The first track of the band’s 1973 album ‘Selling England by the Pound’, ‘Dancing with the Moonlit Knight’ is a blend of early 70’s progressive rock and English folk music which characterised a number of Gabriel’s songs in this period.
Lyrically, the song is often interpreted as an elegy for a lost...
[Intro]
"Can you tell me where my country lies?"
Said the unifaun to his true love's eyes
"It lies with me!" cried the Queen of Maybe
For her merchandise, he traded in his prize
[Verse 1]
"Paper late!" cried a voice in the crowd
"Old man dies!"
The note he left was signed "Old Father Thames"
It seems he's drowned
Selling England by the pound
[Verse 2]
Citizens of Hope and Glory
Time goes by, it's the time of your life
Easy now, sit you down
Chewing through your Wimpy dreams
They eat without a sound
Digesting England by the pound
[Pre-Chorus]
Young man says, "You are what you eat," eat well
Old man says, “You are what you wear,” wear well
You know what you are, you don't give a damn
Bursting your belt that is your homemade sham
[Chorus]
The Captain leads his dance right on
Through the night, join the dance
Follow on till the Grail sun sets in the mould
Follow on till the gold is cold
Dancing out with the moonlit knight
Knights of the Green Shield stamp and shout
[Instrumental Break]
[Pre-Chorus]
There's a fat old lady outside the saloon
Laying out the credit cards, she plays Fortune
The deck is uneven right from the start
And all of their hands are playing a part
[Chorus]
The Captain leads his dance right on
Through the night, join the dance
Follow on, a Round Table-talking down we go
You're the show, off we go with—
[Bridge]
You play the hobby-horse
I'll play the fool
We'll tease the bull
Ringing round diddle loud, loud diddle round
[Chorus]
Follow on with a twist of the world we go
Follow on till the gold is cold
Dancing out with the moonlit knight
Knights of the Green Shield stamp and shout
[Instrumental Outro]
Dancing with the Moonlit Knight was written by Peter Gabriel & Mike Rutherford & Tony Banks & Steve Hackett & Phil Collins.
Dancing with the Moonlit Knight was produced by Genesis & John Burns.
Genesis released Dancing with the Moonlit Knight on Sat Oct 13 1973.