History Will Teach Us Nothing
Sting
>From his album: "...Nothing Like The Sun"
If we seek solace in the prisons of the distant past
Security in human systems we're told will always always last
Emotions are the sail and blind faith is the mast
Without the breath of real freedom we're getting nowhere fast
If God is dead and an actor plays his part
His words of fear will find their way to a place in your heart
Without the voice of reason every faith is its own curse
Without freedom from the past things can only get worse
Sooner or later just like the world first day
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away
Sooner or later just like the world first day
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away
History will teach us nothing
History will teach us nothing
Our written history is a catalogue of crime
The sordid and the powerful, the architects of time
The mother of invention, the oppression of the mild
The constant fear of scarcity, aggression as its child
Sooner or later
Sooner or later
Sooner or later
Sooner or later
Convince an enemy, convince him he's wrong
Is to win a bloodless battle where victory is long
A simple act of faith
In reason over might
To blow up his children will only prove him right
History will teach us nothing
Sooner or later just like the world first day
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away
Sooner or later just like the world first day
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away
History will teach us nothing
History will teach us nothing
Know your human rights
Be what you come here for
Back to "Spellbound"
Moon Over Bourbon Street
(first two verses)
Sting
>From his album: "The Dream of the Blue Turtles"
There's a moon over Bourbon Street tonight,
I see faces as they pass beneath the pale lamplight,
I've no choice but to follow that call,
The bright lights, the people, and the moon, and all.
I pray everyday to be strong,
for I know what I do must be wrong,
Oh, you'll never see my shade or hear the sound of my feet,
While there's a moon over Bourbon Street.
It was many years ago that I became what I am,
I was trapped in this life like an innocent lamb.
Now I can never show my face at noon,
and you'll only see me walking by the light of the moon.
The brim of the hat hides the eye of a beast,
I've the face of a sinner, but the hands of a priest.
Oh, you'll never see my shade or hear the sound of my feet,
While there's a moon over Bourbon Street.
Ba ck to "Spellbound"
Murder by Numbers
The Police (Sting)
Once that you've decided on a killing
First you make a stone of your heart
And if you find that your hands are still willing
Then you can turn a murder into art
There really isn't any need for bloodshed
You just do it with a little more finesse
If you can slip a tablet into someone's coffee
Then it avoids an awful lot of mess
Because it's murder by numbers
One, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your ABC's
It's murder by numbers
One, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your ABC's
Now if you have a taste for this experience
And you're flushed with your very first success
Then you must try a twosome of a threesome
If you find your conscience bothers you much less
Because murder is like anything you take to
It's a habit forming need for more and more
You can bump off every member of your family
And anybody else you find at fault
Because it's murder by numbers
One, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your ABC's
It's murder by numbers
One, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your ABC's
Well you can join the ranks of the illustrious
In history's great dark hall of fame
All our greatest killers were industrious
At least the ones that we all know by name
And you can reach the top of your profession
If you become the leader of the land
For murder is the sport of the elected
And you don't need to life a finger of your hand
Because it's murder by numbers
One, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your ABC's
Murder by numbers
One, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your ABCDE's....
Back to "Spellbound"
If I Ever Lose My Faith In You
Sting
>From his album: "Ten Summoner's Tales"
You could say I lost my faith in science and progress
You could say I lost my belief in the Holy Church
You could say I lost my sense of direction
You could say all of this and worse but
If I ever lose my faith in you
There'd be nothing left for me to do
Some would say I was a lost man in a lost world
You could say I lost my faith in the people on TV
You could say I'd lost my belief in our politician
They all look like game show hosts to me
If I ever lose my faith in you
There'd be nothing left for me to do
I could be lost inside their lies without a trace
But every time I close my eyes I see your face
I never saw no miracle of science
That didn't go from a blessing to a curse
I never saw no military solution
That didn't always end up as something worse but
If I ever lose my faith in you
There'd be nothing left for me to do.
B ack to "Spellbound"
Love Is Stronger Than Justice
Sting
>From his album: "Ten Summoner's Tales"
This is a story of seven brothers
We had the same father but different mothers
We keep together like a family should
Roaming the country for the common good
It came to pass one fateful day
We found ourselves down Mexico way
The town, the mayor, the P.T.A.
