THE HANGING TREE
Passing through the arms of Satan
Reaching for the hands of God
Robbing every mind for wisdom
Running so he won't get caught
He's outlawed by majority
Been branded all his life
Some say that he's a sinner man
As he rides from day to night
He's a bad man, so they say
Living for his love and living free
Riding swift and secretly
So he'll miss the hanging tree
Wounded spirit on the wind
Riding to his dream and destiny
He's laughing at the wanted posters
Calling for his friends to see
Laughing aloud as he rides away
Kicking up the dust with speed
Time hands him down a pathway
And freedom is a horse he rides
Glory is a dream he's after
And fortune is his heart's delight
He's a bad man, so they say
Living for his love and living free
Riding swift and secretly
So he'll miss the hanging tree
Wounded spirit on the wind
Riding to his dream and destiny
Riding swift and secretly
So he'll miss the hanging tree
Wounded spirit on the wind
Riding to his dream and destiny
Riding swift and secretly
So he'll miss the hanging tree
Wounded spirit on the wind
Riding to his dream and destiny
BEEN AWAY TOO LONG
I'm coming home
I've been away far too long
I'm leaving it up to you
To understand
You may wonder why
When it was me who said
The last goodbye
But cannot change my mind
One more time
It's high time
I can't wait any longer
It's my time to find out
Who I belong to
It's breaking my heart
Waitin' for another day
When the time comes
You won't see me around
I've been patient
Standing my ground
Gotta see you and hold you
Hear what you have to say
Do you wake up in the morning
Wantin' me
The way I wake up wantin' you
And in the same breath
You keep hauntin' me
Does it ever occur to you
I've been in love too long
To stop now, oh
I've been away too long
I've been away too long
If you've ever cried
Then you'll know the pain
You felt inside
And just like me you pray
It's all untrue
But time alone will tell
If you have learned
Life's lessons well
And maybe then you'll know
What I should do
Been away
I've been away
I've been away too long
I've been away too long
I've been away too long
Too long, much too long
Much too long
WHO NEEDS ME
I don't take life for granted
'Cause you know that
Life won't grant you back
The feelings on the love
That you once had
You've taken me for granted
'Cause you know
I'm a lover just like you
And I'll do anything
You want me to
Who needs me?
Who needs me now?
You'll find someone
How you'll find one
Who needs me?
Who needs me now?
You'll find another but no better
You can't argue with me now
I needed you and
You did not know how
Don't let go of something
That is good when
I'll tell you it's bad
Let 'em hear the story
Make 'em sad
And if the price of love
Can cost you less than
When it first began
I guess that you won't
Find a better man
Who needs me?
Who needs me now?
You'll find someone
How you'll find one
Who needs me?
Who needs me now?
You'll find another but no better
You can't argue with me now
I needed you and
You did not know how'
You can't argue with me now
I needed you and
You did not know how
Who needs me?
Who needs me now?
You'll find someone
How you'll find one
Who needs me?
Who needs me now?
You'll find another but no better
You can't argue with me now
I needed you and
You did not know how'
Who needs me ...
WISE MAN
I sat before the wise man
In the autumn of my youth
And I told him all
The things I had to know
He said you have the future
If you need to find the truth
And in his eyes
I saw that it was so
So I came right out
And asked him
The meaning of life
And as he smiled
I saw a twinkle in his eye
He said with all his years
There's still so much
He has to learn
And once again
I saw that it was so
Keep on living, loving
Waiting your turn
It's the only way to
Ease your concern
If you want to find
Your dream, be sure
You don't wake up too soon
Or you'll find it easier
Shooting for the moon
Wise man, wise man
Which way shall I run
There's so many roads
So many ways to turn
I am like a blind man
Lost in the sun
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
But I'm looking for
An easy way to learn
Wise man, wise man
Which way shall I run
There's so many roads
So many ways to turn
I am like a blind man
Lost in the sun
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
But I'm looking for
An easy way to learn
Oh wise man ...
