Into The Ring

Rocking through the night
All is silent...southern cross
It's easy for me to write
Even though i wonder...
But i feel nothing seems lost
We're still full of hope
Although the trip is grinding

What can i say
Remember how we talked about
A world that's free
It may be hard to find
The land where war and hatred ceased to be
And the ship is sailing on across the ocean

We said farewell to yesterday
But in a year and one more day
You'll read the headlines everywhere
About the daring messengers
Who found an island in the sea
Untouched by misery

I'm wearing your bandanna
Your picture's in my mind
Well concealed
And the vision of your face
Is never far away no no
It's always with me
So your smile is my companian
Till i'm back with you again

We said farewell to yesterday
But in a year and one more day
You'll raed the news throughout the land
About some new-age emigrants
Who found an island in the sea
Untouched by misery

The ship sailed on...course: south-west, passing "cape harn" heading
Far the pacific ocean... no storm no damage to its body could stop
It on its way. . . but the destination was still so far away
They had sailed for almost four months and four days...

A brown-skin girl wipes the suit from her window
Just to watch the sun rise over big city skies
Her falther awakes "cuffs" lights his first cigarette
You know he's got to go when that factory whistle blows
So he walks out into the streets
And all of his friends that he meets
Wonder why did they ever leave their sunny island

The wind blows cold with it brings the snows
You live in hand to mouth next winter you move south
If your number falls or if you work those extra hours
But you only live in a dream
That carries you back on its wings
And all your friends just sit around the bar
And sing about your sunny island

And there ain't no surf
It's the sidewalks on 42nd street
And the natives down there
They ain't so friendly
In fact they would stick you
For the shoes on your feet
Just make you want to retreat
To your sunny island

The traffic eats the streets you're running from the heat
That keeps coming down pushing you into the ground
You're learning far too late your children learn to hate
The way you live but you got nomore to give
And in dockland they still arrive
With promised land in their eyes
And you just wish you could live out your life
On your sunny island

And there ain't no surf
It's the sidewalks on 42nd street
And the natives down there
They ain't so friendly
In fact they would stick you
For the shoes on your feet
Just make you want to retreat
To your sunny island

Blood blood all around
The land is crying out
All men are dead underneath the sands
And noone understands

Gold gold all is sold
Ten thousands have been slain
They stole their gold and destroyed their souls
The prayers were all in vain

War war behind the shore
All men are on the run
They burned the earth until there
But a wasteland in the sun
A wasteland in the sun

But there's the albatross
Flying circles through the wind
The silent master of this land
Far beyond the southern cross
Nobody heard his cries
Wailing sadly through the skies
Now his voice from up above
Is slowly dying

Home home we wanna go home
The beach is bleak and empty
All has burnt to ashes
Nothing will grow
We wanna go home

But there's the albatross
Flying circles through the wind
The silent master of this land
Far beyond the southern cross
Nobody heard his cries
Wailing sadly through the skies
Now his voice from up above
Is slowly dying
There's just the albatross
Flying . . .

September, 20, 1990: early in the morning....

Lyrics mccafferty / music charlton

Into the ring and let the fight begin
The crowd are all in
They wanna see some blood
You've been telling everybody
'bout the things that you're gonna change
Now's the time to toe the line
'cause everybody's sick and tired of games
We wanna see what you're made of

Time for the dance
Another side-step chance
The judges are here
They wanna feel the beat
Got your number on your back
And you get points for every move you make

Wanna see those flashing feet
We wanna see if you can make a break
And have you
Have you got the right stuff
Have you
Have you got the right stuff

Are we doing something for you
Or can you do something for me
Are you gonna make a few moves
Or sit back and let it all be
Wait and see

Into the ring and let the fight begin
The crowd are all in
They wanna see some blood
You've been telling everybody
'bout the things that you're gonna change
Now's the time to toe the line
'cause everbody's sick ond tired of games
And have you
Have you got the right stuff
Have you
Have you got the right stuff
Are we doing something for you
Or can you do something for me
Are you gonna make a few moves
Or sit back and let it all be
Wait and see

Starry eyes i've got to try
I love you but i love the rock
And i think you're gonna cry
And the dawn is coming up
As i look out on the rain
But i pick up my guitar
And do it all again
Fade away help me play
It's the feeling i get
When the music is right
That makes me feel this way
You can win or lose it all
Is what makes you wanna walk the line
No guarantees you take your chances every time
Oh i know your love is real
And i feel the same
Oh i know it's in my soul
No one can really free me
Starry eyes i love the rock

We run around my friends and me
Telling all the girls we should be free
Up all night and down all day
But we only want to play

Starry eyes you're wandering how
You love a man who loves the rock
And you can't change it now
And the midnight telephone
To say i can't make it home
It's another night you have to face it all alone
Oh i know your love is real
And i feel the same
I know it's in my soul
No one can really free me
Starry eyes i love the rock

Starry eyes i've got to try
I love you but i love the rock
And i think you're gonna cry
And the dawn is coming up
As i look out on the rain
But i pick up my guitar
And do it all again
Oh i know your love is real
And i feel the same
I know it's in my soul
No one can really free me
Starry eyes i love the rock

Let's make sail the wind is right
Weigh the anchor fast
Say farewell to kids and wife
We're taking off at last
We're heading for south america
Seeking for an island
Where no one else has been before
Where no one else has stepped ashore

Shift the helm to south of west
Let's sail into the night
We're gliding through the ocean fast
Although the devil smiles
For somewhere in south america
Waits an island in the sun
Where noone else has been before
Where no man at arms has stepped ashore

Let's make sail the wind is right
Weigh the anchor fast
Say farewell to kids and wife
We're taking off at last
We're heading for south america
Seeking for an island
Where no one and nothing has been before
We'll even sail a year or more

The departure (instr.)

They had left the harbour of lisbon in the early evening sailed around
The southern peak of europe crossed the atlantic ocean along the west
Coast of africa and cast anchor for the first time at the "cape of good
Hope"...calmness under a starry sky.

We've been a hundred men and now we are ten
On this rotten boat
Ninety dreams we've buried in the sand
Not one of them comes back again
And all we needed was a piece of land
A handful of sand in nowhere-land

We were young we were brave we were bold
Our visions come to an end
One thousond days have made us grow old
And the wind's still blowing mighty cold
And all we needed was a piece of land
A handful of sand in nowhere-land

All we needed was a piece of land
A handful of sand in nowhere-land
All that's left is so small so small
But the last ones will be
The first after all

Reprise

So let's make sail the tide is right
The winds are blowing strong
Say farewell to dreams that died
The way back home is long
No more headin' for south america
No more headin' for an island
'cause someone else was there before
And killed the land from shore to shore .

And if we don't hurry, boys
We'll soon find out the end of the story...