The Riddle & The Spyglass (feat. Joel the Custodian, DJ Núcleo, Zaeb Dust, Mike Nicholson, Ade, Eliot Best, Joanna Karselis, Tafara Gukuta, Marlita Hill, DJ Mylz & Elizabeth J. Birch)
Barrowclough
Alternative Rap
1
Kredyty
PERFORMING ARTISTS
Barrowclough
Rap
Joel the Custodian
Rap
DJ Núcleo
DJ
Zaeb Dust
Rap
Tafara Gukuta
Rap
Marlita Hill
Spoken Word
DJ Mylz
DJ
Andy Gordon
Background Vocals
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Eliot Best
Songwriter
Elizabeth J. Birch
Songwriter
Jonathan Mellor
Songwriter
Joel Wilson
Songwriter
Michael Nicholson
Songwriter
Adrian Firth
Songwriter
Jo Cogle
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Zaeb Dust
Producer
Mike Nicholson
Producer
Ade
Producer
Eliot Best
Producer
Joanna Karselis
Producer
Elizabeth J. Birch
Producer
Tekst Utworu
Even in the dim light of the cave, it sparkled,
Just as you might imagine it would
All it took was a gentle caress. And then
Purple clouds. The smell of sulphur. The sound of countless birds taking flight.
And there he was. The genie.
The man stepped away from the lamp in amazement
Eventually, he composed himself
I just want it all to make sense, he squeaked
The only response he received was a fierce glare
But just as he was about to turn and run
The genie reached down to him and handed him an object
A brass spyglass
Then he spoke
I'm aging effortlessly
I'm a gin expert
I'm a djinn
I, Magi, never settle
I'm again expressing myself
I'm a djinn
And then he disappeared
And then he disappeared
I know my wish adhered to the code so yeah man this is weird
I've tried tugging a wizard's beard
Sipping on lizard's tears
But there's just children's toys and riddles here
So I returned to my daily routine
Convinced myself I was just awake from a dream
I'm a horologist, working in my faded blue jeans
And if it's got cogs or gears, I'll repair your machine, ya know
Whatever the problem with the engine is, I'll mend it quick
I'm well equipped, my fingertips are sensitive
They say I'm nifty with a set of callipers. And they're correct
Any wristwatch for under 20 quid
But sometimes I get presented with something more complex
An atomic clock becomes a bomb threat
And that's the kind of project on today's todolist
And I'm not in the mood and the right tools aren't in my toolkit
I need a break- a cup of coffee and a piece of cake
Reach into my bag for my set of keys and I feel a shape
That make me take a breath and break a sweat, I wait a sec
Before I place the strange object before my face and stare straight at it
Cylindrical.
Lens at both ends
Better take a look
It's like shattered stained glass that sails past in fractured frames
Ask my hyperactive brain to stay parked
Then change fast
Fast lane surpassed
Past, present and future
At the speed of a super computer, recast
It's rebooting beautifully
But no binary numbers or minor keys
Just primary colours
Reminding me of childhood summers
Reminding me of my 9 year old brother
Recombining memories, realigning energies
Reminding me of the broken window shards in the old church cemetery
Short circuiting circles, turning triangles to trapezia
Gold is not a colour, it's a glove- synaesthesia
Beads of sweat: Christological, mixed media
The fortune teller's escaping from her caravan
A gallon of Temazepam taken in a dream of Amsterdam
Reminding me of the magic man
Who they had to ban for summoning the wrath of Khan
Experiments on prisoners in Azkaban just expand
From layer upon layer of luminous quartz and emeralds
The soothsayers asked for prayer. Run and tell the general
We're all in a coloured state of grace
Woah! That's a cool kaleidoscope
Put the pieces back together like Pegasus
A choose your own adventure in your own book of Genesis
But it all falls apart if you see where the horse ends and the wings begin
That's the thing
I see faces in the cloud formations
If allowed more patience
I could probably find you
It's just a matter of reconfiguration
Every feat of innovation
Symphony or haiku
Why you and I move our eyes through the skies
To devise new horizons, I haven't got a clue
But try use a rhino or bison to find
New alignments of truth while confined in the zoo
Put the pieces back together like Pegasus
You can make anything fly. Now, that's a clever trick
But it all falls apart if you see where the horse ends and the wings begin
That's the thing
It was all a bit overwhelming for the horologist
He held the spyglass out in front of him and turned it over and over
He considered giving it another try but decided it against it and thrust it back in his bag
He applied himself to his cake and cup of coffee but
Try as he might, he couldn't take his mind off the magical scope
And more than that, the genie related implications that came with it
Perhaps he could forget the whole thing
All he needed to do was get his head down
Get back into his groove
Get back to what he did best
I need to get back to what I do best
I need to get back to what I do best
I need to get back to what I do best
I need to get back to what I do best
And what's that?