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
I wanna be like you
Wise man, wise man
Which way shall I run
There's so many roads
So many ways to turn
I am like a blind man
Lost in the sun
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
But I'm looking for
An easy way to learn
DO YOU KNOW
All you seem to do want to do
Is break my heart
Seems to me
We're a lot better off apart
Time was when you took
A pride in puttin' me down
We'll I've some news for you
That's gonna turn ya around
I got no time for no crazy lady
And the games you wanna play
'Cause a love like mine's
Gonna take some time
You can't save it for a rainy day
Well, do you know
Do you know
Do you know what
I'm trying to say
Love's not a game
It's never the same
You gotta live your love
From day to day
Lonely days are long and
Sad nights are so black
Then I get right down thinkin'
Maybe I could take you back
Till at mornin' light
A new face appears at my door
As a kinda reminder that
I ain't seein' you no more
I got no time for no crazy lady
And the games you wanna play
'Cause a love like mine's
Gonna take some time
You can't save it for a rainy day
Well, do you know
Do you know
Do you know what
I'm trying to say
Love's not a game
It's never the same
You gotta live your love
From day to day
I got no time for no crazy lady
And the games you wanna play
'Cause a love like mine's
Gonna take some time
You can't save it for a rainy day
Well, do you know
Do you know
Do you know what
I'm trying to say
Love's not a game
It's never the same
You gotta live your love
From day to day
Do you know
Do you know
Do you know what
I'm trying to say
Love's not a game
It's never the same
You gotta live your love
From day to day
Do you know
Do you know
Do you know what
I'm trying to say
Love's not a game
It's never the same
You gotta live your love
From day to day
ROLLIN’ ON
It came as the daybreak
Must surely arrive
Opened my eyes just
To be sure I was alive
Another day
They're much the same
Twentyfour hours for me
To try again
I'm rollin' on, I'm rollin' on
I'm rollin' on, I'm rollin' on
It came as a judgement
We all have to face
Fickle hour you bring me joy
You bring me disgrace
I'll take your challenge
Man against emotion
I'll wager my beliefs
Against my sin
I'm rollin' on, I'm rollin' on
Well, I'm rollin' on
Rollin' on and on and on forever
Yes, I am
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on together
Rollin' on and on and on forever
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on
Yes, I'm rollin' on
To where I don't care
Crystal ball
You let me down again
Rollin' down a road
I've never seen
Meeting people
Seeing places I've never been
I'm rollin' on, I'm rollin' on
I'm rollin' on, I'm rollin' on
Rollin' on and on and on forever
Yes, I am
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on together
Rollin' on and on and on forever
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on together
I'm rollin' on, I'm rollin' on
I'm rollin' on, I'm rollin' on
Crystal ball
You let me down again
I'm rollin' on ...
Well, I'm rollin' ...
SYMPATHY
Sympathy just doesn't mean
That much to me
Compassion's not
The fashion in my mind
And if you're looking for
A shoulder to cry on
Don't turn your head my way
'Cause I'd rather have
My music any day
You and I are
Masters of our destiny
We look for consolation all the time
Until we find out things are not
What they were meant to be, oh no
And if it doesn't suit our mood
We'll call it crime
Dedication's not an obligation
Or a figment of
Someone's imagination
It's the only way they say
To live from day to day
To make each passing way
A small sensation
Dreams are the possession of
The simple man
Reality the fantasy of youth
But living is a problem that
Is common to us all
With love the only
Common road to truth
Dedication's not an obligation
Or a figment of
Someone's imagination
It's the only way they say
To live from day to day
To make each passing way
A small sensation
Dedication's not an obligation
Or a figment of
Someone's imagination
It's the only way they say
To live from day to day
To make each passing way
A small sensation
FIREFLY
My love lives at
The end of a rainbow
One day I'm gonna
Fly there on a firefly
High above white angry water
With a love song in my heart
Someday, somehow
I know I'm gonna get there
I've been patient for so long
All my daydreams
Seem so much nearer now
And I beg you hear my song
Firefly
On your glowing wings I'll ride
Till I sit beside
This dream of mine
Firefly, high on a risin' tide
Only wanna touch
The things I've seen
Steppin' lightly from star to star
Cross a wilderness of blue
Wonderin' how much
In love with me you are
'Cause I'm so much in love with you
Firefly
On your glowing wings I'll ride
Till I sit beside
This dream of mine
Firefly, high on a risin' tide
Only wanna touch
The things I've seen
Firefly, can you take me
I ain't had no lovin' lately
Firefly bring me love
To my new horizon
The one that I've still
Got my eyes on, my my firefly
Firefly ...
