Snake Oil - Van Der Graaf Generator

作曲：Guy Evans/Hugh Banton/Peter Hammill

Best of intentions

Fresh faced devotees display

Sat at the feet of the master

Hoping that this is the one true way

Eager awareness

Picking the wood from the trees

Only belief is important

Only obedience can set them free

Here come the paraphernalia

Here come the catch all refrains

Repeat ad infinitum

Slavish devotion

That's how it usually presents

In an impossibly pompous

Addiction to doctrines that make no sense

Anal retention to an astounding degree

Self absorption is total

Making obedience compulsory

If they want to reach the inner mystery

Welcome to the bats in the belfry

The buzz words echo around

Repeated ad infinitum

Brainwashed and bound to believe in

The orthodox text slogans on t-shirts

The punters can't wait to be told

What to think of next

What to think of next

Oh what's coming next

Well nothing is coming

And nobody here goes

In search of the questions posterity might pose

There's only one answer the believers can allow

Yes

Teacher knows best teacher knows best

Let's put the teacher to the test

Let's put the teacher to the test

There's only one answer the disciples will allow out

Cultish convention repeated again and again

Until the words have no meaning

Until the means have become the end

What starts with self-obsession ends up in self-denial

They just so want to believe

Slaves to the snake oil of this particular world

Maybe just self-referential

The comfort's in sharing the secret word

With the picture blurred

The companionship of the herd