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lyrics

WISE MAN

On an empty seashore says the old book of lore
Lives a man as old as the world
He’d traveled around and been up and down
Places of which you’ll never have heard
As wise as an owl he prophesied doom
And things not yet come to pass
In the ways of the world he was very well versed
For he’d seen all these things in his glass

He sailed on a ship on a round the world trip
Skippered by an old Geordie sea dog
The ship capsized and the crew lost their lives
But he made it to shore on a log
He discovered a land that was covered in sand
And the water was dry in the well
And when the folks didn’t blink who refused him a drink
He knew he had landed in Hell

He saw cannons and guns and big heavy bombs
That could blow a whole city in two
He saw idiots debating the world they were wasting
Like monkeys down at the zoo
He saw lions and donkeys obeying the monkeys
The donkeys leading the lions to their death
And the sheep in the field were following the lead
Of one that didn’t know its right from its left

He learnt what it was like to be thin as a spike
When there wasn’t enough food to go round
He saw mothers crying while children were dying
And others lay dead on the ground
It was worse than that hell where the rain never fell
And people prayed for deliverance to come
But their prayers went unheard by that chap with the beard
Who despaired at what his children had done

He saw lights in the sky that slowly passed by
And he knew from whence they had come
He saw night in the sky for the rest of all time
After the death of the sun
He shook hands with the Lord who took him on board
Like he’d done with Ezekiel before
Then he knew in a flash why men fought for cash
And why they were obsessed with war

He saw towers of fire with smoke rising higher
Which gave off a very bad smell
He saw green become grey and grass become hay
As Eden was turned into Hell
He had a fear in his head that filled him with dread
That tomorrow the sky would fall down
But he knew in his heart that whatever he thought
Tomorrow would never come round

(Gary Miller)

credits

from The First Few Drops, released November 1, 1991

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Gary Miller Durham, UK

Gary Miller first rose to international prominence with folk-punk/rock pioneers The Whisky Priests (1985-2002), founded with his twin brother Glenn - “the Joe Strummer and Mick Jones of Folk Music". He now performs as a solo artist and with his new band 'Gary Miller's Big Picture' whose debut album is coming soon. ... more

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