To my new horizon
The one that I've still
Got my eyes on, my my firefly
Firefly ...
In my dreams you come to me
The answer to my prayer
As I begin to feel
You warm my heart
I awake and you're not there
Now and then I see your eye
As the stars begin to shine
No rain to cool my passion
No! Not now!
No, now you're mine!
Firefly
On your glowing wings I'll ride
Till I sit beside
This dream of mine
Firefly, high on a risin' tide
Only wanna touch
The things I've seen
CRIME OF PASSION
See the blind man
At the dead of night
He can see, so he won't fight
Running scared like a swan in flight
On and on, looking for delight
But it's you, he'll hear you running
As this blind man tells the blind
See the children in the jungle zone
Black man woken
Till your work is done
He can't hide
There's nowhere to run
Waiting for salvation to come
And it's you, coming from far
Got a lonely mind to sell
Crime of passion, crime of pain
How long before I see you again
I've been free and I've been high
Got a soul, never ask my why
See the blind man
At the dead of night
He can see, so he won't fight
Running scared like a swan in flight
On and on, looking for delight
But it's you, he'll hear you running
As this blind man tells the blind
Crime of passion, crime of pain
How long before I see you again
I've been free and I've been high
Got a soul, never ask my why
Crime of passion, crime of pain
How long before I see you again
I've been free and I've been high
Got a soul, never ask my why
Crime of passion, crime of pain
How long before I see you again
I've been free and I've been high
Got a soul, never ask my why
Crime of passion, crime of pain
How long before I see you again
I've been free and I've been high
Got a soul, never ask my why
A FAR BETTER WAY
Seeing you here
All of my fears seem to
Drift right away
Seeing you smile
Checking out your style
I begin to hope you’ll stay
Stay awhile so we can play
Lost in a dream
That’s becaming a nightmare
Day by day
It’s my love and my life
And somewhere between them
There’s a road
And it’s a far, a far better way
Out of nowhere came this vision
Of you and me together
Looking for a far better way
Then from nowhere
You came running
Look out, world
There’s something coming
I’ve suddenly found
A lot of things to say
Now we’ll sing our tune together
This way it’s a whole lot better
We’re out to prove
There is a place for love
Then from somewhere
We‘ll come running
Look out, world
There’s something coming
I think we’ve found
A far better way
Out of nowhere came this vision
Of you and me together
Looking for a far better way
Then from nowhere
You came running
Look out, world
There’s something coming
I’ve suddenly found
A lot of things to say
Now we’ll sing our tune together
This way it’s a whole lot better
We’re out to prove
There is a place for love
Then from somewhere
We‘ll come running
Look out, world
There’s something coming
I think we’ve found
A far better way
Out of nowhere came this vision
Of you and me together
Looking for a far better way
Then from nowhere
You came running
Look out, world
There’s something coming
I’ve suddenly found
A lot of things to say
Now we’ll sing our tune together
This way it’s a whole lot better
We’re out to prove
There is a place for love
Then from somewhere
We‘ll come running
Look out, world
There’s something coming
I think we’ve found
A far better way
I think we’ve found
A far better way ...
