Over The Hill - Van Der Graaf Generator

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