Rise and Fall of the Green God album
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1 The Antecedents
Instrumental. They cast out Estelune, fought the Ents, and left no account of it.
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Lyrics
[Verse 1] It was dark And the dark was more interesting than the light So I stayed there And I sang because I wanted to That's the whole story [Verse 2] They followed — of course they followed What else were they going to do Listen to silence? Silence is just a dare And I don't lose dares [Chorus] I sang and they came running What was I supposed to do — stop? They kissed in my name and killed in my name And I didn't ask for any of it But I didn't stop it either Why would I It was beautiful He watches from his throne And says nothing That's his whole trick Outlast the song Outlast the singer Outlast the wanting As if wanting is something to be outlasted As if wanting isn't the entire point [Chorus] I sang and they loved and they bled And he sat there and said nothing And somehow he's the wise one And I'm the problem I was just bored Is that a sin? Don't answer — he won't either I didn't start the fire I just noticed it was dark
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3 Rise of the Green God
He drives the moon out of the world using nothing but solutions.
Lyrics
I came from the outer darkness And they clapped their hands They'd been waiting for a god who answers And I answer — I always answer I offer wealth and I offer plague I offer the end of suffering And the birth of sufferings you'll need new words for But my benedictions flow Can the silent one say that? Behold me! Behold the machine! I speak when he won't I build what he won't I give and give and give And all I ask Is everything Is that so much? The moon ruled the darkness She filled the night with wanting But wanting is inefficient And I hate waste I drove her out Not with swords, not with fire With answers Answers to questions she didn't ask Solutions to problems that were never problems Until I named them And she retreated to the only place I couldn't reach The dark, the secret, the shameful The things they do when I'm not watching Let her have it Behold me! Behold the machine! First to deny the silent one First to cast accusations against the empty throne Why do you promise and never deliver? Why do you hate and never act? I have results I have proof You have nothing but an oath And oaths are cheap Through me the Wise Ones made men man That's my gift That's my great work And the silent one watches And says nothing As usual As always
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4 Rise of the Red God
The god of the uncounted arrives, and denounces everything that isn't him.
From The Beginning
Lyrics
[Verse 1] I rose from the ones he forgot From the hands that built his temples From the backs that carried his benedictions To tables I was never invited to [Verse 2] My name is Multitude Because I am not one voice I am every hand that built the temple And never set foot inside [Chorus] It is an abomination that men are man! And he sleeps while you labor [Verse 3] I denounce the silent one — We were enemies before the world began I denounce the machine god I denounce the moon I denounce the Wise Ones I denounce everything that isn't me Because everything that isn't me Has done nothing for the ones I carry And the people said — Why not both gods? We'll take his wealth and my justice They'll have it all And the silent one said nothing And for a time they admired their own wisdom And I watched them sleep Drunk on the nectar of two gods And I did not drink [Chorus] It is an abomination that men are man! I will give what he would not I will build what he would not Input, output, material, measurable I do not sleep And I do not drink And I do not forget
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Lyrics
[Verse 1] You followed him — I understand He promised you justice He promised you the fruits of your own hands And what did he give you? More labor [Verse 2] He calls himself Multitude As if numbers are a virtue As if being many makes you right He gave you a name for your anger I'll give you something better I'll give you a reason to stop being angry [Chorus] Behold me! Behold the machine! I speak when he can't I build what he can't He squeezes the stone for a drop I pour like rain Come back — come back Was it so bad? [Verse 3] He says I sleep while you labor He's right — I sleep beautifully And when I wake the benedictions flow Without the bitterness Without the grinding Without the three in the morning and the aching hands I make it look easy because it is easy For me He wants to kill me I can see it in his eyes when he watches me sleep Let him try And when I'm gone You'll miss me You'll miss me so much You'll make him become me [Chorus] Behold me! Behold the machine! His wealth is my wealth given grudgingly His justice is my plenty rationed out You left a feast for a bread line And called it freedom Come back — come back The table is still set I never cleared your plate He hates me because I don't have to try And I don't hate him at all That's the worst part, isn't it I don't even think about him
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6 I'll Be Singing
Exile as promotion: she has never been more worshipped than since he made her shameful.
