Ian Anderson
The Chateau d’Isaster Tapes
A - Scenario

In long years of ancient time, stood alone a friend of mine
Reflected by the ever-burning sigh of a god who happened by

And in the dawn, there came the song
Of some sweet lady singing in his ear
Your god has gone, and from now on
You'll have to learn to hate the things you fear

We want to know, are we inside the womb?
Of passion plays, in thy righteousness consumed?
Or just in lush contentment of our souls?

And so began the age of man
And they left his body in the sand
Their glasses raised to a god on high
Who smiled upon them from the sky

So take the stage
Spin down the ages
Loose the passion
Spill the rage upon your son
Who holds the gun up to your head
The play's begun
Then God, the director, smells a rat
Pulls another rabbit from His hat
Sniffs the air and He says "Well, that's that--I'm going."

B - Audition

The actors milling helplessly--
The script is blowing out to sea
But what the hell, we didn't even pass an audition

The lines you'll have to improvise
The words are written in the eyes
Of politicians who despise their fathers

And so the play necessitates
That all you boys participate
In fierce competition to eliminate each other

And groupies, on their way to war
Get to write the next film score
But the rock and roll star knows his glory is really nothing

Men of religion, on the make
Pledge an oath they undertake
To make you wise for God's own sake, and none other
While ladies get their bedding done
To win themselves a bouncing son--
But bad girls do it for the fun of just being

And me, I'm here to sing along
And I'm not concerned with righting wrongs
Just asking questions that belong without an answer

But God is laughing up his sleeve
As He pours himself another cup of tea
And He waves good-bye to you and me, at least for now

C - No Rehearsal

Did you learn your lines today?
Well, there is no rehearsal
The tickets have all been sold
For tomorrow's matinee

There's a telegram from the writer
But there is no rehearsal
The electrician has been told
To make the spotlights brighter

There is one seat in the circle--
Five hundred million in the stalls
Simply everyone will be there
But the safety curtain falls
When the bomb that's in the dressing room
Blows the windows from their frames
And the prompter in his corner is sorry that he came
There is one seat in the circle--
Five hundred million in the stalls
Simply everyone will be there
But the safety curtain falls
When the bomb that's in the dressing room
Blows the windows from their frames
And the prompter in his corner is sorry that he came

When the bomb that's in the dressing room
Blows the windows from their frames
And the prompter in his corner is sorry that he came

Did you learn your lines today?
Well there is no rehearsal
The interval will last until
The ice-cream lady melts away

The twelve piece orchestra are here
But there is no rehearsal
The first violinist's hands are chilled--
He's gone deaf in both ears

Well, the scenery is colourful
But the paint is so damn thin
You see the wall behind is crumbling
And the stage door is bricked in
But the audience keep arriving
'til they're standing in the wings
And we take the final curtain call
And the ceiling crashes in