The Book of Taliesyn

Album by Deep Purple, released 1968


Listen, Learn, Read On

(Blackmore/Lord/Evans)


In ages past when spells were cast

In a time of men in steel

When a man was taught no special thing

It was all done by feel



So listen, so learn, so read on

You gotta turn the page, read the Book of Taliesyn



Hear the song of lovely Joan

Her sound so sweet and clear

In the courtroom of the King

Among children and the peers



So listen, so learn, so read on

You gotta turn the page, read the Book of Taliesyn



     "Now hear ye the words of Taliesyn, 

      on the foaming beach of the ocean,

      in the day of trouble, 

      I shall be of more service to thee

      than three hundred salmon..."



The hare he bounds across the page

Past castles white and fair

Past dreaming chessmen on their boards

With a fool's mate as a snare



So listen, so learn, so read on

You gotta turn the page, read the Book of Taliesyn



     "Three times I have been born

      I know this from meditation..."



The bird he flies the distance

From pages two to six

Past minstrels in their boxes

To the waters of the Styx



So listen, so learn, so read on

You gotta turn the page, read the Book of Taliesyn



Don't take the pictures lightly

Listen to their sound

For from their coloured feeling

Experience is found



So listen, so learn, so read on

You gotta turn the page, read the Book of Taliesyn



     "All the sciences of the world are collected in my breast, 

      for I  know  what  has  been,  what is  now,  

      and  what  hereafter  will occur..."

Wring That Neck

(Blackmore/Lord/Simper/Paice)

(instrumental)

Kentucky Woman

(Neil Diamond)


Kentucky Woman 

She shines in her own kind of light

She looks at you once in a day

And what's wrong is alright

And I love her, 

God knows I love her



Kentucky Woman

She gets to know you

She gets to hold you

Kentucky Woman



She ain't  the kind to turn 

at the drop of her name

Well all the things she does 

they turn you on just the same

And I love her, 

God knows I love her



Kentucky Woman

She gets to know you

She gets to hold you

Kentucky Woman



I don't want much

The Good Lord's earth beneath my feet

A gentle touch

Cause that one girl in life is sweet and good

There ain't no doubt, I'm talking about



Kentucky Woman

She gets to know you

She gets to hold you

Kentucky Woman



Kentucky Woman she shines in her own kind of light

She looks at you once in a day

And what's wrong is alright

And I love her, yes I do, I love her



Kentucky Woman

She gets to know you

She gets to hold you

Kentucky Woman

Kentucky Woman

Kentucky Woman

Kentucky Woman

a) Exposition

(Blackmore/Lord/Simper/Paice)

(instrumental)

b) We Can Work It Out

(Lennon/McCartney)


Try to see it my way

Do I have to keep on talking till I can't go wrong

While you see it your way

Run the risk of knowing that our love will soon be gone



We can work it out

We can work it out



Think of what you're saying

You can get it wrong and still you think that it's alright

Think of what I'm saying

We can work it out and get it straight or say goodnight



We can work it out

We can work it out



Life is very short and there's no time

For fussing and fighting my friend

I have always thought that it's a crime

So I will ask you once again

I'll ask you once again



Try to see it my way

Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong

While I see it your way

There's a chance that we might fall apart before too long



We can work it out

We can work it out



Life is very short and there's no time

For fussing and fighting my friend

I have always thought that it's a crime

So I will ask you once again

I'll ask you once again



Try to see it my way

Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong

While I see it your way

There's a chance that we might fall apart before too long



We can work it out

We can work it out



At least we can try

We can try out to work it out someday


Shield

(Lord/Blackmore/Evans)


Mama plays a queen on the hill built on a dream

While the children play in the field

Papa smokes the pipe of a sweet and better life

But how strong is the shield?

Can peace be found on the carpet above ground

Where sky is forever blue



So let it pass baby now, the slow and riding cloud

Which may take me from you



Many things a man can lose

His self, his rights, his views

But never his heart or his love

So take this hand of mine and climb baby, climb

To the hill up above



Now you can play a queen on the hill built on a dream

While our children play in the field

I can smoke the pipe of a sweet and better life

And trust in the strength of the shield



So trust in you love, and Lucy of above

And let light pass like a wheel

Don't take the chance of life's hectic dance

Kiss the strength of the shield



The seeker will be found by the looker on the ground

And to his wish he will yield



Fate will have it's word, of course [think this line is wrong...]

And time will change its course

And hold the strength of the shield

Anthem

(Lord/Evans)


When the night wind softly blows through my open window

Then I start to remember the girl that brought me joy

Now the night wind softly blows sadness to tomorrow

Bringing tears to eyes so tired

Eyes I thought could cry no more



If the day would only come

Then you might just appear 

even though you'd soon be gone

When I reached out my hand



If I could see you

If only I could see you

To see if you are laughing or crying

When the night winds softly blow



In my dark and whispering room

Memories still bring me a numbness to my feelings

Take my hand and brush my brow

In the warm and fevered dark

Heart is madly beating

My crazy thoughts are burning

When the night winds softly blow



If the day would only come

Then you might just appear 

even though you'd soon be gone

When I reached out my hand



If I could see you

If only I could see you

To see if you are laughing or crying

When the night winds softly blow



If the day would only come

Then you might just appear 

even though you'd soon be gone

When I reached out my hand



If I could see you

If only I could see you

To see if you are laughing or crying

When the night winds softly blow

River Deep, Mountain High

(Spector/Greenwich/Barry)


When you were a young girl

Did you have a rag doll

The only doll you've ever owned

Now I'll love you just the way you loved that rag doll

Only now my love has grown



It gets stronger as the river flows

Deeper baby, heaven knows

Higher, as it goes



Do I love you, my oh my

River Deep, Mountain High, yeah, yeah, yeah

Do I love you, would I cry

Oh I love you baby, how I love you baby



When you were a young girl

Did you have a puppy

That always followed you around

Well I'm gonna be as faithful as that puppy

No I'll never never let you down



Cos it gets stronger as the river flows

It gets deeper baby, heaven knows

It gets higher, so much higher, as it goes



Do I love you, my oh my

River Deep, Mountain High, yeah, yeah, yeah

Do I love you, would I cry

Oh I love you baby, how I love you baby



I love you baby like a flower loves a spring

I love you baby like a robin likes to sing

I love you baby like a schoolboy likes his pie

And oh I love you baby, River deep, Mountain high





Do I love you, my oh my

River Deep, Mountain High, yeah, yeah, yeah

Do I love you, would I cry

Oh I love you baby, how I love you baby


DEEP PURPLE Mk1:

Ritchie Blackmore - Lead Guitar
Rod Evans - Vocals
Jon Lord - Organ, Piano, String Arrangements
Ian Paice - Drums
Nicky Simper - Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals

Following the success of the first Deep Purple album in the US, they quickly recorded this album, based around a medieval pictorial book, about life, the universe, and everything, The Book Of Taliesyn. The record made the top 50; the single, "Kentucky Woman", made the top 20.

The instrumental, "Wring That Neck" became a showcase for guitar and organ solos, and stayed in the live set until 1971.


Notes by Richard Swann. Lyrics transcribed by Richard Swann and Trond J. Strøm.

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