"Galveston" lyrics - ANDY PARTRIDGE

Orpheus, son of Apollo. His father descends to take Orpheus up to heaven. "It will help you to forget Eurydice and concentrate on higher things."

But Orpheus can't forget, or won't. He transports himself, whoosh, to Galveston, which he's heard is hell. [ Maybe he'll find her there? ] He sleeps on a steel bed in a skid row hotel. He drinks in a bowling alley bar. He's a garrulous drunk. The hookers don't mind as long as he's buying. Besides there's something about his voice... They listen to the music, even if the words don't make sense. He's leaning towards one of these ladies now, in full flow:

"Here's what I'm going to tell you. When you come into this world you find pockets in your pants, handlebars on your bike, put there by those who preceded you. You walk in their footsteps. But, as regards the entry into and possession of yourself, you're a solitary pioneer."

The hooker looks up at the clock and yawns. Orpheus doesn't notice. In his mind he strums a lyre and what he's saying is song and under its influence wild beasts are tamed and stones deliquesce. Trees uproot themselves to be closer to the source of this music... He passes out.