The mysterious Michael spreads his quiet joy throughout the world - wish we all could.
A bright light in these dark times
The Magic Ox Band were a spin off of the Magic Ox Theatre Group - a zany bunch of performers who used to do wild things at the old Albion Fayres.
Although the Band split up long ago, I feel the songs we did back then still deserve a listening today. Folk never goes out of fashion - it just matures nicely :-)
Story behind the song
The song that has been in my repetory the longest. I wrote this in 1973!
The character of MHQ has haunted me ever since, as a sort of mimetic alter ego.
Lyrics
Michael the Harlequin
Michael the harlequin, patches on his clothes
Leaves a trail of black and red, laced up fine in gold
You can talk to him for days on end
It’s like talking to the wall.
There’s no demand these days for harlequins,
So you may never meet him at all.
Michael the harlequin used to make us smile,
Exaggerating mannerisms, straight faced all the while.
Yet no audience does he command,
No actors in the wings.
But if you live with him, throughout the year,
You will always feel it’s Spring.
Watch the actor on the stage, he too plays his part.
Waiting for that vital cue, his dialogue to start.
Michael leaves no script behind,
The street it is his stage,
Morning sun, his act two, scene one,
Each day another page.
Michael the harlequin, dances in his sleep,
A subconscious ballet ends with a death defying leap.
Below him burn the fires of hell,
Laughing loud he lands with ease,
And awakes into the morning sun,
To find somebody whom to please.
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