The Lamia
by Genesis
From the album: Archive 1967-75
Track 16 of 52 on Archive 1967-75 (1998).
Duration: 7:18
Lyrics for The Lamia
The scent grows richer He knows he must be near He finds a long passageway Lit by chandelier Each step he takes, the perfumes change From familiar fragrance to flavors strange A magnificent chamber Meets his eye Inside, a long rose-water pool Is shrouded by fine mist Stepping in the moist silence With a warm breeze he's gently kissed Thinking he is quite alone He enters the room as if it were his own But ripples on the sweet pink water Reveal some company unthought of Rael stands astonished doubting his sight Struck by beauty, gripped in fright Three vermilion snakes of female face The smallest motion, filled with grace Muted melodies fill the echoing hall But there is no sign of warnin In the siren's call "Rael welcome, we are the Lamia of the pool" "We have been waiting for our waters to bring you cool" Putting fear beside him He trusts in beauty blind He slips into the nectar Leaving his shredded clothes behind With their tongues, they test, taste and judge All that is mine They move in a series of caresses That glide up and down my spine As they nibble the fruit of my flesh I feel no pain Only a magic That a name would stain With the first drop of my blood in their veins Their faces are convulsed in mortal pains The fairest cries "We all have loved you Rael" Each empty snakelike body floats Silent sorrow in empty boats A sickly sourness fills the room The bitter harvest of a dying bloom Looking for motion I know I will not find I stroke the curls now turning pale, in which I'd lain entwined "Oh Lamia, your flesh that remains I will take as my food" "It is the scent of garlic that lingers on my chocolate fingers" Looking behind me The water turns icy blue The lights are dimmed And once again the stage is set for you
Listen On
More from Archive 1967-75
- The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
- Fly On The Windshield
- Broadway Melody Of 1974
- Cuckoo Cocoon
- In The Cage
- The Grand Parade Of Lifeless Packaging
- Back In N.Y.C.
- Hairless Heart
- Counting Out Time
- The Carpet Crawlers
- The Chamber Of 32 Doors
- Lilywhite Lilith
- The Waiting Room
- Anyway
- Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist
- The Lamia
- Silent Sorrow In Empty Boats
- The Colony Of Slippermen (Arrival. A Visit To The Doktor. Raven)
- Ravine
- The Light Dies Down On Broadway
- Riding The Scree
- In The Rapids
- It
- Dancing With The Moonlit Knight (Live Recording At Rainbow 1973)
- Firth Of Fifth (Live Recording At Rainbow 1973)
- More Fool Me (Live Recording At Rainbow 1973)
- Supper's Ready (Live Recording At Rainbow 1973)
- I Know What I Like (Live Recording At Rainbow 1973)
- Stagnation (BBC Live Recording 1971)
- Twilight Alehouse
- Happy The Man
- Watcher Of The Skies (Remix Of 1972 Single)
- In The Wilderness (Rough Mix Without Strings 1968)
- Shepherd (BBC Nightride 1970)
- Pacidy (BBC Nightride 1970)
- Let Us Now Make Love (BBC Nightride 1970)
- Going Out To Get You (Demo 1969)
- Dusk (Demo 1969)
- Build Me A Mountain (Rough Mix 1968)
- Image Blown Out (Rough Mix 1968)
- One Day (Rough Mix 1968)
- Where The Sour Turns To Sweet (Demo 1968)
- In The Beginning (Demo 1968)
- The Magic Of Time (Demo 1968)
- Hey! (Demo 1968)
- Hidden In The World Of Dawn (Demo 1968)
- Sea Bee (Demo 1968)
- The Mystery Of The Flannan Isle Lighthouse (Demo 1968)
- Hair On The Arms And Legs (Demo 1968)
- She Is Beautiful (Demo 1967)
- Try A Little Sadness (Demo 1967)
- Patricia (Demo 1967)