Posted by:
Soft Machine
(
)
Date: February 29, 2024 03:43PM
OK, I've "walked past" this thread twice now, with its Gurdjieffian title and every time I've wanted to post the lyrics of what is also a wonderful song. Kevin Ayers, the writer, certainly said it was Gurdjieff-inspired.
Why Are We Sleeping
by
Kevin Ayers (1967)
It begins with a blessing
And it ends with a curse;
Making life easy,
By making it worse;
My mask is my Master,
The trumpeter weeps,
But his voice is so weak
As he speaks from his sleep, saying
Why, why, why, why are we sleeping!
People are watching,
People who stare;
Waiting for something
That's already there.
Tomorrow I'll find it ,
The trumpeter screams,
And remembers he's hungry
And drowns in his dreams, saying
Why, why, why, why are we sleeping!
My head is a nightclub
With glasses and wine;
The customers dancing
Or just making time;
While David is cursing
The customers scream!
Now everyone's shouting,
"Get out of my dreams!"
You can hear the first of many versions here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwc_gosvQ_A