PHARISEE As recorded by Stan Rogers on "From Coffee House to Concert Hall" (1999)
I used to be a Pharisee, Cynical and wise, telling rich and ugly lies of humanity, But in the marketplace was seated a cripple with a liar. I looked at him and said, "I've been rich but so unhappy; what sets you so on fire?"
And he said, "Look upon me, brother; I'm a man with peace of mind. You know I've never been much good at nothing but the words I wrought in rhyme, But, I've a good woman to feed me, and friends to share a brew, At evenings we will sit around and sing together and it could be the same for you.
If you just hold on to young friends you made of old, And cleave to the woman that keeps you whole, And keep a warm fire for all your friends that come in from the cold, I love you as a brother and I don't even know your name. I know this must sound different, but for me it's always been the same.
Tonight the smoke is rising from all around the room, And judging by the warmth or the smell from the kitchen, there'll be supper ready soon, And our table's set for twenty, room for more if they should come, And later on, we'll pass around the pipe for our pleasure, and sit and take a little rum,
And we will hold on to young friends we made of old, And cleave to the women that keep us whole, And keep a warm fire for all the friends that come in from the cold, We love them all as brothers and we don't have to know their names. We know this must sound different but for us, it always stays the same.
Hold on to young friends you make of old, And cleave to the woman that keeps you whole, And keep a warm fire for all your friends that come in from the cold, Now I love you all as brothers and I don't have to know your names. I used to be so different; now I know I'll always stay the same.