Rick Wakeman  1975


WHOSO PULLETH OUT THIS
SWORD FROM THIS STONE
AND ANVIL, IS THE TRUE-
BORN KING OF ALL BRITAIN


ARTHUR
======

Upon a New Year's day
A host of knights did pray
That from the anvil one could draw the sword.

As each knight took his turn
They found the anvil, held it firm;
None worthy of a future King and Lord.

Sir Kay the bravest knight
Appeared to try his might
He dreamed of being King, as all the rest
To Arthur Sir Kay called to search
And bring for him a sword
In earnest Arthur set about his quest.

A churchyard in the wood
The sword and anvil stood
And Arthur drew the sword out of the stone
The anvil now defeated
His quest for the sword completed
A sword that was to place him on the throne
A sword that was to place him on the throne.

Sir Hector and Sir Kay saw the sword
And knelt to pray
Then gently took it from young Arthur's hand
They marvelled at his quest
Proclaiming to the rest
Arthur is the King of all this land
Arthur the King of all this land.


LADY OF THE LAKE
================

An arm clothed in white Samite
>From out the quiet water
I am the lady of the lake
Come take my sword
Wear it by your side.


GUINEVERE
=========

Love me my Guinevere
In my court, Please be near
While our realm is dying
And brave knights are crying
Stay close by my side.

Lancelot felt no fear
Loved his king's Guinevere
All his love he gave her
Fought through quests to save her
Love, showing the way.

Guinevere
Golden tresses shining in the air
Spread against the Jasper sea.

Sorrow beheld her face
False love supplying grace
Knowing Arthur's fights
And his trusted knights
Meant more than his Queen.

Guinevere
Golden tresses shining in the air
Spread against the Jasper sea.

Love me my Guinevere
In my court, Please be near
While our realm is dying
And brave knights are crying
Stay close by my side.

Guinevere
Golden tresses shining in the air
Spread against the Jasper sea.


SIR LANCELOT AND THE BLACK KNIGHT
=================================

Fight  fight  fight  fight
Excalibur the sword of right
Lancelot you rise a knight
Many quests will soon be fought
To win your place in Arthur's court.

Go to waste land if you dare
Lure the Black Knight from his lair
Fight and kill the evil man
Rid his evil from our land.

Kneeling in prayer, Lancelot gave the knight
Knowing to save the waste land he must fight
Eager to kill all those who came his way
He must stay
He must fight
The Black Knight, The Black Knight.
Fight  fight  fight  fight.

Fight  fight  fight fight
The dawn approaches, clearing sky
Very soon a knight must die
Black Knight towering on his horse
Struck Lancelot with fearsome force.

Lancelot held fast his ground
Then struck the Black Knight to the ground
Leapt from his horse and then he smote
A single thrust and pierced his throat.

Answer my prayers, help me to save this land
Guide me by truth laid down by Arthur's hand
Evil is gone, only good we shall see
Victory
In this land
By God's hand
By God's hand.


MERLIN THE MAGICIAN
===================

By Wart the King of Merlin
Struck foot most far before us
His birds and beasts supply our feast
And his feats our glorious chorus.

Never shall man take me hence
But only he by whose side
I ought to hang  and he shall
Be the best knight in the world.


SIR GALAHAD
===========

Taken from the castle feast
To an abbey in the East
Three knights stood in pride as one
Lancelot beheld his son.

Arthur's court he bade him come
Galahad his bastard son
Battles soon for him to fight
Blessed his youthful son a knight.

Arthur and the knights marvelous stone
Floating upon the river alone
Pointing from the rock
The sword shining bright
Glittering jewels, shimmering light.

Pull me, pull me, pull me, pull me.

Gawain first he tried to draw from the stone
To wear by his side
Each knight took his turn
Brave to the last
Faced with the sword remaining fast.

Arthur called a knight young Galahad
Saw in his sheath no sword he had
Took him where the sword
Held by the stone
Offered him there to make it his own.

Pull me, pull me, pull me, pull me.

He fell on his knees
to pull out the hilt
And drew it with ease
The dolorous stroke it was struck with pride
The sword it was hung by Sir Gawain's side.


THE LAST BATTLE
===============

Gone are the days of the knights
Of the Round Table and fights
Gallant men softly crying
Brave armies dying
The last battle soon to be lost.

Hearing of great civil war
Saxons to Britain did pour
>From the North and the East
Arthur's knights' death to feast
The last battle soon to be lost.

Come life or death Arthur cried
Mordred the traitor he spyed
Smote him into the ground
Where he fell without sound
And in rage lunged at Arthur who fell.

Gone are the days of the knights
Of the Round Table and fights
Of the realm of King Arthur
Peace ever after
Gone are the days of the knights.


SIR HECTOR, SIR HORS, SIR BLAMOUR AND SIR BLEOBORIS THE ONLY
SURVIVING KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE, ENDED THEIR DAYS AFTER A
PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND; SOON AFTER THE SAXONS CONQUERED ALL
OF BRITAIN AND THE REALM OF LOGRES WAS OVER.  MANY BELIEVED THAT
ARTHUR WOULD RETURN TO RE-ESTABLISH THE HOLY REALM OF LOGRES AND
SAVE BRITAIN IN THE HOUR OF ITS DEADLIEST DANGER.

ABOUT THE YEAR 1200 THE MONKS OF GLASTONBURY DISCOVERED THE BONES
OF ARTHUR BURIED NEAR TO THOSE OF GUINEVERE.

BENEATH THE COFFIN, A STONE INLAID WITH A LEADEN CROSS BORE THE
LATIN INSCRIPTION: 'HERE LIES KING ARTHUR IN HIS TOMB
WITH GUINEVERE HIS WIFE IN THE ISLE OF AVALON