I'm all about the ratchet springs and the mainspring barrel
Was destined to fail till I became a natural
All fingers and thumbs, the guild were not impressed
Rusty tools and a wobbly desk. Man! What a mess
I didn't know my rack hook from my strike flirt
But now I consider keeping time as my life's work
If it's brand new or second hand
If it's got a second hand, you won't find a better man
Yeah, I'm precise, you have to pay me by the minute
I love the smell of brake solution, I'm fascinated by the physics
So, when my friends were shooting water pistols
I was extracting energy from quartz crystals
I need to get back to what I do best
I need to get back to what I do best
Cos I'm the best at what I do best
At my best doing what I do best
Yeah, there've been set backs, you've probably guessed
But I'm a get back to what I do best
I need to get back to what I do best
I need to get back to what I do best
Ah. It's all so regular
It's beautifully predictable
It's all so consistent
And, of course, it's measurable
But not everything with hands and a face
Comes fresh out the box and packed in a case
Trouble shooting guide and a manual
Replaceable parts from reputable brand or a make
But you can't let the little things stand in your way
Like expanding galaxies, gravity's weight
Making time an illusion or phantom, they say
Then how'm I supposed to map out my day?
How'm I supposed to steady this ship
When the compass is faulty, the message encrypted?
Entering darkness, enveloped in mist
I just want to know what makes everything tick
I just want to know what makes everything tick
I just want to know what makes everything tick
I just want to know what makes everything tick
I just want to know what makes everything tick
But here in my workshop, I'm not concerned
Those words are not heard
The hands turn
The wheels spin
The bells chime
The clocks work
Like clockwork
Every time
Every single time
I need to get back to what I do best
I need to get back to what I do best
Cos I'm the best at what I do best
At my best doing what I do best
Yeah, there've been set backs, you've probably guessed
But I'm a get back to what I do best
Cos I'm the best at what I do best
I need to get back to what I do best
Some play left back
Sing descant
Give med packs
In the West Bank
Serve fresh snacks
In chef's hats
To ex-pats
Some set traps
For pests that
Infest flats
Some Check facts or
Skip tax
Bake bread baps
I get back to what I do best
For a few moments, it almost felt like things had returned to normal
At least, that was until the visitor arrived
Hello. Helloo. Hellooo
Great, okay hold on. Coming. Coming
Hello sir. How can I help you?
I'm here on behalf of the masters from Belleview
I must say your inventory has a glorious smell too
Well, that would be the mildew
Now, what do you want me to sell you?
As you know, there's standards of practice we're held to
That's true
And actually, contractually, I'm here to help you?
Well, Belleview may pay you a generous fee
But why question my efficacy?
My, my, now you're messing with me
No, just provide me with the letters I need and we're good
In time, we'll get there inevitably
In time? By then, I'll be 73
Well, I'm aging effortlessly
Magpie, you're hiding your treasure from me
What? Run that back. Before the treasure, before the magpie
Have I ever had the pleasure? I mean, have we ever met?
Ah, forget it. Whatever, I'm being pathetic
Pig headed. Let me start again. I know you're not the bad guy
No, I'm neither Agent Smith or Thatcher
Goddess Athena, we both brushed past her
We're masters, reverse effects of disasters
Take a Tick, tick. Till its what? till it's faster
Precision is pure alabaster
And George had to tune up his Rosewood Telecaster
Who's George? Harrison. For Comparison
The tiniest tools set the rules for the arrogant
They dismiss the twelve jewels of the Saracens
Those young and restless fools- how embarrassing!
This is music to my ears. Pull up a seat! Take a load off!
Let's drink to it! To Athena! To Dionysus! To Kronos!
