The Fountain of Salmacis (Live at Paris Theatre, 2nd March 1972)

Lyrics

[NARRATOR] From a dense forest of tall, dark, pinewood Mount Ida rises like an island Within a hidden cave, nymphs had kept a child Hermaphroditus, son of Gods, so afraid of their love As the dawn creeps up the sky The hunter caught sight of a doe In desire for conquest He found himself within a glade he'd not beheld before [HERMAPHRODITUS] Where are you my father? Give wisdom to your son [NARRATOR] And as his strength began to fail He saw a shimmering lake A shadow in the dark green depths Disturbed the strange tranquillity [SALMACIS] The waters are disturbed Some creature has been stirred [NARRATOR] As he rushed to quench his thirst A fountain spring appeared before him And as his heated breath brushed through the cool mist A liquid voice called, "Son of Gods, drink from my spring" The water tasted strangely sweet Behind him the voice called again He turned and saw her, in a cloak of mist alone And as he gazed, her eyes were filled with the darkness of the lake [SALMACIS] We shall be one We shall be joined as one [Instrumental Break] [HERMAPHRODITUS] Away from me cold-blooded woman Your thirst is not mine [SALMACIS] Nothing will cause us to part Hear me, o' gods [NARRATOR] Unearthly calm descended from the sky (Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah) And then their flesh and bones were strangely merged Forever to be joined as one The flesh! (Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah) [Instrumental Break] [NARRATOR] The creature crawled into the lake A fading voice was heard "And I beg, yes I beg, that all who touch this spring May share my fate" [SALMACIS] We are the one We are the one [NARRATOR] Both had given everything they had Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah A lover's dream had been fulfilled at last Forever still beneath the lake The lake! (Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah) Lake! (Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah) That was "The Fountain of Salmacis" and, uh, it's the first time I've heard Genesis with the mellotron live and, I must say it, uh, vastly adds to the sound, and, uh, adds to what already was a very good group anyhow