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
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...

[Honourable Company (A March)]

[Instrumental]





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Emerson, Lake & Palmer Memoirs Of An Officer And A Gentleman Comments
  1. P.... X....

    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.

  2. I.... D....

    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.

  3. M.... J....

    Cant help but weep at this as we lost keith and Greg.

  4. A.... G....

    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

  5. U.... A....

    Love this song, to bad Greg Lake is out of tune so often.

    U.... A....

    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!

  6. J.... ....

    A gem musically but wth is with the cover and dress up lol.

  7. B.... C....

    Does this count as Prog

    B.... C....

    More than Radiohead does.

    B.... C....

    By all means

  8. m.... ....

    Beginning of part 2 is a Keith' s citation from Chopin...

  9. P.... M....

    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

  10. M.... S....

    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.

  11. d.... b....

    A wonderful piece of music!

  12. S.... H....

    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

  13. M.... R....

    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...

  14. F.... P....

    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

    F.... P....

    [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...

    F.... P....

    @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.

  15. r.... 6....

    Absolute masterpiece and most possibly my all time favourite love song.

  16. d.... s....

    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.

    d.... s....

    i used 2 feel the same way n learnt 2 enjoy it anyway.

    d.... s....

    I always felt it this way, but now I'm growing into loving the whole album.

  17. F.... G....

    sounds like a high school band is playing this.

    F.... G....

    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.

    F.... G....

    Play the piano of this song, idiot!

    F.... G....

    Fuck off

    F.... G....

    With a Yamaha gx1, with alembic basa AMD máster drum of Pamer

  18. c.... ....

    La voce di Greg Lake è meravigliosa.

    c.... ....

    Il signor Dottore Greg Lake to youze! Dottore di Musica, Il Conservatorio di Musica Giuseppe Nicolini
    https://youtu.be/aNlCObj8emM

    c.... ....

    @Vallin Sfas grazie per il video, bellissimo 🙂