Lyrics Over The Hill - Van Der Graaf Generator

Over The Hill

Let’s recount our history
Our tale of boom and bust
We could talk a good fight on our day
But when we got a hand to play we bit the dust
Now in our threadbare suits we do our duty
Still sold on the pursuit of a common cause
Now let us call to memory such witness as we dare
We built our bridges, burned them down as well
Maybe all we have to tell is off the square
We tried our instant remedies — they didn’t clear the air
Who could foresee how it was bound to end
In a break or in a bend?
We intended well enough…
Oh, but the clock was always counting
The envelope was sealed
And as the pressure’s mounting
Still precious little is revealed
Still, let us speak of comradeship, of how we stood as one
Shoulder to shoulder through the thick and thin
While the roof was caving in;
Although everything begins in good faith
For all our sins we’ll all end up being skinned
And now there’s nowhere left to run to, there’s nowhere left to hide
We’re strapped in and we’re gunning for the roller-coaster ride
If we’re living our lives as though God’s at our shoulders
If we’re giving of our best, by an effort of will
Then we’ll be up for the test
We’ll never know when we’re over the hill
Here comes then bit where we decide no passengers come on this ride —
Civilians, the broken-hearted, need not apply
I count to a thousand and ten, I keep my eyes tight shut and then
Unsteadily count the numbers back down again
Head on into the wind, on a heavenly mission
Try to play with the spin while we burn in our hearts;
Although we know we’ll never win we’re still learning our lessons in the dark
There’s no choice here to make, there’s no easier decision
Than to stand up, stand straight and to give it a try
And there’s no time for hesitation as the stations of our lives are passing by
Heads up and face front as brother to brother
Time to come to the call if we’re true to how we were
Because at last and after all we’ve given each other our words
If we live out our lives as though God’s sat at our shoulders
If we give of our best and then give some more still
Press on, with no pause for breath
Then we’ll see each other over the hill
Now if we speak of distances we’re only covering old ground:
What’s done is done and if we have become of worth at all
We’ll hope to see things in the round
Let’s close the book on history and keep it safe and sound
While we’ve been moving forward to our goals
We have done as we have told
So the story’s closed behind us
And the countdown comes in backwards
That much was always clear
So when it reaches zero our heroes disappear