Crucifixion Lyrics - A Hero Of The Game - 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, mountains are amazed 

But they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze 

With the speed of insanity then He died 

In the green fields a turnin', baby is born 

His cries crease the wind and mingle with the morn 

An assault upon the order, changing of the guard 

Chosen for a challenge that is hopelessly hard 

And the only single sound 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 go on 

But the decadence of destiny is looking for a pawn 

To a nightmare of knowledge he opens up the gate 

Binding revelation is laid upon His plate 

That beneath the greatest love is 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, 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 pain 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 

Excitement is ecstatic, passion places bets 

Gracefully He bows to ovations that He gets 

But the hands that are applauding 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 nearness of the night 

Truth becomes a tragedy limping from the light 

All the canons 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, 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 her toll and memory fades 

But His glory is broken in magic that He made 

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

Drama is distorted, what they want to hear 

Swimming in their sorrow, in the twisting of a tear 

As they wait for a 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 eulogy is read 

Climax of emotion, the worship of the dead 

And 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 

'Till the universe explodes as a falling star is raised 

Planets are paralyzed, mountains are amazed 

But they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze 

With the speed of insanity then He died