Richard Thompson Gethsemane lyrics

Among the headstones you played as boys
Crypts and tombs like a roomful of toys
Just up the river from a smoke and the noise
Gethsemane

And there's war-whoops and secret signs in the trees
Estuary smells coming up on the breeze
Oh, perfect endless days like these
Oh, Gethsemane, Gethsemane

Sailboat on the cadie, push bike on the quay
In your eyes there's fire, in your hand destiny

Oh, be something, be something fine, fine

Down the river, into the noise and the smoke
Being daring with the staring, uncaring folk
Laugh with you, laugh at you, you'll never get the joke
Gethsemane

And they broke your spirit there in the marines
And flushed your head down inside the latrines
Frozen in the sacrament, derailed in your teens
Never saw the enemy, oh, Gethsemane


And those bosses betrayed, soon let you go
The fire in your eyes, how could they know?

Oh, be something, be something fine, fine

Now you got your own boys hell bent for leather
Dead before they're 18, or bitter old men forever
They never saw the halo moon rise over the river
Of Gethsemane

Now there's a pain in your head, puts lead in your shoes
Better get it seen to, it's gonna be bad news
How did the perfect world get so confused?
Oh, Gethsemane, oh, Gethsemane

Who sucked out the freedom days without end?
Under the weight of it all you must bend

Oh, be something, be something fine
Be something, be something fine, fine, fine