After having been asked to leave the group by Robert Fripp, Sinfield continued to be active in the progressive rock scene. He produced Roxy Music's first album Roxy Music, and later recorded a solo album, Still, in 1973. The album was later reissued on CD with additional tracks as Stillusion. He then turned up providing lyrics for fellow Crimson alumnus Greg Lake in Emerson, Lake and Palmer, as well as others like Italian progressive rock group PFM and former Procol Harum singer/pianist Gary Brooker.
Latterly, he has worked in the pop music field. For example, he wrote the lyrics to "The Land of Make Believe" by Bucks Fizz and "Think Twice" for Celine Dion. He has also written lyrics for another Crimson alumnus, David Cross.
Sinfield's best known work is the lyrics for the "atheist" Christmas song "I Believe in Father Christmas" by Greg Lake in 1977 which has now become a Christmas standard.
The Song of the Sea Goat
Peter Sinfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Suave pirates words of apricot crawl out of your veneer
Anoint your eyes with Midas' oil and make it still appear
Alladin's lamp is glowing bright transmuting panacea;
To fill your souls with sugared holes.
"Oh can't you hear" sang the sea goat "the nonsense makes me numb."
"It's near it's clear" sang the sea goat "we live to overcome,
The madman's voice and his nowhere choice,
The sea goat reads the flight of birds and writes upon the sand;
Gold waterfalls of autumn wheat slip through a pointing hand
Whose fingers stiff with sentences still beckon to the band
To play the "Best Foot Forward March" and deafen all the land.
With hollow words, it's so absurd!
"Take your stand" sang the sea goat "the night goes on and on."
"Unwrap your plans" sang the sea goat "tell everyone you've gone
To touch the earth and to see the birth
The smile, the style down an unspun mile of life."
It fills the air! It fills the air!
The song of the sea goat shaking in the domes
The song of the sea goat as endlessly he roams,
Between the sunset's crimson veil
On smooth grey streets where the drunkard spins his tale.
The sea goat sips and hurls his glass along the smoke-filled road
Where shuttered snakes of brakeless trains run aching with their load
Of spring-eyed, tonguetied, wooldyed lads who kiss the L-shaped goad
Which soon will smear their uniforms with blood, whitewash & woad.
Damn iron minded, gold braid blinded, officers and gentlemen!
"God!" sang the sea goat "is always on both sides."
"Change" sang the sea goat "is constant as the tides
"And this play" sang the sea goat "is strangely synthesised
When your part of a cast where the first comes last
Where the east goes west and the sun is burning out
And your part of a cast…"
The Song of the Sea Goat by Peter Sinfield is a highly symbolic song that explores the themes of transformation and spiritual awakening. The sea goat, a mythical creature that is part goat and part fish, is the central figure in the song, representing a powerful force that is able to cast Aquarian runes and read the flight of birds. The sea goat is also able to transmute panacea, filling the souls of the listeners with sugared holes, and anointing their eyes with Midas' oil to make things appear still.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of overcoming the pain and madness of the world, as the sea goat sings, "the nonsense makes me numb," and "we live to overcome, the madman's voice and his nowhere choice, the pain that drains like an endless day of rain." The sea goat urges the listeners to take their stand and tell everyone that they've gone to touch the earth and see the birth, to live life fully.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of urgency and restlessness, as the sea goat endlessly roams and shakes in the domes, and the drunkard spins his tale on smooth grey streets. The sea goat sees through the hollow words and absurdity of the world, calling out the damn iron minded, gold braid blinded officers and gentlemen, and singing that "God is always on both sides." The song ends with the realization that everyone is part of a cast, where the first comes last, and the east goes west, and the sun is burning out.
Line by Line Meaning
The sea goat casts Aquarian runes through beads of mirrored tears,
Using Aquarian runes and tears that reflect like mirrors, the sea goat foretells the future.
Suave pirates words of apricot crawl out of your veneer
Smooth-talking pirates use sweet words to reveal your true self.
Anoint your eyes with Midas' oil and make it still appear
Rubbing your eyes with Midas' oil makes everything look golden and pristine.
Alladin's lamp is glowing bright transmuting panacea;
The magical lamp of Alladin glows and transforms everything to a universal cure.
To fill your souls with sugared holes.
To sweeten your thoughts with empty illusions.
"Oh can't you hear" sang the sea goat "the nonsense makes me numb."
"Can't you hear?" sings the sea goat. "The meaningless talk makes me feel dead inside."
"It's near it's clear" sang the sea goat "we live to overcome,
"It's close, it's obvious," sings the sea goat. "We exist to surpass the difficulties of life.
The madman's voice and his nowhere choice,
The insane person's voice and his meaningless actions.
The pain that drains like an endless day of rain."
The agony, like a never-ending rainy day, saps your energy.
The sea goat reads the flight of birds and writes upon the sand;
The sea goat observes the flight of birds and inscribes symbols in the sand.
Gold waterfalls of autumn wheat slip through a pointing hand
The gold-colored waterfalls of wheat in autumn are caught in a pointing hand.
