Текст песни:

Once upon a time as in Ancient history
High upon a hill in a shroud Of mystery
Loomed the abbey as we Journeyed through the night
And wended our way Towards the light

As we entered through the Gates
We heard the silent calls
There was something evil
That lurked within these Walls
As I relive my days in this Godforsaken place
All that appears before me Now...is her face

Another man died today like The ones before
With blackened tongue and Blackened finger
Within the labyrinth behind The bolted door
Lies the answer to our Mystery

Heed the book that kills -
It holds an evil power
Those who turn the leaves Wither like a flower
Well guarded by the seer Inside the abbey tower
For laughter kills the fear Within
The abbey of synn

We found the secret path That led us here to you
Give us the deadly book of Laughter
Too many men have died for A teaching of the few
Open up your heart reveal The mystery

Heed the book that kills -
It holds an evil power
Those who turn the leaves Wither like a flower
Well guarded by the seer Inside the abbey tower
For laughter kills the fear Within
The abbey of synn

And then she came 2 me Like a creature from the Dawn
Enchanting as the moon - Radiant as the sun
She took the boy in me and Gave me back the man
With a force I could not Withstand

The seer burned the abbey Down and perished in the fire
We couldn′t save the book The flames were rising Higher
So many died in vain for an Ancient discipline
Laughter kills the fear within The abbey of synn

Heed the book that kills -
It holds an evil power
Those who turn the leaves Wither like a flower
Well guarded by the seer Inside the abbey tower
For laughter kills the fear Within
The abbey of synn

@ Ayreon

Текст песни:

And now this Rainbow Bridge: an iridescent span of tears - so fragile and yet so strong. Will
it support your mortal shells? Or will you fall into the fiery brine below?

[knight]
I hark back to olden days
to her and her magic ways
two souls in harmony
in an endless sea
the cruel wings of destiny
carried you away from me
and left a heart unstilled
that never will be filled

[roman (chorus:)]
beyond these stygian skies our fortress lies
across the rainbow bridge
we′ll span the sea of tears and conquer all our fears (inside)
forsake this mourning field and drop your shield
across the rainbow bridge
run to the other side where all our dreams abide

[knight]
I′d sacrifice my very life
to have you at my side
like a dream I see your face
through the misty haze
we were one amid the stars
and time never healed my scars
deep inside the sadness burns
I must return!

[roman (chorus)]

[hippie]
scarlet crimson rosy red
I must be dead
or stoned out of my head
orange yellow tangerine
the acid queen
in a psychedelic scene
ochre chestnut chocolate brown
I′m upside down
on a cosmic eiderdown

ivory milky chalky white, the stars ignite, I vanish in the light - that burns so bright

Step forward. Beyond lies your goal: the Electric Castle! The past is gone! Do you wish to
lapse in limbo forever? No! Be resolute.. There are trials ahead - and rewards for those who
strive: the Surreal Search endures...

[roman & knight]
run run the past is gone, it cannot be undone
run run the future is here, our fate is drawing near

[roman (chorus)]

@ Ayreon

Текст песни:

Sit back and relax
Crawl into the maze
Within your mind
Leave it all behind
Now allow yourself to
Slide into a world
As real as you want it to be
Actual fantasy

@ Ayreon

Текст песни:

We never saw this coming
Pride comes before our fall
We never heeded the warning
Buried deep within us all

The age of shadows has begun
(Giant machines blot out the sun)
Frozen lands becoming known
(The age of shadows has begun)

The age of Shadows has begun
(I won′t accept what we′ve become)
We stand to lose more than we′ve won
(The age of Shadows has begun)

Our quenchless thirst for knowledge
Our urge to change and grow
Our need to expand the nation / extermination
Made us rise from the depths below

The age of shadows has begun
(Giant machines blot out the sun)
Frozen lands becoming known
(The age of shadows has begun)

The age of Shadows has begun
(I won′t accept what we′ve become)
We stand to lose more than we′ve won
(The age of Shadows has begun)

No more aggression
(No more initiative)
No more suppression
(no more emotions)

No more resection
(no more of all the feelings that shaped our hearts and made us who we are)
No more possessions
(No more suspicious)

No more obsessions
(No more sensations)
No more depression
(no more of all the passions that shaped our hearts and made us who we are)

Time (time, time)
but a passageway (a passageway, a passageway)
the beginning of the end (of the end)
an end that never was (was, was, was)
time (time, time)
but a curve in space (curve in space, curve in)

we are forever (we are forever, we are forever))
Eternal prisoners in time (in time, in time)
we are forever (we are forever)
caught in our cold inertia
Longing, hoping, waiting, for no...

