Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Memoirs Of An Officer And A Gentleman Lyrics
[Prologue/The Education of A Gentleman]
Walking through the city after recent rain
Heard ancient stones all shining murmur where are they?
How long before next hero's day
Walking by the river one September eve
Saw questions rise in circles on that old dark stream
Where now are those who dared to dream
They would leave one jewel in England's hand
Gone to sleep they lie in flowered graves
For the visitors and Guidebook saved
But come the trumpet shattered dawn
Will the spirit they shared be reborn
Comrades in arms, may they rise, fight and shine again,
Till "who goes there", will be answered with friend again
Once there stood a man, alone, sword in his hand
In the face of the teeth and flame
And it was all in England's name
I was told how she grew, she alone shone her light on everyone
And if you made the first eleven then you'd be sure to get to heaven,
Like the captain of the school
I was taught how to win
And to lose with that "get you next time" smile,
Learned Latin verbs in fear of a beating
And for years thought central heating,
Was for just old people's homes
I was raised on the past, the Tower and Saint Paul's and Westminster
Escorted well-bred girls to dances, and learned to drive a horse in harness,
Through the English countryside
I was taught to behave, like an officer and a gentleman,
And when I finally marched from Sandhurst
I learned to put my fellow man first
And there was daily talk of war
I spent 1938 in the United States of America,
I grew to love it's many faces, and they had built some amazing places,
And I thought they'd come in on our side
[Love at First Sight]
Girls, oh there were girls
But they were just part of the social whirl
And I never took much notice
Until the night that I met you
Standing out there alone
Out on the terrace under the moon
From the moment that I kissed you
My life turned into a dream
I knew I loved you at first sight
And that you loved.. me
Was it really happening, or was it a dream?
I asked if you'd be mine
Feeding the white doves by the Serpentine
And when you said forever
I know that I almost cried
You all in white
The tears and the laughing
Nearly losing the damn ring
Yes, I do... Yes, I will... keep you from harm
Those few short days
We spent together
Remembered forever
All the plans - for the house and for the children
I know I loved you at first sight
And that you loved... me
Did it really happen then, or was it a dream?
I knew when I saw your face
Opening orders, the time and the place
Oh, don't worry it won't last long
And I won't be far away
I'll try to write every day...
[Letters From the Front]
Got your letters at the front today
If you like the house we'll buy it straight away
Yes, it's great now you're a full-time nurse
But do be careful with the air-raids - getting worse
Must end now... the push is on... we're moving out...
All my love... see you soon
I'm writing to you on a convoy moving west
It's hell out here but we're all trying to do our best
I learned today that I get two weeks leave in June
This time I promise you a real honeymoon
Must end now... take care my love... you're all the world
To me my love... see you soon
The telegram... dropped from my hand
She was all I had... I just don't understand
I see her now... in that white dress she wore
Those eyes and that smile
No one else... nevermore
Decorations and respect inside the club
Aren't compensation when you lose the one you love
But in the end, all that is left
Is the regiment and what it means
To be... an officer and a gentleman...
[Honourable Company (A March)]
[Instrumental]
Other Lyrics by Artist
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Touch And Go
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Farewell To Arms
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Affairs Of The Heart
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Paper Blood
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Black Moon
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Memoirs Of An Officer And A Gentleman
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - For You
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - The Gambler
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Taste Of My Love
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Love Beach
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - All I Want Is You
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Show Me The Way To Go Home
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - I Believe In Father Christmas
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - So Far To Fall
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Watching Over You
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Burning Bridges
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Better Days
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Hang On To A Dream
Rand Lyrics
- Great Big Sea - Good People
- Great Big Sea - Dear Home Town
- Great Big Sea - Over The Hills And Far Away
- Great Big Sea - Hit The Ground And Run
- Great Big Sea - Safe Upon The Shore
- Great Big Sea - Have A Cuppa Tea
- Great Big Sea - Wandering Ways
- Great Big Sea - Follow Me Back
- Great Big Sea - Road To Ruin
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Emerson, Lake & Palmer Memoirs Of An Officer And A Gentleman Comments
I had the sheet music to this. Tried to learn it but never got through it. Eventually in college I handed it off to a visiting pianist during the rehearsals for a classical concert. I forget the performers name but he was from Eastern Europe. He saw the book and said "I've heard of these guys but never heard their music." With that he flipped through the pages and started playing random selections. He then asked what I wanted to hear... Trilogy and Memoirs. Its a real treat to see Keith Emerson Live, but I must admit this was a unique treat after my ham-handed attempts.
Might be the only occasion in which Keith incorporates a Fender Rhodes piano in his rig. It really makes all of this sound like a different ELP. Beautiful.
Cant help but weep at this as we lost keith and Greg.
Beautiful song slashed to pieces by some but when you were that good something different comes along and it get bad press weak album with some very good parts this being one good track
Love this song, to bad Greg Lake is out of tune so often.
well, he`s not out of tune - but he drags the tones - making it more less perfect and more "human" sounding - not perfect but still great!
A gem musically but wth is with the cover and dress up lol.
Does this count as Prog
More than Radiohead does.
By all means
Beginning of part 2 is a Keith' s citation from Chopin...
