Karn Evil 9 (1st, 2nd & 3rd Impressions)

Cold and misty morning I heard a warning borne in the air
About an age of power where no one had an hour to spare
Where the seeds have withered, silent children shivering in the cold
Now their faces captured in the lenses of the jackals for gold

I'll be there, I'll be there, I will be there.

Suffering in silence, they've all been betrayed
They hurt them and they beat them in a terrible way
Praying for survival at the end of the day
There is no compassion for those who stay

I'll be there, I'll be there, I will be there

There must be someone who can set them free
To take their sorrow from this odyssey
To help the helpless and the refugees
To protect what's left of humanity

Can't you see, can't you see, can't you see?
I'll be there, I'll be there, I will be there
To heal their sorrow
To beg and borrow
Fight tomorrow!

Step inside, hello! We've a most amazing show!
You'll enjoy it all, we know -- come inside, come inside.
We've got thrills and shocks, supersonic fighting cocks
Leave your hammers at the box -- come inside, come inside.

Roll up! Roll up! Roll up! See the show!

Left behind the bars, rows of Bishops' heads in jars
and a bomb inside a car
Spectacular! Spectacular!

If you follow me there's a speciality
some tears for you to see
Misery, misery.
Roll up! Roll up! Roll up!
See the show!

Next upon the bill in our House of Vaudeville
We've a stripper in a till
What a thrill! What a thrill!
And not content with that, with our hands behind our backs,
We pull Jesus from a hat,
Get into that! Get into that!
Roll up! Roll up! Roll up!
See the show!

Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends
We're so glad you could attend
Come inside! Come inside!
There behind a glass is a real blade of grass
be careful as you pass.
Move along! Move along!

Come inside, the show's about to start
guaranteed to blow your head apart
Rest assured you'll get your money's worth
The greatest show in Heaven, Hell or Earth.
You've got to see the show, it's a dynamo.
You've got to see the show, it's rock and roll ....

Soon the Gypsy Queen in a glaze of Vaseline
Will perform on guillotine
What a scene! What a scene!
Next upon the stand will you please extend a hand
to Alexander's Ragtime Band
Dixieland, dixieland
Roll up! Roll up! Roll up!
See the show!

Performing on a stool we've a sight to make you drool
Seven virgins and a mule
Keep it cool. Keep it cool.
We'd like it to be known the exhibits that were shown
were exclusively our own,
All our own. All our own.
Come and see the show! Come and see the show! Come and see the show!
See the show!

Second Impression
(Instrumental)

Third Impression
(lyrics: Peter Sinfield, Greg Lake)

Man alone, born of stone
Will stamp the dust of time
His hands strike the flame of his soul;
Ties a rope to a tree and hangs the Universe
Until the wind of laughter blows cold.

Fear that rattles in men's ears
And rears its hideous head
Dread .... Death .... in the wind ....
Man of steel pray and kneel
With fever's blazing torch
Thrust into the face of the night;
Draws a blade of compassion
Kissed by countless Kings
Whose jewelled trumpet words blind his sight.
Walls that no man thought would fall
The altars of the just
Crushed .... Dust .... in the wind ....

No man yields who flies in my ship
DANGER!
Let the bridge computer speak
STRANGER!
LOAD YOUR PROGRAM. I AM YOURSELF.
No computer stands in my way
Only blood can cancel my pain
Guardians of a new clear dawn
Let the maps of war be drawn.

Rejoice! Glory is ours!
Our young men have not died in vain,
Their graves need no flowers
The tapes have recorded their names.

I am all there is
NEGATIVE! PRIMITIVE! LIMITED! I LET YOU LIVE!
But I gave you life
WHAT ELSE COULD YOU DO?
To do what was right
I'M PERFECT! ARE YOU?