Van Dyke Parks
Surf’s Up (1967 Version)
The diamond necklace played
[Two, three, four...]

The diamond necklace played the pawn
Hand in hand some drummed along, oh
To a handsome mannered baton

A blind class aristocracy
Back through the op'ra glass you see
The pit and the pendulum drawn
Columnated ruins domino!

[Two, three, four...]
Hung velvet overtaken me
Dim chandelier awaken me
To a song dissolved in the dawn

The music hall; a costly bow
The music, all is lost for now
To a muted trumpeter's swan
Columnated ruins domino!

Canvass the town and brush the backdrop
Are you sleeping, Brother John?

Dove nested towers the hour was-
Strike the street quicksilver moon
Carriage across the fog
Two-step to lamp light's cellar tune
The laughs come hard in Auld Lang Syne
A glass was raised, a fire roast
The fullness of the wine, the dim last toasting

While at port adieu or die
A choke of grief heart-hardened I
Beyond belief a broken man too tough to cry

Surf's up, board 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...

[Let's hear that!]