The morons at allmusic give 1.5 stars to this album and 5 stars to useless raps or hops. What level of stupids the prog fans have to put up with
This piece, along with Canario, were the saving graces for Love Beach. Many of the songs on side 1 were poor, although, I liked The Gambler.
A wonderful piece of music!
In my opinion, this is elp part 2, it was a different sound that carried into black moon and in the hot seat which I do like, over time musicians simplify there music and style of playing therefore changing the sound.. I enjoy the album
Memoirs is great - I've always loved all of it (and am even wiilling to forgive certain lyrics), and I love Canario. Imagine -- if these 2 things had been the only music on this album, and if it had had "Canario" as a title, along with a different cover, Prog Rock history would have been very, very different. Sigh, what might have been...
00:00 I. Prologue / The Education Of A Gentleman - 5.33
05:34 II. Love At First Sight - 5.37
11:11 III. Letters From The Front - 5.18
16:29 IV. Honourable Company (A March) - 3.45
[Prologue/The Education of A Gentleman] Walking through the city after recent rain
Heard ancient stones all shining murmur where are they?
How long before next hero's day
And the splendid show of drum and gun Walking by the river one September eve
Saw questions rise in circles on that old dark stream
Where now are those who dared to dream
They would leave one jewel in England's hand Gone to sleep they lie in flowered graves
For the visitors and Guidebook saved
But come the trumpet shattered dawn
Will the spirit they shared be reborn Comrades in arms, may they rise, fight and shine again,
Till "who goes there", will be answered with friend again Once there stood a man, alone, sword in his hand
In the face of the teeth and flame
And it was all in England's name I was told how she grew, she alone shone her light on everyone
And if you made the first eleven then you'd be sure to get to heaven,
Like the captain of the school I was taught how to win
And to lose with that "get you next time" smile,
Learned Latin verbs in fear of a beating
And for years thought central heating,
Was for just old people's homes I was raised on the past, the Tower and Saint Paul's and Westminster
Escorted well-bred girls to dances, and learned to drive a horse in harness,
Through the English countryside
I was taught to behave, like an officer and a gentleman,
And when I finally marched from Sandhurst
I learned to put my fellow man first
And there was daily talk of war
I spent 1938 in the United States of America,
I grew to love it's many faces, and they had built some amazing places,
And I thought they'd come in on our side [Love at First Sight] Girls, oh there were girls
But they were just part of the social whirl
And I never took much notice
Until the night that I met you Standing out there alone
Out on the terrace under the moon
From the moment that I kissed you
My life turned into a dream I knew I loved you at first sight
And that you loved.. me
Was it really happening, or was it a dream? I asked if you'd be mine
Feeding the white doves by the Serpentine
And when you said forever
I know that I almost cried You all in white
The tears and the laughing
Nearly losing the damn ring
Yes, I do... Yes, I will... keep you from harm Those few short days
We spent together
Remembered forever
All the plans - for the house and for the children I know I loved you at first sight
And that you loved... me
Did it really happen then, or was it a dream? I knew when I saw your face
Opening orders, the time and the place
Oh, don't worry it won't last long
And I won't be far away
I'll try to write every day... [Letters From the Front] Got your letters at the front today
If you like the house we'll buy it straight away
Yes, it's great now you're a full-time nurse
But do be careful with the air-raids - getting worse Must end now... the push is on... we're moving out...
All my love... see you soon I'm writing to you on a convoy moving west
It's hell out here but we're all trying to do our best
I learned today that I get two weeks leave in June
This time I promise you a real honeymoon Must end now... take care my love... you're all the world
To me my love... see you soon The telegram... dropped from my hand
She was all I had... I just don't understand
I see her now... in that white dress she wore
Those eyes and that smile
No one else... nevermore Decorations and respect inside the club
Aren't compensation when you lose the one you love
But in the end, all that is left
Is the regiment and what it means
To be... an officer and a gentleman...
@Byzantine Roman One of Peter Sinfield's most beautiful text for a song, fortunately, it ended up on Emerson, Lake & Palmer's most beautiful love song, if not THE best.
Absolute masterpiece and most possibly my all time favourite love song.
While 'Love Beach' is generally seen as one of ELP's worst albums, and side 1 is definitely (in my opinion) some pretty weak poppy shlock, not to mention the awful cover..it's also my opinion that this music, which comprises side 2, saved this album & makes it worth a listen.
i used 2 feel the same way n learnt 2 enjoy it anyway.
I always felt it this way, but now I'm growing into loving the whole album.
sounds like a high school band is playing this.
Could YOU do better ? I think not. So who are you to say such a bad comment, if you want to critic such a masterpiece by one of prog's best band of all time, you must be a great musician then. Or else if you're not, then hold your comments and critics for yourself Mister.
Play the piano of this song, idiot!
Fuck off
With a Yamaha gx1, with alembic basa AMD máster drum of Pamer
La voce di Greg Lake è meravigliosa.
Il signor Dottore Greg Lake to youze! Dottore di Musica, Il Conservatorio di Musica Giuseppe Nicolini
https://youtu.be/aNlCObj8emM
@Vallin Sfas grazie per il video, bellissimo 🙂