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Pride of Man Lyrics
Turn around, go back down, go back the way you came.
Can't you see the flash of fire ten times brighter than the day?
And behold the mighty city, broken in the dust again,
oh God, the pride of man broken in the dust again.
Turn around, go back down, go back the way you came.
Babylon is laid to waste Egypt's buried in her shame.
Their mighty men are beaten down the kings are fallen in the ways,
oh God, the pride of man broken in the dust again.
Turn around, go back down, go back the way you came.
Terror is on every side, though the leaders are dismayed.
Those who put their faith in fire, in fire their faith shall be repaid.
Oh God, the pride of man broken in the dust again.
Turn around, go back down, go back the way you came.
Shout a warning to the nations that the sword of God is raised.
On Babylon, that mighty city rich in treasure wide in fame,
it shall cause thy towers to fall and make it be a pyre of flame,
oh God, the pride of man broken in the dust again.
Thou that dwell on many water rich in treasure wide in fame,
bow unto a god of gold, thy pride of might shall be thy shame.
Oh God, the pride of man broken in the dust again.
And only God can lead the people back into the faith again,
thy holy mountain be restored thy mercy on thy people, Lord.
Can't you see the flash of fire ten times brighter than the day?
And behold the mighty city, broken in the dust again,
oh God, the pride of man broken in the dust again.
Babylon is laid to waste Egypt's buried in her shame.
Their mighty men are beaten down the kings are fallen in the ways,
oh God, the pride of man broken in the dust again.
Terror is on every side, though the leaders are dismayed.
Those who put their faith in fire, in fire their faith shall be repaid.
Oh God, the pride of man broken in the dust again.
Shout a warning to the nations that the sword of God is raised.
On Babylon, that mighty city rich in treasure wide in fame,
it shall cause thy towers to fall and make it be a pyre of flame,
oh God, the pride of man broken in the dust again.
bow unto a god of gold, thy pride of might shall be thy shame.
Oh God, the pride of man broken in the dust again.
And only God can lead the people back into the faith again,
thy holy mountain be restored thy mercy on thy people, Lord.
Song Info
Submitted by
richd-3 On Oct 09, 2004
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One of my favorite Lightfoot songs. I always thought of him as a troubadour, a storyteller of the oral tradition with song as his medium. This song really illustrates that, and has a very Old Testament feel to it. The lament and the warning he pours into the lyrics are palpable: Beware thy pride, and know that civilization is a transitory thing against the backdrop of a world old beyond reckoning. Whether you call it God or nature or chance. That's what this song means, to me.
Insightful. Thing is, most people claim civilization is transitory, but the west doesn't think it applies to us. Previous civilizations understood that these things are cyclical. Our arrogance will be corrected some day
Insightful. Thing is, most people claim civilization is transitory, but the west doesn't think it applies to us. Previous civilizations understood that these things are cyclical. Our arrogance will be corrected some day
I think you'll find that while Lightfoot did record a version of this song, he didn't write it. Pride of Man was written by Hamilton Camp. Also, while Lightfoot's version isn't bad, the best recording of this song was by the Quicksilver Messenger Service in their debut album in 1968.
@MJacobson I heartily agree w/ that opinion, MJ. If QMS never covered the song, the Lightfoot version would be okay, but you realize the song really calls for the desperate exhortation and Summer of Love guitars of the Quicksilver cover. Great song.
@MJacobson I heartily agree w/ that opinion, MJ. If QMS never covered the song, the Lightfoot version would be okay, but you realize the song really calls for the desperate exhortation and Summer of Love guitars of the Quicksilver cover. Great song.
Also has one of those "crystal lines": "All those who place their faith in fire, in fire their faith shall be repaid" practically sings/says itself. Of course it has the four instances of alliteration, doubled internal semi-rhyme (place/faith:faith/repaid), and quadruple repetition of "th" (those/faith/their/faith) that make it an easily delivered line that (to me) serves as a culmination,...
Also has one of those "crystal lines": "All those who place their faith in fire, in fire their faith shall be repaid" practically sings/says itself. Of course it has the four instances of alliteration, doubled internal semi-rhyme (place/faith:faith/repaid), and quadruple repetition of "th" (those/faith/their/faith) that make it an easily delivered line that (to me) serves as a culmination, or summation of the lyric (thematically and structurally).