Hillside Philosophers (acoustic)

Lyrics:

© WanHu
Back in the old days, in AD33, on a hill in Galilee,
they tried
To satisfy their wonderment at the entire Cosmic firmament
They say those ancient mystics never lied
They thought they had some answers, that lovely bunch of chancers,
In a book of shepherds' fantasies
From the first and the previous centuries
Love your neighbour as yourself
Always turn the other cheek.
The Earth will be left to the meek.
Much to their Roman overlords' surprise.

The hillside philosophers of Old Galilee
Said "love everybody, both your friends and enemies
But pray for those who persecute.
Some other rules were absolute:
Focus attention on all that is real
Be honest and truthful, don’t lie and don’t steal
Don’t worship relics of fabric or stone
Don’t kill, zip your trousers, you don’t need an iphone

Take a day off, be nice to the 'rents
Pay reasonable taxes to a reasonable Government"

All that was written in AD33
Great words of wisdom from antiquity
But for two thousand years our knowledge has grown
I'd like to suggest a few rules of my own
Don't pour your plastic and shit in the rivers
Inherited wealth should be banished forever
Don't worship greed and excessive consumption
Don’t pay your footballers more than your surgeons.


The Hillside Philosophers of Old Galilee
Would be slack jawed in wonder at our technology,
Energies, lights, and subtle vibrations,
In frequencies new to our hearing and vision
But if you feel that you’re part of a much bigger picture
Trust in the science, not in archaic scripture.
This is a universe that's changing and cooking
Just ask Jimmy Webb how that firmament's looking
It shows any Synod or Islamic Caliphate
The source of all life is suspiciously planet shaped
The hillside philosophers of old Galilee
Said love everybody
That's good enough for me.
© W Ian Young (WanHu) October 2021, revised June 2023