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lyrics

Tell men of high condition,
That manage the estate,
Their purpose is ambition,
Their practice only hate:
And if they once reply, Then give them all the lie.

Say to the court, it glows
And shines like rotten wood;
Say to the church, it shows
What's good, and doth no good:
If church and court reply,
Then give them both the lie.

Go, Soul, the body's guest,
Upon a thankless errand;
Fear not to touch the best;
The truth shall be thy warrant: Go, since I needs must die,
And give the world the lie. Give the world the lie.

Tell fortune of her blindness;
Tell nature of decay;
Tell friendship of unkindness;
Tell justice of delay:
And if they will reply,
Then give them all the lie.

Tell arts they have no soundness,
But vary by esteeming;
Tell schools they want profoundness,
And stand too much on seeming:
If arts and schools reply,
Give arts and schools the lie.

Tell zeal it wants devotion;
Tell love it is but lust;
Tell time it metes but motion;
Tell flesh it is but dust:
And wish them not reply,
For thou must give the lie.
Give them all the lie.
Thou must give the lie.
Give them all the lie.

credits

from The Weight of Smoke, released January 3, 2022
Words: Raleigh. Music: Spafford. Piano/vocal: Spafford. Double bass: Dave Bowie Jnr.

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Edible Tent Leeds, UK

Edible Tent is the moniker for projects by Peter Spafford in collaboration with other artists. Peter Spafford is a writer and songwriter based in Leeds. He is also one half of Schwa.

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