 RICK
WAKEMAN - JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH
(1974)
Rick Wakeman - Sintetizadores,
teclados
Carry Pickford-Hopkins - Voz
Ashley Holt - Voz
Mike Egan - Guitarras
Roger Newell - Bajo
Barney James - Batería
Orquesta Sinfónica de Londres y
el Coro de la Cámara Inglesa
Introduction
The story begin on the 24th May 1863 in Hamburg when
Professor Lindbrook and his nephew Alex discover an old
parchment in a 12th century book called "Heims
Kringla," a chronicle of the Norwegian princess
who rule over Iceland. This parchment when decoded into
Latin and translated by Alex proved to be written by an
alchemist of the 16th century and read as follows:
"Descend into the crater of
Sneffels Yokul,
over which the shadow of Scattaris falls
before the Kalends of July, bold traveller,
and you will reach the centre of the earth.
I have done this." -
Arne Saknussemm
Sneffels is a 5,000' high mountain in Iceland, an
extinct volcano, its last eruption having being in 1229.
And so the journey from Hamburg to Iceland begin.
Note - Jules Verne (b.
France, 1828, d. 1905). A writer of comedies, librettos and
the uncanny
father of Science Fiction, his works fall little short of
prophecies. His second book, "Journey to the Centre of the
Earth," remains a fantasy and provided the inspiration for
this work.
The Journey
By horse, by rail, by land, by sea, our journey starts
Two men incensed by one man's journey from the past
In Iceland, where the mountain stood with pride
They set off with their guide to reach the mountain side
Roped as one for safety through the long descent
Into the crater of volcanic rock they went
Look up from our telescopic lair,
One star for us to share,
We continue on our prayer.
Crystals of opaque quartz, studded limpid tears,
Forming magic chandeliers, lighting blistered galleries.
Recollection
Memories of a life on earth go flashing past,
Of home, of Grauben, friends of whom he's seen his last
Contemplating what his life's been worth,
While trapped beneath the earth,
An embryo at birth
Pain and fear destroy the beauty I have seen,
Of caverns, where no other man has been
Silurian epoch hosts me as my grave,
My final blow I wave, a life too late to save
Crystals of opaque quartz, studded limpid tears,
Forming magic chandeliers, lighting blistered galleries.
The Battle
Five days out on an infinite sea, they prayed for calm on an
ocean free,
But the surface of the water was indicating some
disturbance.
The raft was hurled by an unseen source,
two hundred feet, with frightening force
And a dark mass rising showed to be a giant porpoise
Rising out of the angry sea, towered the creatures' enemy,
And so the two sea monsters closed for battle
Crocodile teeth, lizard's head, bloodshot eye, stained ocean
red
Moving close to their raft's side, the two men prayed as one
and cried
"Save me, save me, save me, save me"
The serpents' fight went on for hours, two monsters soaring
up like towers
And driving down to the depths in a single motion
Suddenly, the serpent's head, shot out of the water bathed
in red
And the serpentine form lay lifeless on the ocean
Crocodile teeth, lizard's head, bloodshot eye stained ocean
read
Battle won, a victor's pride, the three men thanked the Lord
and cried
"Praise God, praise God, praise God, praise God."
The Forest
Journey on through ages gone, to the centre of the earth
Past rocks of quartz and granite, which gave mother nature
birth
Burial ground of ancient man, his life no more is seen,
A journey through his time unknown, I wonder where he's been
Wonder where he's been, wonder where he's been, wonder where
he's been
The shore now gone behind the hills, a forest in our sight,
Rocks and distant mountains, bathed in waves of blinding
light
Forests from far gone time, no living man has seen,
A private prehistoric world, for you and I a dream
Brownish hue dictates my eye, no colour hides their fear,
Flowers faded, dull and cold, now bleached by atmosphere
Creatures twisting under trees, huge monsters soaked with
rage
Hidden deep below our earth, a frightening, bygone age
Their shepherd came, now long extinct, a huge primeval man
The three men filled with disbelief, just turned as one and
ran
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