Midnight Ritual (Live @ Woodstock 1969)

[Intro] [crowd chanting] Light the flame… Close the door… Let the shadows breathe once more… [Verse 1] There’s a fever in the velvet night Silver moon with a crooked smile Footsteps echo down the hall Like a ghost who learned to crawl Candles flicker, walls perspire Every heartbeat climbs higher Whispers crawl across the floor Someone’s knocking, there’s no door [Pre-Chorus] Feel it rising from below Something ancient, something slow [Chorus] We are calling through the flame No one here remembers names Bodies sway but minds drift far We are where the shadows are Shout it loud, don’t look back Ride the smoke into the black [Verse 2 - half spoken, building] Mirror cracked but still it sees Every secret on your knees Breathing heavy, taste the air Is it truth or just a dare? Velvet voices in your head Dancing with the living dead Every promise turns to dust Every hunger turns to lust [Breakdown - spoken word, slow drums + organ drone] Touch the fire… Feel it crawl inside your veins… Let it take your holy name… Let it take your fear away… (whispered) Don’t be afraid of the dark… You are the dark… [Final Chorus] We are burning without flame Tearing down the silent frame Hearts collide and spirits spark We were born inside the dark Higher now, don’t come down Let the night consume this town [Outro] When the morning starts to rise… Will you see through different eyes? Or was it just a midnight ritual…