DANCE DANCE DANCE
Dance dance dance
You've gotta keep on dancing
Dance dance dance
You've gotta keep on
Really ??? you're bad news
I don't think I can hear it any more
Mister please don't play me
No more blues
If you will I'll walk
Right out the door
It's from the first touch
Of morning light
My feet can't wait to hit the floor
'Cause all I wanna do is
Dance dance dance
Sure there's times when
I've been feeling down
But the blues are never here to stay
Just by putting an my moving shoes
I dance my troubles right away
I warned you so, right or wrong
Anything to keep my heart alive
'Cause all I wanna do is
Dance dance dance
It's a jumping jive my way
Around the world
And you'll always see
A smile upon my face
The rhymin' times
I don't think they'll matter
I can make my home almost any place
I ALWAYS KNEW
Well, you don't have to tell me why
I've a feeling that I know that guy
I always knew I'd never keep you long
It's funny how times have changes
It used to be me, it felt so strange
I always knew I'd never keep you long
I love you as part of my life
You know you're the one I adore
It's simple but I've never made
This mistake before
I love you as part of my life
You know you're the one I adore
It's simple but I've never made
This mistake before
Won't you try to give me one more chance
Even though you say it's lost romance
I always knew I'd never keep you
Never keep you, never keep you long
Understand what I'm trying to say
I'm giving you my life night and day
I always knew I'd never keep you long
Understand what I'm trying to say
I'm giving you my life night and day
I always knew I'd never keep you long
| | | |
Download all lyrics as PDF file from 
Bronze ILPS 9483
Released in February 1977
Side A
1. THE HANGING TREE (Hensley/Williams) 3.42
2. BEEN AWAY TOO LONG (Hensley) 5.04
3. WHO NEEDS ME (Kerslake) 3.40
4. WISE MAN (Hensley) 4.44
Side B
1. DO YOU KNOW (Hensley) 3.15
2. ROLLIN' ON (Hensley) 6.32
3. SYMPATHY (Hensley) 4.50
4. FIREFLY (Hensley) 6.18
JOHN LAWTON - Lead Vocals (except B4 KEN HENSLEY & JOHN LAWTON - Vocals)
MICK BOX - Guitars
TREVOR BOLDER - Bass Guitar
LEE ‘THE BEAR’ KERSLAKE - Drums/Vocals
KEN HENSLEY - Keyboards/Guitars/Vocals
Produced by GERRY BRON
Engineer PETER GALLEN
Assisted by JOHN GALLEN
Recorded and mixed at Roundhouse Recording Studios,
London, England, October/November 1976
Cover concept and co-ordination GAIL CLARKE
Cover painting MARTIN WHITE
Special thanks to Rick, Chris, Pete, Alistair and Phil
Medal for bravery TONY PATRICK & DODGE DEMOS
North American release had a different running order:
Side A
1. BEEN AWAY TOO LONG
2. SYMPATHY
3. WHO NEEDS ME
4. WISE MAN
Side B
1. THE HANGING TREE
2. ROLLIN' ON
3. DO YOU KNOW
4. FIREFLY
BONUS TRACKS ON REMASTERED 1997 RELEASE:
1. CRIME OF PASSION (Box/Kerslake/Hensley) 3.37
Originally b-side of 'Wise Man' single in UK & 'Sympathy' single in Germany.
2. DO YOU KNOW [demo version] (Hensley) 3.16
Out-take, previously unreleased.
3. A FAR BETTER WAY (Hensley/Box/Kerslake/Bolder/Lawton) 5.50
Out-take, released for the first time on 'A Time Of Revelation' (1996).
4. WISE MAN [TV backing track version] (Hensley) 4.48
Out-take, previously unreleased.
BONUS TRACKS ON 2004 EXPANDED DE-LUXE EDITION CD:
1. CRIME OF PASSION (Box/Kerslake/Hensley) 3.37
Originally b-side of 'Wise Man' single in UK and 'Sympathy' single in Germany.
2. A FAR BETTER WAY (Hensley/Box/Kerslake/Bolder/Lawton) 5.57
Out-take, released for the first time on 'A Time Of Revelation' (1996).
3. I ALWAYS KNEW (Hensley/Box/Kerslake/Bolder/Lawton) 4.03
Out-take, previously unreleased.
4. DANCE DANCE DANCE (Hensley/Box/Kerslake/Bolder/Lawton) 3.46
Out-take, previously unreleased.
5. BEEN AWAY TOO LONG [demo version] (Hensley) 5.01
Out-take, previously unreleased version.
6. DO YOU KNOW [alternate version] (Hensley)3.15
Demo version.
7. WHO NEEDS ME [live version] (Kerslake) 9.49
8. WISE MAN [TV backing track version] (Hensley) 4.48
Out-take.
Expanded De-luxe Edition cover:
