The Ageing Young Rebel (Gentle Cruelty)

Lyrics

An ageing young rebel Called what's his name Wanted to be different While he stayed the same And he couldn't He just couldn't No matter what he would try Told by his mother An ageing old thing You better go see Clever You give Clever a ring Which he did Called him up Just so Mommy wouldn't cry Clever heard his story About different from the same He said you crazy? This some silly game? No, no it ain't Like Mommy said You gotta straighten out my head Clever, you're so clever Is your cleverness enough? Can you help this ageing rebel Do you really have the stuff? Bet you don't have Bet you bread that you'll pass the buck instead Clever sends our hero To a funny darkened room Where a crowd of Cunning listens Giggles in the gloom That's your problem, ageing rebel Don't you really know the score You crazy, you think you're going to change this silly world? Better see yourself a shrink Cunning, they argue about our boy Who's breaking down the door Now he's running down a dark Diabolical awaits Grabs him by the ankle Ain't it just like fate Diabolical laughs In an alley full of soot Forget the same You'll be different now Somewhat shorter on one side Let go! Oh no Would you, Diabolical inside Panic in his brain pulls and gets away Loses him a foot, it's a dark and evil day See him running, limping blood Something soft is just ahead Something soft is Gentle He's fallen at her side She comforts him with kisses He dreams of suicide Gentle is so gentle Grabs the trouble by its root Bandages his stump Cuts off his other foot So you see, it seems to me, a gentle kind of cruelty Ageing rebel's older, a little wiser maybe too Gentleness has fixed him Does he look like me and you? Footless and fancy-free Think how happy Mom will be Footless and fancy-free Think how happy Mom will be