Riddle Of The Sphinx (Live)

By The Mechanisms

On Death To The Mechanisms

Released on May 23, 2020

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[Spoken Intro: Jonny d'Ville]

"Anyway, speaking of motherfuckers. I mean I'm not sure how much more introduction it needs."


[Gunpowder Tim]

"You know that was a character, right."


[Jonny]

"Eh."


[Intro: Oedipus]

I thought myself an orphan

I clawed my way up from the streets

To earn my rank of doctor

Equal to any I should meet

How could I know my fame

Arose from sly Olympian winks?

And soon I’d match myself

Against the riddle of the Sphinx


[Chorus]

Four legs in the morning

Two legs in the day

Three legs in the evening

As body and mind decay


[Verse 1: Oedipus]

A mad disease

Striking poverty

In the slums no-one cares about

In its host

Causes rapid growth

In just weeks they will die

Children then

Look as aged men

Who have not learned the words to cry

An old withered corpse yet a child


[Chorus]

Four legs in the morning

Two legs in the day

Three legs in the evening

As body and mind decay


[Verse 2: Oedipus]

Years I spent

In experiment

Dissecting its chemistry

Endless tests

Finally yield success

With the compounds I need

A consequence

Baleful oxidants

From Olympian eternity

They have to know what it leads to


[Chorus]

Four legs in the morning

Two legs in the day

Three legs in the evening

As body and mind decay

[Verse 3: Father & Oedipus]

Oedipus

Come don’t make a fuss

Your research takes a dangerous path

Take a pause

Find another cause

This will end in your fall

Whoe’er you be

If you threaten me

I can warn you will feel my wrath

Don’t interfere with my calling


[Chorus]

Four legs in the morning

Two legs in the day

Three legs in the evening

As body and mind decay

Four legs in the morning

Two legs in the day

Three legs in the evening

As body and mind decay


[Outro: Oedipus]

Soon the Olympians knew

Of what their immortality cost

They feigned their contrition

Mourning the lives that had been lost

They swore they’d find a way

That wouldn’t lead to loss of life

They showered me with riches

And introduced me to my wife


[Spoken: Jonny d'Ville]

"I mean. In Oedipus's defense, it's harder than it looks not to end up in an emotionally charged narrative climax where you murder your father."


[Ashes O'Reilly]

"No it's not."


[Jonny]

"Everyone thinks it's so easy. 'Oh I'd never kill my father!' But sometimes life happens."


[Ashes]

"Most people don't kill their fathers."


[Gunpowder Tim]

"You're projecting."


[Ivy Alexandria]

"Again."


[Jonny]

"I really don't think I am."


[Tim]

"Again."


[Jonny]

"Anyway, what were talking about. Love. That's the one. We've seen a lot of great love stories through our time in the stars. You remember, uh. Yes, obviously one of those love stories is between you, our loyal fans, and us. Ok, calm down. It's not necessarily healthy. It's fine. Oh. Do you remember those two moons, that were so in love that they just crashed together."


[Raphaella la Cognizi]

"That. That was just gravity. That's called gravity."


[Tim]

"A lot of people died."


[Jonny]

"Yes, obviously. That's why it was so touching. 'Oh, I'm Tim. I can have a love affair where no billions of people die because our planets are crashing together (mutters).' Anyway. Even the moons, even those beautiful, in love moons, weren't quite at the same level as Rose and Cinders."