Crucifixion - Phil Ochs

And the night comes again to the circle studded sky

The stars settle slowly, in loneliness they lie

'Til the universe explodes as a falling star is raised

Planets are paralyzed;

the mountains are amazed

But they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze

With the speed of insanity, then he dies

In the green fields a-turning, a baby is born

His cries crease the wind and mingle with the morn

An assault upon the order, the changing of the guard

Chosen for a challenge that is hopelessly hard

And the only single sign is the sighing of the stars

But to the silence of distance they are sworn

So dance dance dance

Teach us to be true

Come dance dance dance

Cause we love you

Images of innocence charge him to go on

But the decadence of destiny is looking for a pawn

To a nightmare of knowledge he opens up the gate

And a blinding revelation is laid upon his plate

That beneath the greatest love there’s a hurricane of hate

And God help the critic of the dawn

So he stands on the sea and he shouts to the shore

But the louder that he screams, the longer he’s ignored

For the wine of oblivion is drunk to the dregs

And the merchants of the masses almost have to be begged

'Til the giant is aware someone’s pulling at his leg

And someone is tapping at the door

To dance dance dance

Teach us to be true

Come dance dance dance

Cause we love you

Then his message gathers meaning, and it spreads across the land

The rewarding of his fame is the following of the man

But ignorance is everywhere, and people have their way

Success is an enemy to the losers of the day

In the shadows of the churches, who knows what they pray?

For blood is the language of the band

The Spanish bulls are beaten, the crowd is soon beguiled

The matador is beautiful, a symphony of style

The excitement is ecstatic, passion places bets

Gracefully he bows to ovations that he gets

But the hands that are applauding him are slippery with sweat

And saliva is falling from their smiles

So dance dance dance

Teach us to be true

Come dance dance dance

Cause we love you

Then this overflow of life is crushed into a liar

The gentle soul is ripped apart and tossed into the fire

First a smile of rejection at the newness of the night

Truth becomes a tragedy, limping from the light

All the heavens are horrified, they stagger from the sight

As the cross is trembling with desire

They say they can’t believe it, it’s a sacrilegious shame

Now who would want to hurt such a hero of the game?

But you know, I predicted it, I knew he had to fall

How did it happen?

I hope his suffering was small

Tell me every detail, for I’ve got to know it all

And do you have a picture of the pain?

So dance dance dance

Teach us to be true

Come dance dance dance

Cause we love you

Time takes a toll and the memory fades

But his glory is growing in the magic that he made

Reality is ruined, it’s the freeing from the fear

The drama is distorted into what they want to hear

Swimming in their sorrow in the twisting of a tear

As they wait for the new thrill parade

Yes, the eyes of the rebel have been branded by the blind

To the safety of sterility the threat has been refined

The child was created, to the slaughterhouse he’s led

So good to be alive when the eulogies are read

The climax of emotion, the worship of the dead

As the cycle of sacrifice unwinds

So dance dance dance

Teach us to be true

Come dance dance dance

Cause we love you

And the night comes again to the circle studded sky

The stars settle slowly, in loneliness they lie

'Til the universe explodes as a falling star is raised

Planets are paralyzed;

the mountains are amazed

But they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze

With the speed of insanity, then he dies