A Well-Respected Man

by Ray Davies

'Cause he gets up in the morning
And he goes to work at nine
And he comes back home at five-thirty
Gets the same train every time
'Cause his world is built 'round punctuality
It never fails

And he's oh so good
And he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively

And his mother goes to meetings
While his father pulls the maid
And she stirs the tea with councilors
While discussing foreign trade
And she passes looks as well as bills
At every suave young man

And he likes his own backyard
And he likes his fags the best
'Cause he's better than the rest
And his own sweat smells the best
And he hopes to grab his father's loot
When Pater passes on

And he plays at stocks and shares
And he goes to the regatta
And he adores the girl next door
'Cause he's dying to get at her
But his mother knows the best about
The matrimonial stakes

And he's oh so good
And he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively

Sparks Fly

by Taylor Swift

The way you move is like a full-on rainstorm
And I'm a house of cards
You're the kind of reckless that you send me running
But I kind of know that I won't get far

And you stood there in front of me
Just close enough to touch
Close enough to hope you couldn't
See what I was thinking of

Drop everything now
Meet me in the pouring rain
Kiss me on the sidewalk
Take away the pain
'Cause I see sparks fly
Whenever you smile

Get me with those green eyes
As the lights go down
Give me something that'll haunt me
When you're not around
'Cause I see sparks fly
Whenever you smile

My mind forgets to remind me
That you're a bad idea
You touch me once, and it's really something
You find I'm even better than you imagined I would be

I'm on my guard for the rest of the world
But with you, I know it's no good
And I could wait patiently
But I really wish you would...

Drop everything now
Meet me in the pouring rain
Kiss me on the sidewalk
Take away the pain
'Cause I see sparks fly
Whenever you smile

Get me with those green eyes
As the lights go down
Give me something that'll haunt me
When you're not around
'Cause I see sparks fly
Whenever you smile

I run my fingers through your hair
And watch the lights go wild
Just keep on keeping your eyes on me
It's just strong enough to make it feel right
And lead me up the staircase
Won't you whisper soft and slow?
I'm captivated by you
Like a fireworks show

What the Bird Said Early in the Year

by C.S. Lewis

I heard in Addison’s Walk a bird sing clear:
This year the summer will come true. This year. This year.

Winds will not strip the blossom from the apple trees
This year, nor want of rain destroy the peas.

This year time’s nature will no more defeat you,
Nor all the promised moments in their passing cheat you.

This time they will not lead you round and back
To Autumn, one year older, by the well-worn track.

This year, this year, as all these flowers foretell,
We shall escape the circle and undo the spell.

Often deceived, yet open once again your heart,
Quick, quick, quick, quick!—the gates are drawn apart.

Glasses

by Christopher Bradley

I'm going to buy me a new pair of glasses
X-ray glasses, so I can see through you
And I'm going to buy me a new pair of glasses
X-ray glasses, so I can tell you really want me

This time I swear I finally found my painted smile
Then it goes away

I'm going to buy me a new Maserati
Cool Maserati so you can see through me
And I'm going to drive to a rave in San Diego
Racing Winnebagos: man, I couldn't get much higher

This time I swear I finally found some peace of mind
Then it goes away

Such a shame, it seems
Wasting time on cheap cigars that don't explode

I'm going to find me a beautiful lover girl
She'll be so pretty that everyone will hate me
And I'm going to show off my beautiful lover girl
Looking like a cover girl, making everybody want me

This time I swear I finally found someone to love
Then she goes away

I'm going to buy me a new pair of glasses
In my Maserati so I can win a cover girl

Blessed Assurance

by Fanny Crosby

Blessed assurance; Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love.

