Surf’s Up

1971 Version from the album of the same name.

2004 version from Smile (with new layers of harmony)

And the brilliant, surreal lyrics:

[Section 1]

[Verse 1]
A diamond necklace played the pawn
Hand in hand some drummed along, oh
To a handsome mannered baton

(Bygone, bygone)

[Verse 2]
A blind class aristocracy
Back through the opera glass you see

The pit and the pendulum drawn
(Bygone, bygone)

[Bridge]
Columnated ruins domino
Canvass the town and brush the backdrop
Are you sleeping?

[Verse 3]
Hung velvet overtaken me
Dim chandelier awaken me
To a song dissolved in the dawn
(Bygone, bygone)

[Verse 4]
The music hall a costly bow
The music all is lost for now
To a muted trumpeter swan
(Bygone, bygone)

[Bridge]
Columnated ruins domino
Canvass the town and brush the backdrop
Are you sleeping, Brother John?

[Section 2]

[Verse 1]
Dove nested towers the hour was
Strike the street quicksilver moon
Carriage across the fog
Two-Step to lamp lights cellar tune

[Verse 2]
The laughs come hard in Auld Lang Syne
The glass was raised, the fired rose
The fullness of the wine, the dim last toasting
While at port adieu or die

[Verse 3]
A choke of grief heart hardened, I
Beyond belief, a broken man too tough to cry

[Verse 4]
Surf’s Up, mm-mm, mm-mm, mm-mm
Aboard a tidal wave
Come about hard and join
The young and often spring you gave

I heard the word
Wonderful thing
A children’s song

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