Whose fingers stiff with sentences still beckon to the band
The fingers stiff from writing still call to the musical group.
To play the "Best Foot Forward March" and deafen all the land.
To play music and impact the entire land with its deafening sound.
With hollow words, it's so absurd!
Words full of emptiness and insincerity that are laughable.
"Take your stand" sang the sea goat "the night goes on and on."
"Take your position," sings the sea goat. "The night is infinite and continuous."
"Unwrap your plans" sang the sea goat "tell everyone you've gone
"Reveal your intentions," sings the sea goat. "Tell everyone you're leaving.
To touch the earth and to see the birth
To experience the beginning of life by touching the earth.
The smile, the style down an unspun mile of life."
The joy, the manner, on a path of life that is yet to unfold.
It fills the air! It fills the air!
The song of the sea goat is heard everywhere and fills the atmosphere.
The song of the sea goat shaking in the domes
The song of the sea goat vibrates in the domes.
The song of the sea goat as endlessly he roams,
The never-ending journey of the sea goat through his song.
Between the sunset's crimson veil
In the period when the sun is setting, covered by a red veil.
On smooth grey streets where the drunkard spins his tale.
On the paved, gray roads where the intoxicated person tells their story.
The sea goat sips and hurls his glass along the smoke-filled road
The sea goat sips from his glass and throws the empty container on the smoky road.
Where shuttered snakes of brakeless trains run aching with their load
Where freight trains without brakes, full to the brim, move restlessly like snakes.
Of spring-eyed, tonguetied, wooldyed lads who kiss the L-shaped goad
Of youths with bright eyes, speechless and coated in wool, who embrace the L-shaped goad.
Which soon will smear their uniforms with blood, whitewash & woad.
That will soon stain their clothes with blood, whitewash, and dyed plant.
Damn iron minded, gold braid blinded, officers and gentlemen!
Curse the unyielding-minded, blinded by their golden ribbons, officers and gentlemen!
"God!" sang the sea goat "is always on both sides."
"God!" sings the sea goat. "It's always on both sides."
"Change" sang the sea goat "is constant as the tides
"Change," sings the sea goat. "It's inevitable like the tides.
And this play" sang the sea goat "is strangely synthesised
And this performance," sings the sea goat. "It's mixed and unusual.
When your part of a cast where the first comes last
When you're part of a group where the one who starts last is the first to finish.
Where the east goes west and the sun is burning out
Where the east becomes west and the sun is dying.
And your part of a cast…
And you're part of a group...
Contributed by Annabelle F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bunch Of Tacos
Lyrics :
The sea goat casts Aquarian runes through beads of mirrored tears
Suave pirates words of apricot crawl out of your veneer
Anoint your eyes with Midas' oil and make it still appear
Alladin's lamp is glowing bright transmuting panacea;
To fill your souls with sugared holes
"Oh can't you hear" sang the sea goat "the nonsense makes me numb."
"It's near it's clear" sang the sea goat "we live to overcome
The madman's voice and his nowhere choice
The pain that drains like an endless day of rain."
The sea goat reads the flight of birds and writes upon the sand;
Gold waterfalls of autumn wheat slip through a pointing hand
Whose fingers stiff with sentences still beckon to the band
To play the "Best Foot Forward March" and deafen all the land
With hollow words, it's so absurd!
"Take your stand" sang the sea goat "the night goes on and on."
"Unwrap your plans" sang the sea goat "tell everyone you've gone
To touch the earth and to see the birth
The smile, the style down an unspun mile of life."
It fills the air! It fills the air!
The song of the sea goat shaking in the domes
The song of the sea goat as endlessly he roams
Between the sunset's crimson veil
On smooth grey streets where the drunkard spins his tale
The sea goat sips and hurls his glass along the smoke-filled road
Where shuttered snakes of brakeless trains run aching with their load
Of spring-eyed, tonguetied, wooldyed lads who kiss the L-shaped goad
Which soon will smear their uniforms with blood, whitewash & woad
Damn iron minded, gold braid blinded, officers and gentlemen!
"God!" sang the sea goat "is always on both sides."
"Change" sang the sea goat "is constant as the tides
"And this play" sang the sea goat "is strangely synthesised
When your part of a cast where the first comes last
Where the east goes west and the sun is burning out
And your part of a cast…"
Shirley Pena
This is what a GENUINE poet sounds like, folks. The fact that he also happens to have a truly marvelous singing voice is the icing on the cake.
rosanne damours
This is my favourite song! I love it - I love Peter Sinfield. He is such a poet!
Tonedial
https://www.songsouponsea.com/Promenade/lyrics/lyrics.html
Simone Lola Courville
My brother's song, who died 6 months ago. It talks about Michel's intensity, poetry, his whole life. Tears ! And happiness...
Matthew K. Smith
still beautiful after all these years
Paul Mazel
& do not forget Peter Hamill
Paul Mazel
I concur
660DOHC NK
How beautiful this song is.
Paul Mazel
Who remembers him? Sad story
tony w
I saw Pete Sinfield concert in London 73, supported by PFM; Greg Lake came on stage for Still duet. Wonderful......