Promenade The Puzzle
Premiata Forneria Marconi Lyrics

Lady dancing on a Tulip
A surreal and fantastical image of a woman dancing on a flower, perhaps representing the beautiful and delicate nature of life

Pirouetting in the sunset
The woman is spinning gracefully amidst the beautiful colors of sunset, emphasizing the fleeting, ephemeral quality of such moments

Let me be your next cigarette.
A seductive line implying a desire to be addictive and intimately close to the woman, although also perhaps suggesting the risk and danger of such a relationship

Church bells, played by a penguin
Another surreal image creating an unexpected and humorous contrast between the solemnity of church bells with the comical image of a penguin playing them, perhaps commenting on the absurdity of societal expectations or institutions

Bearded priest who walks like chaplin,
Another humorous and absurd image, combining the seriousness of religious authority with the comedic style of Charlie Chaplin

I must fly like a swallow tonight.
A poetic and wistful expression of a desire to escape or transcend the limitations of one's life

Chinese rice paper poet
An image of a delicate and artistic figure, evoking the beauty of Chinese art and culture

Dips his paintbrush in the silence
Another poetic image, showing the blending of art and contemplation, and perhaps expressing the idea that some things can only be expressed through silence or absence

Of the lake which mirrors the sky.
The poet is drawing inspiration from the reflections of the natural world, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all things and the beauty of nature

Milkmaids waltz around the haystack
An idyllic and pastoral image, evoking traditional and romanticized notions of rural life and simplicity

When the maestro blows his trumpet.
The milkmaids are spurred into motion by the call of music, highlighting the powerful emotional pull of art and the ability of music to inspire and uplift

Bandsmen hammer at the cafe
A more urban and chaotic image, evoking the frenetic nature of modern life and the constant noise and activity of city living

For the gypsy's drawbridge bottle.
The purpose of the bandsmen's playing is unclear, but the image of a gypsy's drawbridge bottle suggests something mystical and exotic, perhaps implying a yearning for escape and adventure

Choir boys pull on the zig-zag
Another abstract and surreal image, emphasizing the strange and unexpected twists and turns of life

Of the monkey's dream piano.
This image combines both humor and metaphor, showing a monkey playing an imaginary piano in its dreams, and perhaps commenting on the illusory nature of our own desires and dreams

Fish eat stolen keys in rivers
Another surreal and obscure image, suggesting a world where fish can consume keys and perhaps emphasizing the unknowable and unexplainable mysteries of life

Where the wooden legs go sailing.
This line further emphasizes the surreal and dreamlike nature of the imagery, showing wooden legs - of whom or what, it is not clear - sailing through the water like a boat

Clocks join hands to dance the polka.
Another humorous and absurd image, showing the inanimate objects of clocks coming to life and joining together in a dance, perhaps hinting at the idea of time and order breaking down and becoming unpredictable

Sweep the carpet under the carpet
An enigmatic and cryptic phrase, suggesting that there is always more hidden beneath the surface, and perhaps implying a need to look deeper or question the status quo

Promenade the Puzzle.
The final line ties together all the surreal and poetic imagery of the song, suggesting that life itself is a puzzle to be explored and solved, and that there is beauty and wonder to be found in the unexpected and unusual