You know what? I've got this single malt to make your head hurt
I'm not that keen on whiskey, but I'm a gin expert
Wait, you're an expert in gin? And you age without effort?
I don't suppose you also live in a lamp in the desert?
Yeah. And I'm not here to inspect your stock of timepieces
I seek a projector. A projector? My thesis
Is the treasure you harbour needs some configuration
Callibration, if you want your wish's validation. That's amazing
There's numerous ways to hold a cylinder
A spyglass can bypass giants or miniatures
Remove all pins, apply vinegar
Okay, you mean a bit like this? With the whole pipe cylinder
The switch here provides ligature. Then click and switch
And voila we can see villagers
But what? That village is miles away
To get there, I'd have to drive all day
Dude, this kaleidoscope's kind of wild I'd say
It's not that kind of scope, I'm afraid
Not a kaleidoscope?
It's not a new lens, it's a ripe old age
Well, what kind of scope is it?
And this grip, it's styled in suede
Is it? This is absolute simplicity. Oh my goodness
Sir, I bid you farewell
Where've you gone? No
I guess it could be some kind of super telescope
Yeah, that's likely, a super telescope
Cos with a quick wipe of the glass
I fiddle a bit with the focus
With a quick wipe of the glass
Fiddle with the focus and the lights start to sparkle
With a quick wipe of the glass
Fiddle with the focus and the lights start to sparkle
With a quick wipe of the glass
Fiddle with the focus and the lights start to sparkle
All through this lens
With a quick wipe of the glass
Fiddle with the focus and the lights start to sparkle
All through this lens
With a quick wipe of the glass
Fiddle with the focus and the lights start to sparkle
I'm Odysseus tied to the mast
I'm the kid at Christmas ripping apart the parcel
1st world seen with
2nd sight
3rd eye spies
4 Horsemen set to ride
5th dimension entered through the
6th sense
7th seal broken
8th wonder of the world
All through this lens
1st world seen with
2nd sight
3rd eye spies
4 Horsemen set to ride
5th dimension entered through the
6th sense
7th seal broken
8th wonder of the world
All through this lens
Keeping confines of matter but
In the end, why's it even matter?
Within the palms and in the codes
All I see is dust and bone
I stare into the ether
I find myself craving the answers
Just a glimpse
Says our souls- there's a longing just to know
Can we see the other side with only our minds eye?
If we're alive, it might be in sight
But can we fight the urge
The nagging need to long to comprehend the beyond?
1st world seen with
2nd sight
3rd eye spies
4 Horsemen set to ride
5th dimension entered through the
6th sense
7th seal broken
8th wonder of the world
All through this lens
1st world seen with
2nd sight
3rd eye spies
4 Horsemen set to ride
5th dimension entered through the
6th sense
7th seal broken
8th wonder of the world
All through this lens
With a quick wipe of the glass
Fiddle with the focus and the lights start to sparkle
I'm Odysseus tied to the mast
I'm the kid at Christmas ripping apart the parcel
Yeah. I'm looking for a world above the moon
Don't understand the words but I love the tune
The Thunder booms, that's where I turn my head to
stare at the centre of the sun at noon
There's no abstract geometry
Space and time collide, no apology
We all shrank bank from novelty. No apology
Standing on a land mass, there's not a sea
The fruit hangs so that hands can grasp from the tree
Eyes open but jam packed with honesty. Honestly
I'm hoping to stand back and listen while the band never stops the beat
Every sword lies broken and there's not one eye on a screen
I'm looking for a place where there's no dimmer switches
Cover up of hidden glitches cos it's all in the light
I'm looking for a place where everyone is joining forces
Whether they're the hare or tortoise, Jonah or the Ninevites
I'm looking for a place where it's not perilous
To swim with jellyfish and fly Pegasus to distant heights
I'm looking for a place where all the entropy is ended
All is mended- you can step in the same river twice
While some may still dismiss
Their scope as it's twisted
I insist- there's more to this
Yeah there sure is
So I'm all eyes, all ears
Rid of all lies, all fears
Where the all wise source is
And it's all wild orchids
With a quick wipe of the glass
Fiddle with the focus and the lights start to sparkle
I'm Odysseus tied to the mast
I'm the kid at Christmas ripping apart the parcel
With the tools at our disposal
Let's wield what we are blessed with
And we'll see through this lens
1st world seen with
2nd sight
3rd eye spies
4 Horsemen set to ride
5th dimension entered through the
6th sense
7th seal broken
8th wonder of the world
All through this lens
1st world seen with
2nd sight
3rd eye spies
4 Horsemen set to ride
5th dimension entered through the
6th sense
7th seal broken
8th wonder of the world
All through this lens
1st world seen with
2nd sight
3rd eye spies
4 Horsemen set to ride
5th dimension entered through the
6th sense
7th seal broken
8th wonder of the world
All through this lens
1st world seen with
2nd sight
3rd eye spies
4 Horsemen set to ride
5th dimension entered through the
6th sense
7th seal broken
8th wonder of the world
All through this lens
He could get used to this
The genie was right
It wasn't a kaleidoscope
It probably wasn't a telescope either
But what was it?
