Lutist’s Paradise

[Verse 1] As I walk through the valley of the shadow of sound I take a look at my hands, see the strings worn down ’Cause I’ve been pluckin’ and practicin’ so long Even my old master says my calm is gone But I ain’t never played a tune that didn’t mean it Disrespect the lyute? You know I won’t demean it You better watch how you listen and where you stand Or your silence might be cut by my trembling hand I hate to slip, but the tension’s tight As the notes ring out in the candlelight, fool I’m the kind of player young lutists wanna be On my knees in the night, prayin’ to the harmony [Chorus] We’ve been spendin’ most our lives Livin’ in the lutist’s paradise We’ve been spendin’ most our lives Livin’ in the lutist’s paradise We keep spendin’ most our lives Livin’ in the lutist’s paradise We keep spendin’ most our lives Livin’ in the lutist’s paradise [Verse 2] Look at the life that the music gave me Can’t play it safe, I was raised by the melody So I stay true to the wooden frame Too many hollow songs got me chasin’ fame I’m an educated fool with a score on my mind Got my pick in my hand and a tremble in time I’m a worn-out lutist, string-trippin’ stranger And my hands are scarred, so don’t wake the danger, fool Death ain’t nothin’ but a silence away Every note do-or-die, what can I say? I’m twenty-three frets deep, will I see one more? The way the strings are frayin’, I don’t know [Refrain] Tell me, why are we so blind to hear That the ones we break are the notes we fear? [Chorus] We’ve been spendin’ most our lives Livin’ in the lutist’s paradise We’ve been spendin’ most our lives Livin’ in the lutist’s paradise We keep spendin’ most our lives Livin’ in the lutist’s paradise We keep spendin’ most our lives Livin’ in the lutist’s paradise [Verse 3] Power and the gold, the gold and the power Minute after minute, hour after hour Everybody’s playin’, but half don’t listen It’s hummin’ in the hall, but I don’t know what’s missin’ They say I gotta learn, but no one will teach me If they don’t feel the strings, how can they reach me? I guess they can’t, I guess they won’t, I guess they lie That’s why I know this tune won’t ever die, fool [Chorus] We’ve been spendin’ most our lives Livin’ in the lutist’s paradise We’ve been spendin’ most our lives Livin’ in the lutist’s paradise We keep spendin’ most our lives Livin’ in the lutist’s paradise We keep spendin’ most our lives Livin’ in the lutist’s paradise [Refrain – Outro] Tell me, why are we so blind to hear That the ones we break are the notes we fear? Tell me, why are we so blind to hear That the ones we break are the notes we fear?