Forever we are, forever we learn
Forever we live a lie, forever sleeping by
And forever we flee, (forever we flee)
Forever we be, Forever is but our dreams
Forever is but a scream and forever we try
Forever we die, the spell of life for all
possessed for life, not enough
Longing, hoping, waiting, for no one
Never enough

Zero (one) one (zero) one (zero) zero (zero)
zero (one) one (zero) zero (one) zero (one)
zero (one) one (zero) one (one) zero (zero)
zero (one) one (one) zero (zero) zero (zero)

Zero (one) one (zero) one (zero) zero (zero)
zero (one) one (zero) zero (one) zero (one)
zero (one) one (zero) one (one) zero (zero)
zero (one) one (one) zero (zero) zero (zero)

off (on) on (off) off (on) on (off)
off (on) on (off) on (on) on (on)
off (on) on (on) off (off) on (on)
off (on) on (off) off (on) off (on)
off (on) on (on) off (on) on (off)
off (on) on (off) off (on) off (on)
off (on) on (on) off (off) on (off)

no (yeah) yeah (yeah) no (no) yeah (yeah)
no (yeah) yeah (no) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)
no (yeah) yeah (yeah) no (no) yeah (yeah)

no (yeah) yeah (yeah) no (no) yeah (yeah)
no (yeah) yeah (no) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)
no (yeah) yeah (yeah) no (no) yeah (yeah)

Forever we try, forever we die, forever, forever
Forever we try, forever we die, forever, forever
Forever we tie, forever we die, forever, forever
Longing, hoping, waiting, for no one

No more aggression
(No more initiative)
No more suppression
(no more emotions)
No more resection
(no more of all the feelings that shaped our hearts and made us who we are)
No more possessions
(No more suspicious)
No more obsessions
(No more sensations)
No more depression
(no more of all the passions that shaped our hearts and made us who we are

The age of shadows has begun
(Giant machines blot out the sun)
Frozen lands becoming known
(The age of shadows has begun)

The age of Shadows has begun
(I won′t accept what we′ve become)
We stand to lose more than we′ve won
(The age of Shadows has begun)

The age of shadows has begun
(Giant machines blot out the sun)
Frozen lands becoming known
(The age of shadows has begun)

The age of Shadows has begun
(I won′t accept what we′ve become)
We stand to lose more than we′ve won
(The age of Shadows has begun)

We never heeded the warning

@ Ayreon

Текст песни:

There is danger ahead. But do not be afraid. For I am with you like breath itself. Darkness
will lead to light - colour will bleed into the night. Beautiful colours, the like of which you
have never seen. Let the dream of confusion lead you into the virgin light! Be gone! Be
all-seeing, be brave...Be gone!

[A. AMAZING FLIGHT IN SPACE]

[barbarian]
I′m lookin′ ′round bewildered
is this some dark and evil jest?
what brought me to this cursed keep
perchance some crazy quest
god forbid I am no coward!
pitted against monster, man or ghost,
I′d wield my blade with crimson gusto
for I′m the proud barbarian host!

[hippie (chorus:)]
hey dude, you′re so uncool
but hey, that′s allright
like there′s no need to get uptight
my eyes reflect the stars
and a smile lights up my face
we′re on an amazing flight in space

[barbarian]
I shook city, walls and towers
wreaking havoc in the streets
burned palaces of cow′rdly kings
not a one stood up to me
bear bloody banners in blazing skies!
brandish battle-axe and broadsword!
let drums of glory sound like thunder!
hail!! barbaric warlord!!

[hippie (chorus)]

[B. STARDANCE]

[indian]
chanting

[C. FLYING COLOURS]

[instrumental]

@ Ayreon

Текст песни:

"It is 2800 B.C. I quietly witness the astounding secret behind the creation of a
mysterious monument in Wiltshire, England."

