The Bob Dylan Pages |
||||||||||
| Home | Music videos | Essays | Awards | Documentaries | New Book | Miscellaneous | ||||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Back | |
| TEMPEST Words and Music by Bob Dylan |
|
|
1. The pale moon rose in its glory out on the western town She told a sad, sad story of the great ship that went down T'was the fourteenth day of April over the waves she rode Sailing into tomorrow to a golden age foretold The night was black with starlight, the seas were sharp and clear Moving through the shadows, the promised hour was near Lights were holding steady, gliding over the foam All the lords and ladies heading for their eternal home The chandeliers were swaying from the balustrades above The orchestra was playing songs of faded love The watchman, he lay dreaming as the ballroom dancers twirled He dreamed the Titanic was sinking into the underworld Musical interlude 2. Leo took his sketchbook, he was often so inclined He closed his eyes and painted the scenery in his mind Cupid struck his bosom and broke it with a snap The closest woman to him he fell into her lap He heard a loud commotion, something sounded wrong His inner spirit was saying that he couldn't stand here long He staggered to the quarterdeck. No time now to sleep Water on the quarterdeck already three foot deep Smokestack was leaning sideways, heavy feet began to pound He walked into the whirlwind, sky splitting all around The ship was going under. The universe had opened wide The roll was called up yonder. The angels turned aside 3. Lights down in the hallway, flickering dim and dull Dead bodies already floating in the double bottomed hull The engines then exploded. Propellers they failed to start The boilers overloaded. The ship's bow split apart Passengers were flying backward, forward, far and fast They mumbled, fumbled, tumbled. Each one more weary than the last The veil was torn asunder 'tween the hours of twelve and one No change, no sudden wonder could undo what had been done The watchman lay there dreaming at fourtyfive degrees He dreamed that the Titanic was sinking dropping to her knees Musical interlude 4. Wellington he was sleeping. His bed began to slide His valiant heart was beating. He pushed the tables aside Glass of shattered crystal lay scattered 'round about He strapped on both his pistols. How long could he hold out? His men and his companions were nowhere to be seen In silence there he waited for time and space to intervene The passageway was narrow. There was blackness in the air He saw every kind of sorrow. Heard voices everywhere Alarm-bells were ringing to hold back the swelling tide Friends and lovers clinging to each other side by side 5. Mothers and their daughters descending down the stairs Jumped into the icy waters. Love and pity sent their prayers The rich man, Mister Astor, kissed his darling wife He had no way of knowing, be the last trip of his life Calvin, Blake and Wilson gambled in the dark Not one of them would ever live to tell the tale on the disembark 6. Brother rose up 'gainst brother in every circumstance They fought and slaughtered each other in a deadly dance They lowered down the lifeboats from the sinking wreck There were traitors, there were turncoats, broken backs and broken necks The bishop left his cabin to help all those in need Turned his eyes up to the heavens said, "The poor are yours to feed" 7. Davey the brothel-keeper came out dismissed his girls Saw the water getting deeper, saw the changing of his world Jim Dandy smiled, he'd never learned to swim Saw the little crippled child and he gave his seat to him He saw the starlight shining, streaming from the East Death was on the rampage but his heart was now at peace 8. They battened down the hatches but the hatches wouldn't hold They drowned upon the staircase of brass and polished gold Leo said to Cleo, "I think I'm going mad" But he'd lost his mind already, whatever mind he had He tried to block the doorway to save all those from harm Blood from an open wound pouring down his arm 9. Petals fell from flowers 'til all of them were gone In the long and dreadful hours the wizard's curse played on The host was pouring brandy, he was going down slow He stayed right 'til the end, he was the last to go There were many, many others, nameless here forever more They'd never sailed the ocean or left their homes before 10. The watchman, he lay dreaming, the damage had been done He dreamed the Titanic was sinking and he tried to tell someone Musical interlude 11. The Captain, barely breathing kneeling at the wheel Above him and beneath him fifty thousand tons of steel He looked over at his compass and he gazed into its face Needle pointing downward. He knew he'd lost the race 12. In the dark illumination he remembered bygone years He read the Book of Revelation and he filled his cup with tears When the Reaper's task had ended sixteen hundred had gone to rest The good, the bad, the rich, the poor. The loveliest and the best 13. They waited at the landing and they tried to understand But there is no understanding on the judgement of God's hand The news came over the wires and struck with deadly force Love had lost its fires, all things had run their course The watchman he lay dreaming of all the things that can be He dreamed the Titanic was sinking into the deep blue sea |
|
|
|
| Copyright © 2012 by Special Rider Music | |
|