Van der Graaf Generator — The Sphinx in the Face

[Instrumental Intro] [Verse 1] I remember what it felt like at seventeen: I was a cat, a snake, a lizard, a mouse... Still got an interest in the limousine And a spouse and a brat Country house, London flat [Verse 2] I'm gonna head for the island when the summer's out I'm gonna do all the stuff that I can Drink like a fish in a waterspout - I'm a fan of the flow It began long ago I'm a man who should know It doesn't stop [Break] [Accapella] [Break] [Verse 3] There's so much to remember And so much to forget: We're all in the possession of the future tense But don't know it yet [Verse 4] The flesh comes through the spirit The spirit through the flesh... We look the Sphinx in the face for answers Oh, and, of course, we're not impressed [Verse 5] We're caught between age and beauty Experience and youth So we feel the need acutely For any kind of Truth [Bridge] Oh, but we get copped some days Caught between options we've failed to play Such wasted chance So I join the wastrel's dance: It has slow as well as fast movements And any change must surely be an improvement On simply fossilizing, standing still [Instrumental] [Verse 6] I got a steady vocation for the Quiet Zone I just can't wait for the song to be sung I'm still possessed by the promise of the Pleasure Dome You're so young, you're so old You're so here, you're so gone Such a drag to be told You're so near, you're so wrong You're so young, you're so old You're so queer, you're so strong [Outro] Such a drag to be told You're so here, you're so gone You're so young, you're so old You're so near, you're so wrong You're such a drag to be told You're so queer, you're so strong You're so young, you're so old You're so here, you're so gone Such a drag to be told You're so near, you're so wrong You're so young, you're so old You're so queer, you're so strong Such a drag to be told (To be told) You're so near, you're so wrong You're so young, so old So near, so wrong Such a drag to be told You're so queer, you're so strong So young, so old You're so here, so gone Such a drag to be told You're so near, you're so wrong You're so young, you're so old You're so queer, you're so strong Such a drag to be told