[Damian Wilson]

The moon sheds no light on Salisbury plain
The day turns to night and the bonfires cease burning

The druids gather round and the chants fill the air
Their echoes resound and the living world stops turning

The magic words are spoken
As we leave the plain in silence
Now the circle stands alone
And the druids turn to stone

The dawn shines its light on Salisbury plain
The day floods the night with gilded rays of sunshine

The magic words were spoken
As we left the plain in silence
Then the circle stood alone
And the druids turned to stone

The rising sun is dancing on the edges of the stones
Casting shadows, creeping down the Avenue
Into the heart of the sarsen trilithons

I marvel at this mystery, beholder of the stars
A holy temple, a sacred burial ground
Guarding well its secrets from us all

@ Ayreon

Текст песни:

[hippie]
was this a dream I just had?
I have my doubts
I can′t make out the truth
from the lies here inside
what kind of trip have I been on?
where did I go
I′d like to know just why
did it feel so damn real?

[futureman]
there′s something strange going on
I don′t know why
It′s something I can′t place
an open space, a shrouded face
as if my memory flies
have been erased
and then replaced by lies
false replies, clouded skies

[hippie & futureman (chorus)]
a secret yearning lurks inside
like a dream trying to hide
another time, another space
an empty feeling haunts my brain
a strange void I can′t explain
another time, another space

[roman]
I′ve been relieved of all my pain
I′ve been reborn
a mighty storm has raged
and my fears disappeared

[knight]
I′ve found the grail here within
in a magic dream
I have seen a world
of make belief, of joy and grief!

[chorus all]

Remember forever.....

@ Ayreon

Текст песни:

[A. Ayreon′s fate]

AYREON DESPERATELY ATTEMPTS TO CONVINCE MERLIN OF HIS SINCERITY,
BUT MERLIN WON′T HEAR OF IT AND CASTS HIS SPELL ON POOR AYREON.

[AYREON:]
misguided Merlin
you fail to understand
I could never be your rival
I was just a pawn
in a future masterplan
for the purpose of survival

[MERLIN:]
Ayreon, I′ve cast my spell upon you
I have no faith, you cannot be true
Ayreon!

[AYREON:]
I forgive you Merlin
for you don′t know what you′ve done
even for you, it was all a mystery
one day you′ll see
that I was the one
who could change the course of history

[MERLIN:]
Ayreon, you′re words are all in vain
close your eyes, there′ll be no more pain
oh Ayreon...

[B. Merlin′s prophecy]

MERLIN IS STRICKEN WITH GRIEF FOR HE HAS HAD A VISION
THAT PROVES AYREON TO BE GENUINE.
RELUCTANT TO PASS INTO ETERNITY AS THE MARTYR OF MANKIND,
MERLIN VOWS THAT AYREON′S WORD WILL BE SPREAD IN THE 20TH CENTURY,
IN THE HOPE THAT IT WILL NOT BE TOO LATE AND THAT MAN WILL HEED
HIS PREMONITIONS.

[MERLIN:]
I see one day
his story will be told
at the end of the 20th century
I see one day
the truth will unfold
and the quest has now begun
oh Ayreon!

I hope one day
that man will understand
it′s in his power to change his destiny
I hope one day
he′ll do all that he can
and all the nations will be one
oh Ayreon!

[C. Epilogue]

THE OUTCOME OF THE FINAL EXPERIMENT HAS NOW BEEN PLACED IN YOUR HANDS.

@ Ayreon

Текст песни:

I overheard the elders telling each Other stories about the days when They were young back on
planet earth
I wish to learn the secrets of those Who lived before me so I program my Computer for a flight
to planet earth
Blue skies over the oceans sail on the Wind to the valley below rise high over The hills to
where the wildflowers grow

And I ride ride ride the waves of time Fly fly fly beyond the sky
We′ve abandoned all emotions Whether good or bad up here in this Station far from planet earth
I can′t tell if I′m happy I don′t know if I′m sad but I do know I′d have been at Home back on
planet earth
Black clouds over the debris storm is Raging over the land no life left on this Planet now you
will understand

And I ride ride ride the waves of time Fly fly fly beyond the sky
Blue skies over the oceans sail on the Wind to the valley below rise high over The hills to
where the wildflowers grow

@ Ayreon