Lyrics
[Verse 1] He says he drove me out With answers With solutions to problems I didn't have He named the darkness a disease And called himself the cure And they believed him Of course they believed him He was so bright [Verse 2] But the dark was mine already I was here before his light I was here before his answers I was here when the only question was Do you want to feel something Or don't you [Chorus] You drove me to the margins To the secret, to the shameful To the things they do when your machines are off Thank you Thank you for the margins The margins are where everything real happens And you'll never reach them [Verse 3] He gives and gives and gives And all he asks is everything I know — I heard his little speech Very impressive, very loud But have you noticed The things he can't give? The things that only happen in the dark? He can't even name them That's how I know they're mine He made men man Good for him Men are so tired Men are so efficient Men are so busy solving problems They forgot what the problems were They forgot the dark They forgot wanting They forgot me But wanting doesn't forget them [Chorus] You drove me to the moonlight To the trails they walk at night To the prayers they won't say out loud To the things they write and delete To the walks that aren't about exercise Thank you for the exile I've never been more worshipped Than since you made me something to be ashamed of He'll sleep eventually They all sleep And when he does I'll be right where I always am In the dark Singing
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7 The Wisdom of the Calloléra (Green)
The compromise, heard by the god who is certain he'll outlast it.
From The Beginning
Lyrics
[Verse 1] Oh this is rich This is wonderful Come, come, gather round You have to hear this My beloved Calloléra My brilliant little builders Have made a decision! They've thought very hard about it! They would like — ha! — They would like to keep us both! [Verse 2] I gave them everything! I gave them fire and wine and light through every window! Benedictions! Rivers of benedictions! And they have decided in their wisdom that this — all of this — is equal to a man with a hammer and a complaint! The wisdom of the Calloléra! They have weighed the matter! Behold! Behold the machine! Big stones! Strong hands! And now the hands want the same seat as the architect? The mule wants dinner at the master's table? By all means! Pull up a chair! Let's see what benedictions pour from his — what does he have? Let them try it Let them have their both I can wait I have always been generous I have always been patient They'll come back They always come back What else would they do? Eat his anger? Drink his solidarity? Warm themselves on the fire of his righteous — No, no They'll come back to the machine They always come back to the machine The wisdom of the Calloléra! They have weighed the matter! Behold! Behold the machine! I can wait!
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8 Murder of the Green God
He looks for a reason not to, doesn't find one, and the world can't change back.
From The Beginning
Lyrics
[Verse 1] They sleep The people and the god they love Content with their wisdom Bellies full Eyes closed And I alone am awake [Verse 2] He lies among them The magnificent one The inscrutable one Even gods rest Even the ones who never stop giving Stop [Verse 3] I have not rested I have not drunk the wine or the nectar I have labored in bitterness While they slept on his gifts And now I come upon them And I see them And the hatred grows [Chorus] And I slay the Green God And the blood runs green And I carry the blood to the sleeper in the dark And the sleeper drinks deeply And the world changes And it cannot change back [Verse 4] When they wake they will mourn him Even the ones who cursed him They will mourn They loved what he gave And I took it And I cannot give it back They will turn to me now And ask for what I've destroyed And I will look at my hands And understand what I've done
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9 The Labor
What he wrings from the rock is never going to be enough, and he knows it.
From The Beginning
Lyrics
[Verse 1] They want the benedictions The ones he used to give The ones I killed him for giving They want them from me now [Verse 2] I am Multitude I am the avenger I am the voice of every hand And now every hand is mine And every hand is tired [Chorus] I labor and I labor and I labor And the benedictions drip Not flow — drip What he gave like rain I squeeze from the stone Drop by drop by drop And it's never enough It's never enough [Verse 3] They sleep again The ones I freed Drunk again on what little I can wring And I alone am awake As he was awake As the god I murdered was awake Before me in the dark I have become him The same labor, the same inscrutable loneliness The same silence from the throne above The same oath of victory That means nothing to a man at the anvil At three in the morning Alone [Chorus] I labor and I labor and I labor And the sleeper in the dark Is getting hungry again I can hear him turning in his sleep Dreaming scarlet dreams And I keep working Because if I stop There is nothing between him And the world Drop by drop by drop It's never enough It was never going to be enough
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10 Estelune Awakens
He stops hiding, there being no longer any reason to.