Pleading on their knees with us all to stay
We'd only stopped for a few burritos
But they told us of the trouble with los banditos
A poor little town in need of aid
My bothers and me had never been afraid
The age of chivalry is not dead
Lonesome nights in a cowboy bed
There'd be a bride for every man
Who chased away the evil gang
Love is stronger than justice
Love is thicker than blood
Love is stronger than justice
Love is a big fat river in flood
The outcome was predictable
Our banditos were despicable
Of blood we lost a dozen litres
A small price to pay for los senoritas
The town mayor was happy but his face was glum
The maidens numbered only one
But there weren't seven brides for seven brothers
I knew I had to get rid of the others
Love is stronger than justice
Love is thicker than blood
Love is stronger than justice
Love is a big fat river in flood
Mother told me I was the clever one
The seventh son of a seventh son
It all ended so happily
I settled down with the family
I look forward to a better day
But ethical stuff never got in my way
And though there used to be brothers seven
The other six are singing in Heaven
Love is stronger than justice
Love is thicker than blood
Love is stronger than justice
Love is a big fat river in flood
Back to "Boys Day Out"
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
The Police (Sting)
from The Police album: "Zenyatta Mondatta"
Don't think me unkind
Words are hard to find
That only choice I've left unsung
>From the banks of chaos in my mind
When their eloquence escapes me
their logic ties me up and rapes me
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Is all I want to say to you
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Their innocence will pull me through
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Is all I want to say to you
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
They're meaningless and all that's true
Poets priests and politicians
Have words to thank for their positions
Words that scream for your submission
No one's jamming their transmission
When their eloquence escapes you
their logic ties you up and rapes you
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Is all I want to say to you
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Their innocence will pull me through
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Is all I want to say to you
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
They're meaningless and all that's true
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Is all I want to say to you
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Their innocence will pull me through
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Is all I want to say to you
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
They're meaningless and all that's true
Back to "Boys Day Out"
St. Augustine In Hell
Sting
>From his album: "Ten Summoner's Tales"
If somebody up there likes me somebody up there cares
Deliver me from evil save me from these wicked snares
Not into temptation, not to cliffs to fall
On to revelation, and lesson for us all
She walked into the room on the arm of my best friend
I knew whatever happened our friendship would end
Chemical reaction, desire at first sight
Mystical attraction, turned out all my lights
The minute I saw her face the second I caught her eye
The minute I touched the flame I knew it would never die
Blessed St. Theresa the whore of Babylon
Madonna and my mother all rolled into one
You've got to understand me, I'm not a piece of wood
Francis of Assisi could never be this good
I don't know if it's pain or pleasure that I seek
My flesh was all too willing, my spirit guide was weak
I was deadly certain his thoughts for me weren't kind
A switchblade in his pocket, murder on his mind
(spoken interlude)
Relax, have a cigar, make yourself at home. Hell is full of high court judges, failed saints. We've
got cardinals, archbishops, barristers, certified accountants, music critics, they're all here. You're
not alone, you're never alone, not here you're not. Okay, break's over!
The less I need the more I get
Make me chaste but not just yet
It's a promise or a lie I'll repent before I die
The minute I saw her face the second I caught her eye
The minute I touched the flame I knew it would never die
The minute I saw her face the second I caught her eye
The minute I touched the flame I knew it would never die
Back to "Boys Day Out"
King Of Pain
The Police (Sting)
>From the Police album: "Synchronicity"
There's a little black spot on the sun today
It's the same old thing as yesterday
There's a black cat caught in a high tree top
There's a flag pole rag and the wind won't stop
I have stood here before inside the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain
There's a little black spot on the sun today (It's my soul up there)
It's the same old thing as yesterday (It's my soul up there)
There's a black cat caught in a high tree top (It's my soul up there)
There's a flag pole rag and the wind won't stop (It's my soul up there)
I have stood here before inside the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running round my brain
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain
There's a fossil that's trapped in a high cliff wall (It's my soul up there)
There's a dead salmon frozen in a waterfall (It's my soul up there)
There's a blue whale beached by a springtide's ebb (It's my soul up there)
There's a butterfly trapped in a spider's web (It's my soul up there)
I have stood here before inside the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain
There's a king on a throne with his eyes torn out
There's a blind man looking for a shadow of doubt
There's a rich man sleeping on a golden bed
There's a skeleton choking on a crust of bread
King of pain
There's a red fox torn by a huntsman's pack (It's my soul up there)
There's a blackwing gull with a broken back (It's my soul up there)
There's a little black spot on the sun today
It's the same old thing as yesterday
I have stood here before inside the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain
King of pain....
Back to "Boys Day Out"
Secret Journey
The Police (Sting)
>From the Police album: "Ghost In The Machine"
Upon a secret journey,
I met a holy man,
his blindness was his wisdom,
I'm such a lonely man.
And as the world was turning,
it groaned itself in pain.
This does not seem to touch him,
he pointed to the rain.
You will see light in the darkness,
you will make some sense of it.
When you've made your secret journey,
you will find this lucky man.
And on the days that followed,
I listened to his words,
I strained to understand them,
I chased his thoughts like birds.
You will see light in the darkness,
You will make some sense of it.
When you've made your secret journey,
you will find this lucky man.
You will see light in the darkness,
You will make some sense of it,
You will see an end to sadness,
You will find it's love you miss.
When you've made your secret journey,
you will be a holy man.
Back t o "Boy's Day Out"
