Sequences
and it seems my time has passed
before me until now
in sequences of moments
and now I see this poster
they seem to need me anyway
I'll take the shilling sign
I'll make a positive move
to be an action man
the woman seem to want us to go
and so I can't refuse

so I find myself in a country somewhere
where mayhem's madman minions
all march around a square
unquestioning obedience
is the order of the day
your friends are coloured khaki
and your enemies are grey

The Sergeant-Major's Pep-Talk
"alright my likely lads
you've left your mums and dads, now
our glorious leaders start a war
to protect the 'ole of 'umankind
that's why they always stay be'ind
what d'ya mean
'isn't it wrong to kill?'
not if the top men say so!
where you're going, sonny
general's top chap
next to him you're a small piece of crap
if none of us went out of fight
we'd never prove our side was right
now would we?
attention!"

The Colonel's Pep-Talk
"the front line is a pretty bloody place to be
that's why you go instead of me, now
I'd hate to send you all off thinking
that if you get yours you're going to fret
about your families, so don't
they'll get some lovely souvenirs
a nice bronze plaque
on which will be your name
you'll get free crutches if you end up lame
good god...
'though the numbers of dead
will contain many zeros
the survivors will return
to a land fit for heroes
now would I lie to you?
present arms!"

put next to a young boy
in a knee-deep trench
whose hand even trembles
when he keeps it clenched
we attack tomorrow
in dawn's early light
and as this sinks in
I'm so scared
I can't wait for it and tonight
to be over
it and tonight
to be over

"alright men! over the top we go!"

I can't take it
I can't make it
I trip, strumbling
caught in the barbed wire
amongst the heat
and smoke of the crossfire
it's madness, madness
mad... mad... mad... mad...
mad... mad... mad... madness!
madness!
madness...!

on a station platform
full of stretchered flesh and bone
legacy of how easy it is
to destroy whatever's grown
well maybe there's a reason
that is worthy of a name
just sick illusions
I suppose will happen again

well, next time they ask for men
at least I'm beyond recall
I didn't gain my self-respect
I didn't gain anything at all

I didn't gain my self-respect
I didn't gain anything at all

if hate and war could solve anything
don't you think they'd have solved it
a long time ago?
there's good and evil in all of us
it's up to you alone
which you follow

and I know which is my cause from now on
the only one worth sacrifice
the only one I would have remain
when I'm gone
but I'm not gone... yet!

the flags we weave
only deceive
we must believe
we must believe
in love!
in love!
in love!

Notes
Lyrics written by Geoff Mann
Instrumental versions were released on Skan, The First Tape Album, and
Live At The Target. Geoff wrote the lyrics as soon as 1980, when he was a guest
on stage. Of course he sang it when he joined the band full-time in 1981. The lyrics
changed slightly, as the music did, and the version that was released on Live And Let Live
is the best-known.
That same version was released on the first Collectors Item releases (CD, 2LP, and MC),
but since Cyclops re-issued the Live And Let Live CD, it was decided that for the re-issue
of Collectors Item this song was to be replaced with three unreleased versions.
Andy Sears has sung Sequences several times as well, but soon after only the closing
section was used in a medley as the last song of the evening.