Al Stewart — Nostradamus
Album: Rhymes in RoomsAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 98
Length: 10:09
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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In the east the wind is blowing the boats across the sea
And their sails will fill the morning and their cries ring out to me
Oh, Oh
Oh, the more it changes, the more it stays the same
And the hand just re-arranges the players in the game
Oh, I had a dream, it seemed I stood alone
And the veil of all the years
Goes sinking from my eyes like a stone
A king shall fall and put to death by the English parliament shall be
Fire and plague to London come in the year of six and twenties three
An emperor of France shall rise who will be born near Italy
His rule shall cost his empire dear, Napoloron his name shall be
From Castile does Franco come and the Government driven out shall be
An English king seeks divorce, and from his throne cast down is he
One named Hister shall become a captain of Greater Germany
No law does this man observe and bloody his rise and fall shall be
Man, man, your time is sand, your ways are leaves upon the sea
I am the eyes of Nostradamus, all your ways are known to me
Man, man, your time is sand, your ways are leaves upon the sea
I am the eyes of Nostradamus, all your ways are known to me
In the new lands of America three brothers now shall come to power
Two alone are born to rule but all must die before their hour
Two great men yet brothers not make the north united stand
Its power be seen to grow, and fear possess the eastern lands
Three leagues from the gates of Rome a Pope named Pol is doomed to die
A great wall that divides a city at this time is cast aside
These are the signs I bring to you to show you when the time is nigh
Man, man, your time is sand, your ways are leaves upon the sea
I am the eyes of Nostradamus, all your ways are known to me
And their sails will fill the morning and their cries ring out to me
Oh, Oh
Oh, the more it changes, the more it stays the same
And the hand just re-arranges the players in the game
Oh, I had a dream, it seemed I stood alone
And the veil of all the years
Goes sinking from my eyes like a stone
A king shall fall and put to death by the English parliament shall be
Fire and plague to London come in the year of six and twenties three
An emperor of France shall rise who will be born near Italy
His rule shall cost his empire dear, Napoloron his name shall be
From Castile does Franco come and the Government driven out shall be
An English king seeks divorce, and from his throne cast down is he
One named Hister shall become a captain of Greater Germany
No law does this man observe and bloody his rise and fall shall be
Man, man, your time is sand, your ways are leaves upon the sea
I am the eyes of Nostradamus, all your ways are known to me
Man, man, your time is sand, your ways are leaves upon the sea
I am the eyes of Nostradamus, all your ways are known to me
In the new lands of America three brothers now shall come to power
Two alone are born to rule but all must die before their hour
Two great men yet brothers not make the north united stand
Its power be seen to grow, and fear possess the eastern lands
Three leagues from the gates of Rome a Pope named Pol is doomed to die
A great wall that divides a city at this time is cast aside
These are the signs I bring to you to show you when the time is nigh
Man, man, your time is sand, your ways are leaves upon the sea
I am the eyes of Nostradamus, all your ways are known to me
Comments (28)add comment
This just reminds me of the terrible bore at the party who insists on 'jamming' on the guitar while everyone else wants to talk or listen to some proper music.
alanb wrote:
Someone pass the spliff over here and lemme see how that song sounds now...
I looked into Nostradamus, only to discover that he predicted this won't last long on RP :)
dmax wrote:
Wow. I've always liked this song for some reason, but right now I just love it. Thanks, Bill.
Strangely beautiful even though the polemics of the lyrics make it hard to swallow. I give it an 8
jkdufair wrote:
This song does end some time, right? Or do I have to wait for the year of the cat?
I think I heard it end at least 4 times, only to (wait for it) juuuuusssst start over again. ;-)
I must say I quite like it though, it sort of grows on you after the first 7 minutes or so. Seriously.
Isn't it over yet. This is brutal.
youforia wrote:
If asked for my opinion, I would have to say I dislike this song very much. I'm not much for his nasal, generally geeky, delivery. Kinda sounds like the They Might Be Giants guy...
...except not as good.
If asked for my opinion, I would have to say I dislike this song very much. I'm not much for his nasal, generally geeky, delivery. Kinda sounds like the They Might Be Giants guy...
Looooooooooong song about an overrated hoaxster/"prophet".
Always did like a bit of Al Stewart now and again, perhaps because I've always been a sucker for history and so few other groups have ever drawn on it for inspiration (Yeah, Genesis did it better, when they did it)
Hadn't heard any for years. An occasional odd ball number of this sort is fine by me.
Oh man, THAT is a flashback - I recall playing this over and over--I think trying to learn the words--when I first bought the record in the 70's, and saw Al live. It's ok now once in a long while....
dirge-like nonsense!
I consider "Past Present Future" Al's greatest album; it avoids the syrupyness of "Year of the Cat" and the inaccessibility of his early Orange Cider stuff. While I consider "Road to Moscow" that album's best work, I had never heard this live version before. And Al live is almost always better than Al in the studio.
dadofsammy wrote:
This was very well-regarded when I was in college. I don't think it stands the test of time that well, unfortunately. Lots of aimless riffing on that twelve-string. Of course everyone was high as kites, so it probably sounded just fine.
I love that "aimless riffing." Perhaps that is the characer of our time, no patience for rambling, ambling, thoughtful nothingness.
Al Steward has an incredible voice as he always had before. Wonderful sound.
dadofsammy wrote:
Lots of aimless riffing on that twelve-string. Of course everyone was high as kites, so it probably sounded just fine.
Someone pass the spliff over here and lemme see how that song sounds now...
I looked into Nostradamus, only to discover that he predicted this won't last long on RP :)
This was very well-regarded when I was in college. I don't think it stands the test of time that well, unfortunately. Lots of aimless riffing on that twelve-string. Of course everyone was high as kites, so it probably sounded just fine.
:P SOUNDS LIKE MONTY PYTHON!!!
I don't know, maybe cause it's a dreary rainy after thanksgiving day, but this sounds beautiful to me today
MsJudi wrote:
I never much liked Al Stewart, but this song is really good.
I remember when this song came out and what a stir it caused. I never thought to hear it here. WOW! RP is the best!!
:nodhead: :nodhead: :nodhead: :nodhead:
Strange days indeed!
jkdufair wrote:
This song does end some time, right? Or do I have to wait for the year of the cat?
I stopped paying attention for about five minutes. When I noticed the music again, it was still the same damn song. So I'm not very optimistic at this point. :)
MsJudi wrote:
I never much liked Al Stewart, but this song is really good.
I don't think I'd really heard of him, and now I wish I hadn't.
It wouldn't have been quite so bad if it hadn't been
i n t e r m i n a b l e
and shapeless.
This song does end some time, right? Or do I have to wait for the year of the cat?
I never much liked Al Stewart, but this song is really good.
Another great Al Stewart song althought the live version interpolating World Goes To Riyadh is much stronger, IMO.
Wow. Haven't heard this one in ages. Great pick!
This just reminds me of the terrible bore at the party who insists on 'jamming' on the guitar while everyone else wants to talk or listen to some proper music.
What is your point? You do not like this? If that is the case, learn how to use the "skip button". I think this is EXCELLENT! Thanx RP!