His curiosity got the better of him
And he put the spyglass to his eye yet again
Turn to my left and look down the M40
To my right: Alpha Centauri
Just ahead- my friends Malcolm and Rory
Who live just south of Missouri
A crowd of Bengalis
Mountains of strawberries
A hover of trout in the North Sea
I'm the all seeing eye, I can see everything
I'm the all seeing eye, I can see everything
I'm the all seeing eye
Well, this all amounts to sensory overstimulation
of the kind that is bound to end poorly
It's like I'd been locked in without a door key
So make my escape by jumping out the tenth storey
And of course that would be the end of story
Is this a memento mori or some sort of rebirth?
Hmm I'm going to need to do some research
put the spyglass down and quickly finish off the week's work
I'm the all seeing eye
Two hour's later, I'm in the library
With a book in front of me but not the type I usually like to read
An enormous encyclopaedia of about 2000 pages, weighing like 25kg
I heave it open, read it, hoping that in these leaves is spoken something to enlighten me
I see a staggering variety
Of spectacles, collectibles- from Rio to the China seas
Some pieces hand carved out of walrus ivory
Or bejewelled with diamonds mined in the Bermudan islands
Picture after picture until finally
There it is: a double page spread that I review in silence
I can see everything
The roots of my spyglass lie in the 5th dynasty
Passed down through a fellowship of who they say, their style was free
Then began a tale of great rivalry
One emperor was struck by it, bludgeoned to death by his bride to be
It re-emerged in a slum in Shaolin
Before vanishing without a trace in 1893
It represents a lost culture's aesthetic
The metal casing's ultramagnetic
And on the flat edge is a string of hieroglyphics
Only known to native tongues. It's slightly cryptic
The scope can only be wielded by the gifted
In the right hands, it flips modes if it's lightly twisted
The first mode allows for reconfigurations
The Second- let's you see to distant places
But that's not it. Mode 3 is the greatest
Let's you look inside an object, to perceive its hidden nature
And with that, I slam the book shut
Look the scope up and down, I'm not entirely sure what
Any of this means, but there's an easy shortcut
Let's see what this baby can do. Ha
Turn to my left, I see the skulls behind your faces
To my right, well, some of you look naked
Just ahead, I see the forms from between the spaces
That underpin the basics
The thunder in the grey mist
Numbers in the matrix
Bugs down in the basement
I'm the all seeing eye, I can see everything
I'm the all seeing eye, I can see everything
I'm the all seeing eye
As you are probably aware, I have received into my possession an item of great worth
A spectacular, retractible
Collapsible, extendible, cylindrical scope
And I kinda like it
I got used to the pouring rain
I'll put my umbrella up when it falls again
I got used to the blades of grass
I used to know them all by name. Yeah!
I got used to the arches of bridges
To the cats chasing after the pigeons
To the glowing witchcraft in our fridges
And you ask, "sir, are you religious?"
