Karn Evil 9 (1st, 2nd & 3rd Impressions) Lyrics - A Time And A Place - Emerson, Lake & Palmer

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?