pedalling

welcome to the race: you’d better pace

yourself my friend, the end's so far away

you’ve got forever and a day to go

pedal hard or pedal gently

you're well advised to gaze intently onwards

and ignore the road below

fantasies of victories can only please your enemies

to dream can be the worst disease of all

you'll never own the maillot jaune- you might wear it for a day

if you stay the course and do not fall

hear the air – yeah, it's blowing fair

you're going where the sirens' lair is

and there they sing

and yes it's true they're calling you

they're calling everyone else too

nothing you can do but just keep pedalling

who makes the rules? we may be fools

to keep on trying - we may be dying

with every mile that we progress

is it god above, whose holy love

alone's enough to make this road

the road of sweet success?

or is there in the undergrowth some darker force controlling both

our actions and the distractions we face?

if destiny's a certainty then freedom's in the tomb

are we doomed to failure in the race?

the pedals turn; the more they turn

the more we learn how little it is

we know of anything

but giving in to your mortal skin would be a sin

you cannot win, but there's triumph in

just keeping pedalling

you know although it's slow you chose to go alone

you closed your mind, you froze inside and now you find

you're tied to riding as one

a friend could lend a hand, could speed you

feed you, and could free you from your greed

i mean, you need a little fun

oh but no, you have to show us all you'll never fall apart

you're all heart - you'll never tire

'cause yes, it is a test of your nerve –

can you preserve your need, your desire?

if you survive and you are blithe

and always strive but never brake

you have the makings of a king

alone against them all, riding tall

you may be on trial but you can smile

'cause all the while you're pedalling

written by tom yates 16 july 2002

tom yates – lead vocal, guitars, cellos, bass