This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

You'll Think of Someone

by Hal David

I could take up knitting to feel better
I'd make someone a hand-knit sweater
But I just don't know who that someone should be

If you can't think of anyone else
How about maybe, someone like...
For example, perhaps, someone
Oh, you'll think of someone

I could take up tennis to relax me
A game of doubles wouldn't tax me
But I just don't know who my partner should be

If you can't think of anyone else
How about maybe someone like...
For example, perhaps, someone
Oh, you'll think of someone

Someone who likes you and the things you like to do
Happy little things
Like climbing hills and rowing boats on a lake
Fun is something that is yours to take

I could take up painting to amuse me
A portrait picture might enthuse me
But I just don't know who my model should be

You can bet that there's someone around
Someone to talk to, laugh with
Like, for example, dance with
Sing to, cling to

When you think about that someone who it could be
How about me?

Ein deutsches Requiem

Excerpts from Holy Scripture
Compiled by Johannes Brahams

I.
Selig sind, die da Leid tragen,
denn sie sollen getröstet werden.

Die mit Tränen säen,
werden mit Freuden ernten.
Sie gehen hin und weinen
und tragen edlen Samen,
und kommen mit Freuden
und bringen ihre Garben.

II.
Denn alles Fleisch, es ist wie Gras
und alle Herrlichkeit des Menschen
wie des Grases Blumen.
Das Gras ist verdorret
und die Blume abgefallen.

So seid nun geduldig, liebe Brüder,
bis auf die Zukunft des Herrn.
Siehe, ein Ackermann wartet
auf die köstliche Frucht der Erde
und ist geduldig darüber,
bis er empfahe den Morgenregen und Abendregen.
So seid geduldig.

Aber des Herren Wort bleibet in Ewigkeit.

Die Erlöseten des Herrn werden wiederkommen,
und gen Zion kommen mit Jauchzen;
Freude, ewige Freude,
wird über ihrem Haupte sein;
Freude und Wonne werden sie ergreifen,
und Schmerz und Seufzen wird weg müssen.

III.
Herr, lehre doch mich,
daß ein Ende mit mir haben muß.
und mein Leben ein Ziel hat,
und ich davon muß.
Siehe, meine Tage sind
einer Hand breit vor Dir,
und mein Leben ist wie nichts vor Dir.

Ach wie gar nichts sind alle Menschen,
die doch so sicher leben.
Sie gehen daher wie ein Schemen
und machen ihnen viel vergebliche Unruhe;
sie sammeln und wissen nicht,
wer es kriegen wird.
Nun Herr, wes soll ich mich trösten?

Ich hoffe auf Dich.

Der Gerechten Seelen sind in Gottes Hand
und keine Qual rühret sie an.

IV.
Wie lieblich sind Deine Wohnungen,
Herr Zebaoth!
Meine Seele verlanget und sehnet sich
nach den Vorhöfen des Herrn;
Mein Leib und Seele freuen sich
in dem lebendigen Gott.
Wohl denen, die in Deinem Hause wohnen,
die loben Dich immerdar.

V.
Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit;
aber ich will euch wiedersehen,
und euer Herz soll sich freuen,
und eure Freude soll niemand von euch nehmen.

Ich will euch trösten,
wie einen seine Mutter tröstet.

Sehet mich an: Ich habe eine kleine Zeit
Mühe und Arbeit gehabt
und habe großen Trost gefunden.

VI.
Denn wir haben hie keine bleibende Statt,
sondern die zukünftige suchen wir.

Siehe, ich sage Euch ein Geheimnis:
Wir werden nicht alle entschlafen,
wir werden aber alle verwandelt werden;
und dasselbige plötzlich in einem Augenblick,
zu der Zeit der letzten Posaune.

Denn es wird die Posaune schallen
und die Toten werden auferstehen unverweslich;
und wir werden verwandelt werden.
Dann wird erfüllet werden das Wort,
das geschrieben steht.
Der Tod ist verschlungen in den Sieg.
Tod, wo ist dein Stachel?
Hölle, wo ist dein Sieg?

Herr, Du bist würdig
zu nehmen Preis und Ehre und Kraft,
denn Du hast alle Dinge erschaffen,
und durch Deinen Willen haben sie das Wesen
und sind geschaffen.

VII.
Selig sind die Toten,
die in dem Herrn sterben,
von nun an.
Ja, der Geist spricht,
daß sie ruhen von ihrer Arbeit;
denn ihre Werke folgen ihnen nach.