I met you in the heat of summer
And drought was in the air
Fires were blazing all about
But we just didn’t care
For a flame began to glow that day
Between you and me
And smoke was getting in our eyes
Which only we could see
Only we could see…

Our love grew with the mercury
And the flame was on the rise
And kisses poured like gasoline
And much to our surprise
The fire that started out so low
Before our eyes appeared
To be growing steadily
And soon we both were seared
Oh we were seared…

But all good things must end someday
Fires burn out with time
I try to move on with my life
Erase you from my mind
But like palimpsest you show through
And everywhere I turn
I see your face and hear your voice
And for you alone I burn
For you alone I burn…

So though we’re only left with embers
From that once great roaring blaze
Don’t forget those happy months
We shared in that youthful phase
Remember when you see my face
In that wooden picture frame
The fires that once burned for us
And those vestiges of flame
Vestiges of flame…

Don’t sing to me with your tired laugh
Give me peace of mind
From cat-call burglars and sycophants
Let me unwind

Soft spoken and kept in time
Out of range and out of sight
I think for now I’m doing all right

There’s more to this
More than I’ll ever know
There’s more to this
More than they’ll ever show

“Their right hand is full of bribes!”
Lest we forget
Lest we forget
“There right hand is full of bribes!”
Lest we forget
Lest we forget

Don’t tilt at windmills or trace the skies
Just set me free
Don’t sugarcoat the gleaming-eyed rapture
Just let me be…

Purse your lips and shake your hips
Let the sacred sparks ignite
I think that would be all right…

There’s more to this
A secret avenue
There’s more to this
Well tell me just what is true?

“Their right hand is full of bribes!”
That’s what she said
That’s what she said
“Their right hand is full of bribes!”
That’s what she said
That’s what she said
Gold and silver to buy a soul
They pay you handsomely
Gold and silver, a crown and throne
They never give it free…

Humble failure, rich rewards
Give me pure, don’t give me trite!
I think that would be all right…

There’s more to this
More than you’ll ever know
There’s more to this
More than I’ll ever show…

“Their right hand is full of bribes!”
Lest we forget
Lest we forget
“Their right hand is full of bribes!”
Lest we forget
Lest we forget
I’m doing all right (lest we forget)

The little girl on the plane
Who turned her doll’s head around
To look at me…

The gentle touch of the soft
Hands that graced my reddened cheeks
In the autumn…

As the falling leaves lightly
Leave behind their firm branches
For beauty’s sake

To wither and die for our
Eye’s pleasure… quiet martyrs
In red and gold…

The blue eyes of the stranger
Framed by the placid crown of
A golden mane

The benign smile of the red
Lips that blew a parting kiss
To another

Subtle gestures captured by
A star-crossed gazer who returns
The favor

A little girl who by
An action reclaims the minute
Unforgiving

I wish to be a friendly spirit
To live as a soft whisper, kind soul

Turning through the waterwheel
Drops of mercury roll
Silence in the riverbed
Calm within the shade

A star encircles moon
And the lifewaters flow
With the falling of the rain
And the turning of a wheel…

No air, no ground
No ground, no sky
A star encircles star
An eclipse of yellow fire
Come into the shade

A floating blue-green orb
A mirage in the day
With the falling of the rain
The turning of a wheel…

Turning through the waterwheel
The time is flying past
Rejoice in light and stay awake!
This sun-shade will not last…

Turning through the waterwheel
Drops of mercury roll
Silence in the riverbed
Come into the shade

A pale flame in winter
A smoking breath of air
Cover me in sun-shade
Within the waterwheel…

In the sun-shade…
In the sun-shade…

A tan beret
Over jet-black hair
And a glance that looks the other way
Between parted lips
An unlit cigarette
If she’d only look my way

I wonder what’s her name
Or the perfume she wears
She walks by me everyday
Has she seen my face?
If she would slow her pace…
Perhaps she’d look my way…

I know we’ve never met
Never spoken a single word
But I love her…
Yes I love her…
I know we’ve never met
And we probably never will
But I love her…
Yes I love her…

A tan beret
Over jet black hair
And glance that looks the other way
Between parted lips
An unlit cigarette
If she’d only look my way

It’s a shame
How we forget
Humanity
Without regret
In a nation filled
With millionaires and thieves
Everyone thinks of his own needs…

But it’s a crime
The way we divide
The world into
Just black and white
Patriots or traitors
Prostitutes or saints
I’ll see you all at the pearly gates…

Chorus:
True as the average
True as you…
True as the average
True as you…

The working class
Is losing still
The upper class
Can foot the bill
Because nobody
Is self-made or interest-free
It’s time for reciprocity…

But ain’t it sad
The games we play
The lies we tell
What can we say
To the refugees
Left standing in our wake
It was all just a mistake?

True as the average
True as you…
True as the average
True as you…

But don’t get down
It’s not too late
To change our ways
Confound the fates
Because tomorrow is
Just riding on our backs
Let’s brace ourselves for the attack…

True as the average
True as you…
True as the average
True as you…

-Instrumental-

Stranger, are there any dead in there?
Amongst the quivering wires and shreds of glass?
As the light falls through the open windows
The candles flicker on and off
Amongst the columned ruins remember my face

Stare me in the eye
And read my lips
Stare me in the eye
And stranger bear word

Stranger, pluck the thorn from my side
The warriors have arrived
The skies are flaming with gold desire
We’ve been brought down by friendly fire
Amidst the ghostly masses remember my face

Don’t turn around
Walk straight ahead
Don’t turn around
And stranger bear word…

Wake up the business suited soldiers
And the warriors of the combine!
Remove the bandage from their wounds
Drink up you intoxicated fools!
In the clouds of choking smoke ignite a match

And pour me a drink
And light me a cigarette
Pour me a drink
And stranger bear word

Remember the ruins of my sad face
And stranger bear word to the Spartans we…
Remember the ruins of my sad face
And stranger bear word to the Spartans we…

On a lonely Florida highway
Near about half-past one
A supernatural occurrence
Greeted me in the Florida sun…

Driving home my eyes were heavy
And my head bobbed side to side
And panic overtook me
And shook me, deep inside

When out of this stupor
An image did slowly rise
Which brought comfort to my panic
And my narcoleptic eyes

It was strange yet so familiar
Surreal yet near-divine…
I remembered it from photos captured
In a simpler time…

Walking light across the heavens
His footprints left no trail
His countenance was smiling
And his skin was glowing pale,

And his toothy grin was gleaming
Like he knew some private joke
But he kept it as his secret
How I wish that he had spoke…

And he raised his hand to greet me
But as I blinked he disappeared
Alone again I was reminded
By a single, salty tear

Rolling lightly down my cheeks
It fell upon my thigh
I grabbed a pen to scribble there
“I just saw Kennedy in the sky”

A mirage or mystic phantom
Was it ever really there?
There’s no way to be certain
And the truth is, I don’t care

For meeting with a spirit
Who’d believe what I had found?
But of this I am certain,
I saw Kennedy in a cloud

Now if we’re driving down that highway
Alone just you and I
Look for a glimmer of a memory
To flicker through my eye

I won’t mention that strange story
Or speak my mind aloud
Rest assured what I am thinking
Is of the day
I saw Kennedy in a cloud

-Instrumental-