Περισσότερη μουσική [και τι μουσική…] περιέχεται σ’ αυτά τα δυο απίστευτα tracks από το Nursery Cryme των Genesis, απ’ ότι σε ένα ολόκληρο άλμπουμ ενός “συνηθισμένου” συγκροτήματος. Το πρώτο είναι ένα από τα λυρικά τους χάι λάιτ. To δεύτερο είναι η πιο σύντομη rock opera που έχει γραφτεί ποτέ. Και μια απ’ τις καλύτερες. Ο τραγουδιστής τους, Peter Gabriel, μετέπειτα επιτυχημένος σόλο καλλιτέχνης, γεννήθηκε αυτό το μήνα πριν από 74 χρόνια.

There is more music [and what music…] in these two impossible tracks from Genesis’ Nursery Cryme, than the one contained in a entire album by an “ordinary” outfit.
The first is one of their lyrical high lights. The second could be described as the shortest rock opera ever written. And one of the finest. The singer of the songs, Peter Gabriel, later a successful solo artist, was born on this month 74 years ago.

00:00 SEVEN STONES 05:12 HAROLD THE BARREL

SEVEN STONES
I heard the old man tell his tale:
Tinker, alone within a storm,
And losing hope he clears the leaves beneath a tree,
Seven stones
Lay on the ground.
Within the seventh house a friend was found.
And the changes of no consequence will pick up the reins from nowhere.
Sailors, in peril on the sea,
Amongst the waves a rock looms nearer, and not yet seen.
They see a gull
Flying by.
The Captain turns the boat and he asks not why.
And the changes of no consequence will pick up the reins from nowhere.
Nowhere.
Despair that tires the world brings the old man laughter.
The laughter of the world only grieves him,
Believe him,
The old man’s guide is chance.
I heard the old man tell his tale:
Farmer, who knows not when to sow,
Consults the old man clutching money in his hand.
And with a shrug,
The old man smiled,
Took the money, left the farmer wild.
And the changes of no consequence will pick up the reins from nowhere.
Nowhere.
Despair that tires the world brings the old man laughter.
The laughter of the world only grieves him, believe him,
The old man’s guide is chance.

HAROLD THE BARREL
A well-known bognor restaurant-owner disappeared
Early this morning
Last seen in a mouse-brown overcoat
Suitably camouflaged
They saw him catch a train
“Father of three its disgusting”
“Such a horrible thing to do”
Harold the barrel cut off his toes and he served them all for tea
“Can’t go far”, “he can’t go far”
“Hasn’t got a leg to stand on”
“He can’t go far”
I’m standing in a doorway on the main square
Tension is mounting
There’s a restless crowd of angry people
“More than we’ve ever seen
Had to tighten up security”
Over to the scene at the town hall
The lord mayor’s ready to speak
“Man of suspicion, you can’t last long
The British public is on our side”
“Can’t last long”, “you can’t last long”
“Said you couldn’t trust him, his brother was just the same”
“You can’t last long”
If I was many miles from here
I’d be sailing in an open boat on the sea
Instead I’m on this window ledge
With the whole world below
Up at the window
Look at the window
“We can help you”
“We can help you”
“We’re all your friends
If you come on down and talk to us son”
You must be joking
Take a running jump
The crowd was getting stronger and our harold
Getting weaker
Forwards, backwards, swaying side to side
Fearing the very worst
They called his mother to the sight
Upon the ledge beside him
His mother made a last request
“Come off the ledge,
If your father were alive, he’d be very, very, very upset
“Just can’t jump, you just can’t jump”
“Your shirt’s all dirty
There’s a man here from the BBC”
“You just can’t jump”
“We can help you”
“We can help you”
“We’re all your friends,
If you come on down and talk to us Harry”
You must be joking
Take a running jump