Changing Of The Guards - Alan Pasqua Billy Cross Bob Dylan Bobbye Hall Carolyn Dennis David Mansfield Helena Springs Ian Wallace Jerry Scheff Jo Ann Harris Steve Douglas Steven Soles

Sixteen years

Sixteen years

Sixteen banners united over the field over the field

Where the good shepherd grieves

Desperate men

Desperate men desperate women divided

Spreading their wings

Spreading their wings beneath falling leaves

Fortune calls

Fortune calls

I stepped forth from the shadows to the marketplace marketplace

Merchants and thieves hungry for power my last deal gone down

Last deal gone down

She's smelling sweet like the meadows where she was born

Where she was born

On midsummer's eve near the tower

The cold blooded moon cold blooded moon

The captain waits above the celebration

Sending his thoughts

Sending his thoughts to a beloved maid

Whose ebony face

Whose ebony face is beyond communication

The captain is down but still believing that his love will be repaid

They shaved her head shaved her head

She was torn between Jupiter and Apollo

A messenger arrived

A messenger arrived with a black nightingale

I seen her on the stairs seen her on the stairs

And I couldn't help but follow

Follow her down past the fountain where they lifted her veil

I stumbled to my feet

I stumbled to my feet

I rode past destruction in the ditches

With the stitches still mending beneath a heart shaped tattoo

Renegade priests

Renegade priests and treacherous young witches

Were handing out the flowers that I'd given to you

The palace of mirrors

The palace of mirrors

Where dog soldiers are reflected

The endless road

The endless road and the wailing of chimes

The empty rooms

The empty rooms where her memory is protected

Where the angel's voices whisper to the souls of previous times

She wakes him up

Wakes him up

Forty eight hours later the sun is breaking

Near broken chains broken chains

Mountain laurel and rolling rocks

She's begging to know begging to know

What measures he now will be taking

He's pulling her down and she's clutching on to his long golden locks

Gentlemen he said

Gentlemen he said I don't need your organization

I've shined your shoes I've shined your shoes

I've moved your mountains and marked your cards

But Eden is burning

Eden is burning either getting ready for elimination

Or else your hearts must have the courage for the changing of the guards

Peace will come

Peace will come

With tranquillity and splendor on the wheels of fire

Wheels of fire

But will bring us no reward when her false idols fall

False idols fall

And cruel death surrenders with its pale ghost retreating

Between the king and the queen of swords