To the squeal of the door on its hinges
The brightening of the secret life of things
It's Camelot and we all live like we're kings
Wide eyes like I got punched hard in the midriff
And I hear that word from Gethsemane
The one before pray that I blocked from my memory
Sometimes just got to stop in serenity
Shut your mouth and watch
There's galaxies in the grains of wood
The city's best graffiti in my neighbourhood
I'm not saying it's bad, I'm not saying it's good
But it's all enchanted. (All enchanted)
There's galaxies in the grains of wood
Plastic bags grow on trees in my neighbourhood
I'm not saying it's bad, I'm not saying it's good
But it's all enchanted. (All enchanted)
I got my inside out
I let the outside in
When standing upside down
I see the world is blazing
I got my inside out
I let the outside in
When standing upside down
I see the world is blazing
Buried deep in the furthest recesses
Of the hyphen that does not exist in the word nowhere
Crouched round the fire are three tiny priestesses
Muttering about adding an eighth band to the rainbow
What is it? I'll give you three guesses
Animal? Vegetable? Mineral? No
Mandible? Tentacle? Vestigial growth? No
To see the ephemeral glow
Collapsible, extendible, cylindrical scope
Every cause, every effect is a miracle
How did I forget all the movements in the
ritual?
How did I get used to chance and serendipity?
Grew too accustomed to the smell of the patisserie
Ignored the warnings about spells and magicians
In a world where balloons create static electricity
Grubs up. There's a feast in the streets. Drink deep from the well
Me and the world's like beast and his belle
But I feel underwhelmed
I want to feel the wind on my cheeks like a prisoner just released from her cell
Inside out
Upside down
Inside out
Upside down
There's galaxies in the grains of wood
The Whisperer's been weeping in my neighbourhood
I'm not saying it's bad, I'm not saying it's good
But it's all enchanted
There's galaxies in the grains of wood
Kids wheelie no hands in my neighbourhood
I'm not saying it's bad, I'm not saying it's good
But it's all enchanted. (All enchanted)
There's galaxies in the grains of wood
It never stops snowing in my neighbourhood
I'm not saying it's bad, I'm not saying it's good
But it's all enchanted. (All enchanted)
There's galaxies in the grains of wood
There's a parliament of owls in my neighbourhood
I'm not saying it's bad, I'm not saying it's good
But it's all enchanted. (All enchanted)
There's galaxies in the grains of wood
Queen Boudicca's buried in my neighbourhood
I'm not saying it's bad, I'm not saying it's good
But it's all enchanted. (All enchanted)
I got my inside out
I let the outside in
When standing upside down
I see the world is blazing
I got my inside out
I let the outside in
When standing upside down
I see the world is blazing
I got my inside out
I let the outside in
When standing upside down
I see the world is blazing
I got my inside out
I let the outside in
When standing upside down
I see the world is blazing
There's galaxies in the grains of wood
Guillotines lock in my neighbourhood
I'm not saying it's bad, I'm not saying it's good
But it's all enchanted
There's galaxies in the grains of wood
I can spy the two towers from my neighbourhood
I'm not saying it's bad, I'm not saying it's good
But it's all enchanted
I see the world is blazing
I see the world is blazing
Well, that was a trip
He stumbled out of the library and staggered down the street
Clutching his bag tightly to his chest
He was all over of the place
In fact he was so discombobulated that he didn't notice the homeless man
Until he almost tripped over him
He looked harmless enough
In fact he seemed like quite a jolly fellow
He was singing to himself
And the more he listened
The more compelled he felt to join in
Hey, I was looking for something today
Feelings are fleets wash away
I was looking for something today
all right all right all right
Alright mate I'm looking for a place to dream
Oh, oh I'm sorry man, I haven't got the change you need
Boom or bust, your dust is all the same to me
Okay. Okay, no beef. I'm just tryna get from A to B
That's a shame indeed. Come on! Why don't you come and take a seat?
Well basically I've got no place to be
Well then it's great to meet you
I guess that goes for me too but, no offence, I might just wait and see
But you look like you've got something on your mind, so go on say your piece
No eye could stay serene within the might of the machine
The plight of violence ripped at seams so rose to fly the skies of dreams
Defy the tyrants, we're the makers of the sweetest type of treats
The mind's the enjine and the carpet
Any takers for these deeds?
From impossible arrangements the most beautiful patterns
Each song story poem every single loving moment
A tantalised excitement for memories that haven't happened
In between insanity and insaaniyat, that magic canon
These fairies whisper more than tales, fantastical fanatics
Neural pathways promise portals liquid mist intergalactic
It's a habit imagine: build these world's inside the mental
Just be gentle
Man! All this sounds so monumental
Hey, I was looking for something today
feelings are fleets wash away
Looking for something today
all right all right all right
Hey, I was looking for something today
feelings are fleets wash away
Looking for something today
all right all right all right
You're right, mate. This is what I needed in the right way
Recently things been pressing in like a migraine
Used to think talk like yours was just mind games
But I'm starting to see that the brain is like a biplane
You need both sides working properly to fly straight
Without poetry, philosophy's so lightweight
Heed the prophecy, mythology or die in vain
Man, you got a way with words, by the way, what's your name?
