a taste of here and now
Red is the bloody sign of the times
The bride stripped bare
Of all despair
We're cut but we don't care

Here is a rainbow for your hair
Here is another sign of the times
Light up in anger I'll be there
Fight for a sign of the times
We live we die
We laugh and we cry
We know not why
Bent on a life between the lines
End on a sign of the times

Roxy Music - Sign of the Times

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high,
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far
Behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow.
Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?

Somewhere Over the Rainbow
music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg

(Bluebirds over) The White Cliffs of Dover - Vera Lynn

Therell be bluebirds over
The white cliffs of Dover
Tomorrow
Just you wait and see

I'll never forget the people I met
Braving those angry skies
I remember well as the shadows fell
The light of hope in their eyes
And though I'm far away
I still can hear them say
Bombs up...
But when the dawn comes up

Therell be bluebirds over
The white cliffs of Dover
Tomorrow
Just you wait and see

Therell be love and laughter
And peace ever after
Tomorrow
When the world is free

The shepherd will tend his sheep
The valley will bloom again
And Jimmy will go to sleep
In his own little room again

Therell be bluebirds over
The white cliffs of Dover
Tomorrow
Just you wait and see

Therell be bluebirds over
The white cliffs of Dover
Tomorrow
Just you wait and see...

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns
with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love
will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age
of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy
and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golding living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal
revalation
And the mind's true liberation
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

When the moon is in the
Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace
will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age
of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

Harmony and
understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more
falsehoods or derisions
Golding living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revalation
And the mind's true
liberation
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

Aquarius from the musical "Hair"

(I consider this song one of the best songs ever, not the best, but definitely in the top ten)