Not sure of genre. This is kind of a prog-rock/musical theatre hybrid. (-:
(Song #5 in a 5-song sci-fi prog-rock suite.)
Music/arrangement/instrumentation/male vocals: Billy Playle
Female vocals: Monique French
Lyrics & narration: Donna Devine
DON'T LOOK BACK
INTRO (narrated)
Life on earth is no longer sustainable.
It is forbidden to bear children beyond the year 2080.
If a woman falls pregnant, she has two choices: abort the child or have it taken from her at the age of three and sent to a colony in deep space.
There the child will be taught to survive in an alien environment.
The child will never see earth or its birth mother again, but will become a citizen, a pioneer, perhaps a leader in a New OffWorld Order. Whatever memories the child takes with him or her will determine the kind of person the child becomes.
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(woman’s voice)
V1
The big ship is humming
Its doors will soon close
Come here, wipe your tears
Oh you’re breaking my heart
Straight ahead, little one
Make those little feet run
While I stay here to grieve
Soon homeworld will vanish
With the lies we believed
Pre-chorus (suggest with harmonies)
Don’t look back
Don’t look back
Don’t look back
Chorus
But I hope you’ll remember
The delicate sheen
Of a butterfly’s wing
The purr of a kitten
Fragrant roses in spring
A fierce foaming sea
Running barefoot in rain
The taste of sweet berries
A soft kiss goodnight
…And a memory of me
(Musical interlude. Child's voice in background,
maybe learning new language.)
(Man’s voice)
V2
I arrived in a spacecraft
When I was just three
And I grew and I learned
And somehow became wise
First I taught, then commanded
The New World expanded
As the years peeled away
And now I’ve grown old
Under alien skies
Bridge
And although I’ve forgotten
Oh, so many things
At times in a dream
A woman’s voice sings
(woman’s voice)
Pre-chorus
Don’t look back
Don’t look back
Don’t look back
Chorus (male&female harmony)
But I hope you’ll remember
The delicate sheen
Of a butterfly’s wing
The purr of a kitten
Fragrant roses in spring
A fierce foaming sea
Running barefoot in rain
The taste of sweet berries
A soft kiss goodnight
…And a memory of me
Tag
Don’t look back
(And a memory of me)
Don’t look back
© 2012 Donna Devine (lyrics) & Billy Playle (music/arrangement/instrumentation)