The Emperor in his War-Room

 

Em(+d)/e Em(+c)/c Em/b Emsus4/a Em/e G/b F/a Em/g

Stan - ding in the space that holds the silent lace of night

 

away from you

 

Em(+d) Em(+c) Em Emsus4 Em G F Em

You think that you can hold the searing, molten gold between

 

your fingers

 

but it slips through, tea - ring tendons as it goes,

 

exposing the white of a knu - ckle:

 

flesh-and-metal forming letters in the mould.

 

 

 

 

Cradling your gun, after choosing the ones you think should die;

lying on the hill, crawling over the windowsill into your

living-room

They stare out, glass-eyed aimless heads, bodies torn by vultures.

You are the man whose hands are rank with the smell of death.

 

 

{ Em Asus4 Am G } These chords and notes are played

together twice

{ e d c b d c b c a b c g a b a g }

 

{ Em Asus4 Am G } { Em Asus4 Am G

}

{ e d c b d c b c a b c g a b a g } { e d c b d c b c a b c g a b

a g}

Saviour of the Fallen, Protector of the Weak,

 

{ Em Asus4 Am G } { Em Asus4 Am G

}

{ e d c b d c b c a b c g a b a g } { e d c b d c b c a b c g a b

a g}

Friend of the Tall Ones, Keeper of the Peace!

 

Ah, but it is the only way you know.

 

 

Looking out to sea, a flattened plane of weeds which bear no living

You crush life in your fist as your heart is kissed by the lips of death

Ghosts betray you, ghosts betray you,

in the night they steal your eye from its socket

and the ball hangs fallen on your cheek.

Complaining tongues are stilled;

a thousand mouths are filled with rusting metal.

Your face a shade of green, somehow you try to speak

through all the garbage in your mouth

but it won't come out and you cannot frame the words

as your stepson throws your fame into the flames

and you are burned.

 

 

Saviour of the Fallen, Protector of the Weak,

Friend of the Tall Ones, Keeper of the Peace!

Ah, but it is the only way you know.

 

 

(The Room)

 

BRIDGE: The bridge starts with drums, next bass and organ enter, and then Fripp

guitar solo goes.

The main sequence for this bridge, as well as for the next four lines is {a b E,

a b a D E}.

 

Live by sword and you shall die so,

 

all your power shall come to nought,

 

every life you take is part of your own:

 

death, not power, is what yo - u've bought.

 

 

SOLO: Built on the above section chords, it continues in { a b E a b

d(low) D E }, and towards the end it ends up with

{ a b E a b d d c# d c# d c# d c# }, and finally { d c# E

a b d(low) D Em }.

 

 

Em(+d)/e Em(+c)/c Em/b Emsus4/a Em/e G/b F/a

Em/g

Crin - ging in your room as ("now" in the album) the outriders

of doom

 

step on the ("your" in the album) threshold;

 

Em(+d)/e Em(+c)/c Em/b Emsus4/a Em/e G/b F/a Em/g

beg - ging for your life as the impartial knife

 

sinks in your screaming flesh

 

with- out malice, mere-ly taking murder's toll.

 

You must pay the price of hate and that price is your soul.

 

{ same section in curly brackets as above } x3

 

Live in peace or die forever in your war-room.