I'm Magi
Where you from?
Never settled somewhere special but I guess I mostly find the desert residential
The desert? D'you live in a tent or a Kenyan temple?
No, my preference would be for a vessel made from weathered metal
Well, I guess anywhere's as good as anywhere else
Indeed. And I'm again expressing myself
What? Oh, I see, my friend
Magi who's never settled
Clock mender
Yeah, we meet again
And you owe me a wish
Before you vanish in a puff of smoke and blow me a kiss
You want the world to make sense- that's what you told me?
And the only things I've got from you are tokens and tricks
You don't get it. Not even a little
Well, whatever, at least would you explain your stupid riddle?
I'm agin' effortlessly
I'm a gin expert
Imagine
I, Magi, never settle
I'm agin expressing myself
Imagine
I'm agin' effortlessly
I'm a gin expert
Imagine
I, Magi, never settle
I'm agin expressing myself
Imagine
I'm agin' effortlessly
I'm a gin expert
Imagine
I, Magi, never settle
I'm agin expressing myself
Imagine
I'm agin' effortlessly
I'm a gin expert
Imagine
I, Magi, never settle
I'm agin expressing myself
Imagine
Okay we've reached the denouement
Let's get a move on
Keep your hair on. Keep your shirt on. Please, keep your shoes on
Every goal does not come by route one
It's hard to find out what's going on when you've got the news on
Who's on first?
Who's got thirst?
Who's bubble burst?
Wanna stop the earth spinning?
Wash away the blood and dirt?
I'm feeling you
Gotta get up for work
When everything's all muddled, cursed
If you like to search like it's a number puzzle, leave the room
I've often felt a presence- made my skin crawl, gave me goosebumps
But turned around, saw nothing. It was something of a nuisance
I often felt like I could taste a flavour in the fruit punch
That I couldn't quite place. I punched walls. I blew chunks. I threw chairs.
I sat shaking in a corner for like two months
Until we made acquaintance. Nowadays we do lunch
It's true chumps. Are you ready for the big reveal?
Her name is mystery. Say her name and spin the wheel
Don't be an imbecile. She's not a fabrication
She lives between the cracks and in the gaps and apertures,
the tales of travellers, in fact
If you want a stab at understanding her
Well, come on, just use your imagination
I'm agin' effortlessly
I'm a gin expert
Imagine
I, Magi, never settle
I'm agin expressing myself
Imagine
I'm agin' effortlessly
I'm a gin expert
Imagine
I, Magi, never settle
I'm agin expressing myself
Imagine
I'm agin' effortlessly
I'm a gin expert
Imagine
I, Magi, never settle
I'm agin expressing myself
Imagine
It's nice when everything comes together
I'm sure you'll agree
There've been genies
There've been riddles
There's been a magic spyglass
Which by the way I no longer need
I will accept offers
Otherwise I might just take it apart
And see if there are any pieces I could use
To finish off this wretched atomic clock I'm still working on
Apparently it's got to be done by tomorrow
Well, with that said I will leave you
And depart into the mist
Until next time
I'm agin' effortlessly
I'm a gin expert
Imagine
I, Magi, never settle
I'm agin expressing myself
Imagine
Written by: Adrian Firth, Eliot Best, Elizabeth J. Birch, Jo Cogle, Joel Wilson, Jonathan Mellor, Michael Nicholson
![Posłuchaj utworu The Telescope (Through This Lens) [feat. Elizabeth J. Birch] wykonawcy Barrowclough, zobacz teksty, teledysk i nie tylko!](/mkimage/image/thumb/Music211/v4/e1/86/52/e18652f6-5707-d2e2-aecf-1ce54c5939e9/198846221809.jpg/375x375bb.webp "Posłuchaj utworu The Telescope (Through This Lens) [feat. Elizabeth J. Birch] wykonawcy Barrowclough, zobacz teksty, teledysk i nie tylko!")
