Empire Of The Clouds

[02:06.41] To ride the storm

[02:08.41] To an empire of the clouds

[02:12.66] To ride the storm

[02:14.66] They climbed aboard their silver ghost

[02:23.16] To ride the storm

[02:25.66] To a kingdom that will come

[02:29.91] To ride the storm

[02:32.16] And damn the rest, oblivion

[02:36.16] ♪

[02:39.91] Royalty and dignitaries,

[02:42.91] Brandy and cigars

[02:45.91] Grey lady giant of the skies

[02:48.91] You hold them in your arms

[02:51.91] The millionth chance they laughed

[02:54.66] To take down his majesty's craft

[02:57.66] "To India," they say,

[03:00.41] "magic carpet float away,"

[03:03.91] an October fateful day

[03:09.41] ♪

[03:35.66] Mist is in the trees

[03:38.41] Stone sweats with the dew

[03:41.66] The morning sunrise

[03:44.41] Red before the blue

[03:48.55] Hanging at the mast

[03:51.30] Waiting for command

[03:55.05] His majesty's airship,

[03:57.30] The R101

[04:00.30] ♪

[04:02.18] She's the biggest vessel built by man,

[04:05.18] A giant of the skies

[04:08.18] For all you unbelievers,

[04:10.93] The titanic fits inside

[04:14.43] Drum roll tight,

[04:16.18] Her canvas skin,

[04:17.68] Silvered in the sun

[04:20.43] Never tested with the fury,

[04:23.18] With the beating yet to come

[04:26.68] The fury yet to come…

[04:29.68] ♪

[04:32.18] In the gathering gloom,

[04:33.93] The storm rising in the west

[04:37.93] The coxswain stared into

[04:40.43] The plunging weather glass

[04:48.18] We must go now,

[04:50.18] We must take our chance with fate

[04:54.18] We must go now,

[04:56.18] For a politician he can't be late

[05:00.68] ♪

[05:03.43] The airship crew awake

[05:05.68] For thirty hours at full stretch,

[05:09.68] But the ship is in their backbone

[05:12.68] Every sinew, every inch

[05:14.93] ♪

[05:15.93] She never flew at full speed

[05:18.93] A trial never done

[05:21.93] Her fragile outer cover

[05:24.43] Her Achilles would become

[05:28.18] An Achilles yet to come...

[05:31.68] ♪

[05:33.93] Sailors of the sky

[05:36.93] A hardened breed

[05:40.18] Loyal to the king

[05:42.18] And an airship creed

[05:46.43] The engines drum

[05:49.43] The telegraph sounds

[05:52.43] Release the cords

[05:54.68] That bind us to the ground

[05:59.43] Said the coxswain, "Sir, she's heavy,

[06:02.18] She'll never make this flight."

[06:05.43] Said the captain, "Damn the cargo!

[06:08.18] We'll be on our way tonight."

[06:11.93] Groundlings cheered in wonder,

[06:14.68] As she backed off from the mast

[06:18.18] Baptizing them her water,

[06:20.93] From the ballast fore and aft

[06:24.18] Now she slips into our past…

[06:28.43] ♪

[12:31.57] Fighting the wind as it rolls you

[12:34.57] Feeling the diesels that push you along

[12:37.82] Watching The Channel below you

[12:40.82] Lower and lower, into the night

[12:43.82] Lights are passing below you

[12:46.82] Northern France, asleep in their beds

[12:49.82] Storm is raging around you

[12:52.82] A million to one, that's what he said

[12:56.07] ♪

[13:38.82] Reaper standing beside her

[13:41.32] With his scythe cuts to the bone

[13:44.57] Panic to make a decision

[13:47.57] Experienced men, asleep in their graves

[13:50.32] ♪

[13:50.82] Her cover is ripped and she's drowning

[13:53.82] Rain is flooding into the hull

[13:56.82] Bleeding to death and she's falling

[13:59.82] Lifting gas is draining away

[14:03.07] ♪

[15:11.57] "We're down, lads!" came a cry,

[15:14.57] Bow plunging from the sky

[15:17.82] Three thousand horses silent

[15:20.82] As the ship began to die

[15:24.32] The flares to guide her path

[15:27.32] Ignited at the last

[15:30.57] The empire of the clouds,

[15:33.82] Just ashes in our past

[15:36.57] Just ashes at the last…

[15:40.32] ♪

[16:05.07] Here lie their dreams

[16:07.57] As I stand in the sun

[16:10.32] On the ground where they built,

[16:13.32] And the engines did run

[16:16.57] To the moon and the stars,

[16:20.07] Now what have we done?

[16:22.82] Oh the dreamers may die,

[16:26.07] But the dreams live on

[16:35.07] Dreams live on

[16:41.32] Dreams live on

[16:46.57] ♪

[17:14.82] Now a shadow on a hill

[17:18.07] The angel of the east

[17:21.57] The empire of the clouds

[17:24.07] May rest in peace

[17:28.82] And in a country churchyard,

[17:31.82] Laid head to the mast

[17:35.32] Eight and forty souls,

[17:38.32] Who came to die in France…

[17:42.32] ♪