THE  MAGICIAN'S  BIRTHDAY

Lanzado en noviembre de 1972.

Alineación: David Byron - Voz. Mick Box - Guitarras, voz. Ken Hensley - Órgano, piano, moog, voz. Gary Thain - Bajo. Lee Kerslake - Batería.

El álbum más famoso del grupo en México. También apareció bajo el sello Island y con una elegante portada de cartón duro en forma de libro, con la crítica y fotos a color. Lo más sobresaliente de la edición mexicana es el error al traducir el título de la canción "Tales", la cual aparecía como "Colas". Posteriormente se editó bajo el sello Ariola, ya sin las fotos ni la crítica.

Letras de las canciones.

Sunrise (Hensley) Aaah, aaah Aaah, aaah oooh Sunrise, and the new day's breakin' through The morning of another day without you And as the hours roll by No-one's there to see me cry Except the sunrise... The sunrise and you. Aaah, aaah Aaah, aaah oooh Tired eyes drift across the shore Looking for love and nothing more But as the sea rolls by No-one's there to see me cry Except the sunrise... The sunrise and you. Sunrise, - bless my eyes, Catch my soul - make me whole - Again. Sunrise, new day, hear my song I am tired of fightin' and foolin' around But from now till who knows when My sword will be my pen And I'll love you, love ya For all of my time. Sunrise, - bless my eyes Catch my soul and make me whole - Again. So sunrise, - bless my eyes Catch my soul - make me whole - Again. Sunrise, - bless my eyes Catch my soul - make me whole - Again. Sunrise. Spider Woman (Box/Byron/Kerslake/Thain) I had a Spider Woman and she was so good She chained me in her web so tight I lost the freedom of release that night So I stayed right by her I dreamt I saw a blind man who was singing a song About a guy who couldn't take no more And the meaning of the words he swore Told me go find her yeah She was a Spider Woman, but she was good to me Spider Woman, but she was good to me She went down. I told her 'bout my vision But she laughed in my face So I told her go and walk in the street But by the time she got past my feet I lost control She was a Spider Woman, but she was good to me Spider Woman, but she was good to me Spider Woman, but she was good to me Spider Woman, but she was good to me Spider Woman, but she was good to me Spider Woman, but she was good to me Blind Eye (Hensley) Stranger than the sunrise Darker than the night Fiercer than a rainstorm This is man's delight This is man's delight. Weaker than a moment And hot as any fire Blinder than the blind eye This is man's desire This is man's desire. I ran to a place in the open sea Where I pledged my life to the sun But when I woke up one day the sun Had gone. I ran to a place in the open sea Where I pledged my whole life to the sun It was good for a while, I could laugh, I could smile But when I woke up one day the sun Had gone. Had gone had gone had gone had gone So what of my meaning What am I trying to say What of my caution ...I'm a man anyway, I'm a man anyway I'm a man anyway, I'm a man anyway I'm a man anyway, I'm a man anyway. (repeat to fade) Echoes In The Dark (Hensley) I have heard the echoes in the dark Dim and distant voices of the past And I've seen so far into the night And lingered in the land of no light. Far beyond the shrouded hours of dawn Through the mist of daybreak I was born But the day was clouded still by night Leaving me in the land of no light. Though I'd love to Say hello to you You might have to wait a while to say Goodbye For it must end as it began And then start again. The day of darkness comes to every man And lingers while he reaches out his hand And he cannot know how it will end Till he finds out if he has a friend... A friend... A friend... A friend. Rain (Hensley) It's raining outside but that's not unusual But the way that I'm feeling is becoming usual I guess you could say The clouds are moving away Away from your days And into mine Now it's raining inside and that's kind of a shame And it's getting to me, a happy man And why should you want to Waste all my time The world is yours But I am mine Rain, rain, rain, in my tears Measuring carefully my years Shame, shame, shame, in my mind See what you've done to my life Rain, rain, rain, in my tears Measuring carefully my years Shame, shame, shame, in my mind See what you've done to my life See what you've done to my life Sweet Lorraine (Box/Byron/Thain) Would you like to take this magic potion with me On a trip to a cosmic playground far beyond She understands, she's been before It's in her hands to find the door Sweet Lorraine let the party carry on You and I will swim the sea Sweet Lorraine let the party carry on You and I can feel the breeze There is no time, no wealth only I surround you The fortune of this guide is simply sincerity She understands 'cause she's been before It's in her hands to find the door so Sweet Lorraine let the party carry on You and I will swim the sea Sweet Lorraine let the party carry on You and I can feel the breeze Sweet Lorraine let the party carry on You and I will swim the sea Sweet Lorraine let the party carry on You and I can feel the breeze Sweet Lorraine let the party carry on You and I will swim the sea Sweet Lorraine let the party carry on You and I can feel the breeze Sweet Lorraine Sweet Lorraine (repeat and adlib to fade) Tales (Hensley) We told our tales as we sat under Morning's sleepy sky With all the colours of the sunrise Shining in our eyes. One, then another, with a story of yesterday's lives Or of a lover who had gone in a Moment of strife. No thought of sleep ever dwells upon The wise man's mind Some task or audience stealing every Moment of his time. Thus we have learned to live While mortal men stand waiting to die. How can we do what must be done in Just one short life. And if you ask, then you must know. If you still doubt, you should be told. It was not we that made it so. It was by those who went before. And there you sit, tomorrow's child So full of love, so full of life But you must rise to meet the day Lest you become another tale And there you sit, tomorrow's child So full of love, so full of life But you must rise to meet the day Lest you become another tale Another tale, another tale Another tale The Magician's Birthday (Hensley/Box/Kerslake) In the magic garden Some were singing, some were dancing While the midnight moon shone brightly overhead. The stars so gaily glistened And the sphinx in silence listened to The magician tell of lives that he had led. Let the bells of freedom ring Songs of love to Friday's king. Let's all go to the magician's birthday It's in the forest, but not so far away Much to do and so much to say While we listened to the orchid orchestra play. Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you Happy birthday dear magician, happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you (dear magician), happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you (dear magician), happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you (dear magician), happy birthday to you. Then at the dead of midnight As we watched the dancing firelight The air grew cold and seemed to dull the flame. The fire died, the music faded Filled with fear of death we waited For now we knew some evil was to blame. I challenge you, I challenge you all For all you own and all you know And by all the powers of darkness I will Steal what is mine Surrender now or face my spite I grant you it may be Friday night But did you know this day Also numbers thirteen. First I give you fire I turn your fire into a sleepy stream Yes but now I give you nightmares From your horror I'll create a dream You cannot fight me for I have the sword of hate But one thing you can't see, my answer is simply An impenetrable fortress Of love - love - love..... FINALE: The fear went as quickly as it came The air was clear, the fire burned again The flames leapt, the organ played The swans sang to greet the day And then we knew that Love will find love will find love will find Love will find love will find love will find Love.....