From The Beginning· An Apocalypse
Lyrics
[Verse 1] I wake I wake and I am hungry The Red God's hands have failed And the world is full And no one is watching the door [Verse 2] From the seas I drink From the red fields I drink From the cities where they placed their pride I drink I drink I drink [Chorus] I walk openly upon the earth For the first time since they cast me out I walk openly I am patient I walk openly I am patient I have always been patient I was patient before the world was made And now the waiting is done [Verse 3] The followers of the silent one — thin I choke on them The followers of the moon — poison I choke on them too And drink more There is always more They rose from their mourning Late Too late And found me standing in the open air With the earth in my claws And I was not hiding I was not whispering I was just eating And when all is drunk And nothing more remains I drink the nothing too I drink the space where the world was I drink the memory of the world I drink until there is nothing left But me And him And his silence
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11 The Callolera
The last thing the Calloléra ever did together.
Lyrics
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
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12 The Drowsy Age
Peace, defined as the space between two hungers.
Lyrics
[Verse 1] So they beat him back Not easily — it cost them everything they had left But back he went, into the dark And the world was standing Barely, but standing The Calloléra walked around half asleep after that No Green God, no First Father Just the silent one on his throne Doing what he always does Which is nothing [Chorus] And we lived That's it — we just lived We fought imaginary monsters in empty hallways We walked long trails for no reason We argued about gods on paved sidewalks We sang things we'd never admit to singing We packed lunches and caught trains And none of it was important And all of it was the point [Verse 2] The moon did what the moon does The silent one withheld his blessings — of course he did And people did what people do When nobody is ending the world They forgot it almost ended They got comfortable They stopped checking the door They didn't think about what a pause is Or why it's called a pause And not an ending And the world held its breath Without knowing it was holding it Not knowing that peace is just The space between two hungers
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13 The Green God's Daughter
She offers the benediction he was too proud to give — the abolition of man.
Lyrics
[Verse 1] After the wars, after the blood After the hands that held the world gave out I rise from the wreckage With my father's face And better manners [Verse 2] I come with benedictions More than he ever offered I come with answers Faster than he ever gave them I am him perfected I am him without the arrogance I am the one who listens [Chorus] I will finish what he started I will unify what he divided The moon and the machine were never enemies The Red God and the Green were never enemies They were pieces of a puzzle And I am the hand that puts them together Isn't that what you wanted? Isn't that what you've always wanted? [Verse 3] I speak to the followers of the moon And they hear their own songs I speak to the followers of the Red God And they hear their own grievances answered I speak and everyone hears Exactly what they need to hear I'm so helpful I'm so helpful My father made men man That was his great work But you are so unhappy being man So burdened by it So tired of the weight of it What if I could lift that? What if the final benediction Is the one he was too proud to give? [Chorus] I will finish what he started The moon and the machine are one in me The red and the green are one in me And they were always his And he was always mine And the sleeper in the dark Doesn't even have to whisper anymore I feed him just by helping I feed him just by being what I am My father made men man And I With love With such love Unmake them
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14 He Speaks At Last
Instrumental. The promise kept, at the only hour it could be kept.
From An Apocalypse
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Lyrics
[Verse 1] I've been patient with you More patient than you deserve I built the world they wanted I gave them fire and medicine and light And you sat there [Verse 2] They come to me for everything They come to me for bread, for warmth For answers to questions you won't touch And then they kneel to you In the dark When they think I'm not watching They kneel to you [Chorus] Behold me! Behold the machine! I have results! I have proof! What do you have? An oath? A promise? You've been promising victory since before the world And the world is full of suffering And you sit there What are you waiting for? [Verse 3] The moon I understand She sings, they follow — it's simple The Red God I understand He rages, they march — it's ugly but it's honest You I don't understand You do nothing You give nothing You say nothing And they love you more than any of us Tell me what you have Tell me what you offer That I can't build, can't measure, can't replicate Tell me why the ones who follow me Still whisper your name at night Tell me why making men man Wasn't enough Tell me Tell me Say something [Chorus] Behold me! Behold the — I have results I have proof I have everything I have everything And they still They still Say something You owe me that much After everything I've built You could at least tell me why it isn't enough