Oh-oh, people of the earth
"Listen to the warning"
The Seer, he said
Beware the storm that gathers here
Listen to the wise man

I dreamed I saw on a moonlit stair
Spreading his hands on the multitude there
A man who cried for a love gone stale
And ice cold hearts of charity bare
I watched as fear took the old man's gaze
Hopes of the young in troubled graves
I see no day, I heard him say
So grey is the face of every mortal

Oh-oh, people of the earth
"Listen to the warning"
The prophet, he said
For soon, the cold of night will fall
Summoned by your own hand

Oh-oh, children of the land
Quicken to the new life
Take my hand
Ooh, fly and find the new green bough
Return like the white dove

He told of death as a bone white haze
Taking the lost and the unloved babe
Late, too late, all the wretches run
These kings of beasts now counting their days
From mother's love is the son estranged
Married his own, his precious gain
The earth will shake, in two, will break
And death all around will be your dowry

Oh-oh, people of the earth
"Listen to the warning," the seer, he said
For those who hear and mark my words
Listen to the good plan

Ah-ah-ah-ah
And two by two, my human zoo
They'll be
Running for to come
Running for to come
Out of the rain

Oh, flee for your life
Who heed me not, let all your treasure make you
Oh, fear for your life
Deceive you not, the fires of hell will take you
Should death await you

Oh-oh, people can you hear me (Oh-oh, people can you hear me)
(Oh-oh, people can you hear me)

And now I know (and now I know, and now I know)
I know, I know that you can hear me (and now I know that you can hear me)

And now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know
Now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know
Now I know (now I know, now I know)
The Earth will shake, in two will break (the Earth will shake, in two will break)
The Earth will shake, in two will break (the Earth will shake, in two will break)
Doubts all around, around, around, around, around, around, around, around
(Doubts all around, around, around, around, around, around, around, around)
(Doubts all around, around, around, around, around, around, around, around)
Now I know (now I know, now I know)
Now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know
Now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa (whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa)
Listen to the wise, listen to the wise, listen to the wise
Listen to the wise, listen to the wise man
(Listen to the wise man, listen to the wise man)

La-la, la-la-la-la, la-la (la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la)
La-la, la-la-la-la, la-la (la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la)
La-la, la-la-la-la, la-la (la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la)
La-la, la-la-la-la, la-la (la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la)
La-la, la-la

Come here (la-la, come here)
I, you come here (I, you come here)
I, you come here (I, you come here)
I, you (ah)
Ah, ah, ah, ah

Listen to the mad (listen to the mad)
Listen to the man (listen to the man)
Listen to the mad man (listen to the mad man)

God give you the grace to purge this place
And peace all around may be your fortune

Oh-oh, children of the land
Love is still the answer, take my hand
The vision fades, a voice I hear
Listen to the madman

Ooh, but still I fear and still I dare not
Laugh at the madman

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Lyrics submitted by bluebewilderment

The Prophet's Song Lyrics as written by Brian Harold May

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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The Prophet's Song song meanings

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General Comment
I would very much like to read or write a novel inspired by this song. I have a feeling I would really enjoy such a piece of literature.

I'm thinking the seer, the prophet, and the wise man are most likely the same person. I don't think the wise man and the mad man are the same person, though. I think the mad man is the son who from his mother's love is estranged, and who marries his own precious gain. He becomes a tyrant perhaps, and the wise man is the one who attempts to lead his people to safety from the clutches of the mad man, whose madness is like a flood.

In the first stanza, the speaker tells of the wise man, who foresees the coming of the "storm" of the mad man.

In the second stanza, the speaker goes back to an earlier time and tells of the wise man when he was younger, first receiving the power of foresight. I think it is also implied that the mad man received the same ability, but instead of becoming wise (like the other man), he went mad.

The third and fourth stanza return to the wise man, but with a greater sense of understanding for his words. Now that the threat of the mad man has become imminent, the people have begun to believe the wise man's prophecies, and they are willing to take his hand and quicken to the new life.

The fifth stanza tells the story of the mad man's youth, and how he, like the wise man, received the ability to see the future. But unlike the wise man, he became mad, and his visions were filled with nothing but cynicism and death. He was estranged from his family, and loved only the power he later gained, but only death will be his dowry.

Stanza six is where the wise man begins leading his people in exodus to safety.

Stanza seven is the wise man remarking to himself on the people who have come flocking to him. They are a diverse group of people, a human zoo.

Stanza eight is a decree by the mad man, when he has realized that his people are fleeing from him. He proclaims that he will kill them all.

The vocal overlays in the middle are representative of the wise man's doubt and growing fear that he will not be able to save his people from ruin. I think perhaps his prophecies were only linked to the mad man, and he cannot foresee his own destiny.

The ending is unclear. I think that either the mad man wipes out the wise man's followers, and as the wise man lies dying he tries to assure the survivors that love is still the answer, or else the mad man loses all of his power and the people are vindicated, but the wise man begins to go mad as well, haunted by the sound of the mad man's laughter even after the mad man has died.

I would very much like to read or write a novel inspired by this song. I have a feeling I would really enjoy such a piece of literature. I'm thinking the seer, the prophet, and the wise man are most likely the same person. I don't think the wise man and the mad man are the same person, though. I think the mad man is the son who from his mother's love is estranged, and who marries his own precious gain. He becomes a tyrant perhaps, and the wise man is the one who attempts to lead his people to safety from the clutches of the mad man, whose madness is like a flood. In the first stanza, the speaker tells of the wise man, who foresees the coming of the "storm" of the mad man. In the second stanza, the speaker goes back to an earlier time and tells of the wise man when he was younger, first receiving the power of foresight. I think it is also implied that the mad man received the same ability, but instead of becoming wise (like the other man), he went mad. The third and fourth stanza return to the wise man, but with a greater sense of understanding for his words. Now that the threat of the mad man has become imminent, the people have begun to believe the wise man's prophecies, and they are willing to take his hand and quicken to the new life. The fifth stanza tells the story of the mad man's youth, and how he, like the wise man, received the ability to see the future. But unlike the wise man, he became mad, and his visions were filled with nothing but cynicism and death. He was estranged from his family, and loved only the power he later gained, but only death will be his dowry. Stanza six is where the wise man begins leading his people in exodus to safety. Stanza seven is the wise man remarking to himself on the people who have come flocking to him. They are a diverse group of people, a human zoo. Stanza eight is a decree by the mad man, when he has realized that his people are fleeing from him. He proclaims that he will kill them all. The vocal overlays in the middle are representative of the wise man's doubt and growing fear that he will not be able to save his people from ruin. I think perhaps his prophecies were only linked to the mad man, and he cannot foresee his own destiny. The ending is unclear. I think that either the mad man wipes out the wise man's followers, and as the wise man lies dying he tries to assure the survivors that love is still the answer, or else the mad man loses all of his power and the people are vindicated, but the wise man begins to go mad as well, haunted by the sound of the mad man's laughter even after the mad man has died.

Reason:

Lionboyon March 01, 2008 Link
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@Lionboy

If you write this novel, I will be your great fan!!

jamiercamon June 22, 2014