The Three Mules (Vanity)

Song Lyric | 1978? | Self (And Al Stewart)

[50sDad]

I stand here, musing at Germany, and Russia, and France, all of them up to their eyeballs in illegal dealings with the "Butcher of Baghdad", and trying to present high-minded ideas to the world why we shouldn't end his reign here and now. "More time," they bray! "He may get REALLY angry at us if we challenge him," cry the Liberals in their turn. But echoing in my ears is a far more ancient call, one made by Europe in the 1930's and beyond. "Appeasement!" echoes down the corridors of time. "For you know, he's only killing his own people, and he's really too dangerous to fight, and after all, the man has said if we just give him Poland, that's all he really wants..."

In 1998, Bill Clinton was ready to attack Saddam and force regime change in Iraq, and the Democrats in Congress were ready to go, on our own without the UN. Five years later, a Republican says we must fight...and all the usual suspects cry, "Appeasement!"

Al Stewart, historical bard of the modern era, wrote a fine song in the tradition of the visions of St. John. I see those pre-WWII British greats, standing in a green field, struggling to keep the cart of Commerce trundling ahead, while all around them, darkness looms and Evil grows. "Pull on! Pull on!" they cry! Blinkered and blinded, they choose to ignore the blood to the left and the right.

Three Mules by Al Stewart

Three mules came over a hill, they were dragging a cart.
Creaking, it seemed to be falling apart.
Laden with millions of dreams that weighed more than they thought;
They never noticed the wheels getting caught.
They pulled on, staring ahead, with blinkered eyes and lowered heads.
Hoping that all would be fine, I see them now, time out of time.

Ramsey, and Stanley and Neville were the names of the mules;
Each wore a bridle encrusted with jewels.
And though a murmur of voices was rising behind,
Each labored on and they paid it no mind.
They pulled on, with never a doubt,
Past boulders and holes, 'til the road petered out.
And giving a snort, they sat down, waiting for somebody else to come round.

And from this, our lives leapt large,
From the beach at Dunkirk, to Pickett's Charge.
And it's hard to go back after coming this far
Down the road.

Three mules looked over a fence at the field beyond:
Green as a forest, it shone in the sun.
Into the stillness they broke, like a stone in a pond.
Kicking the gate down, they brayed at the ground,
And pulled on, tugging a dream
out of a smile and into a scream
And tossed the damp soil around,
till the whole field turned muddy brown

And from this, our lives leapt large,
From the beach at Dunkirk, to Pickett's Charge.
And it's hard to go back after coming this far
Down the road.

"Ah, but it's not very easy now, being a mule.
I don't believe you appreciate all that we do.
Just look at this long and unfortunate face;
Try to imagine that you're in my place!
This is my nature, to it I have to be true."

Three mules came over a hill, with a sorrowful air.
"Though we've been judged," they said, "it's hardly fair!"
"All that we did was for you and the good of the cause."
Then they went back to the sound of applause.
They went back into the night
Where a sickle of moon left a trickle of light
While we lay under our roofs,
the whole night filled up with the beating of hooves.

And from this, our lives leapt large,
And every day is Pickett's Charge.
And it's hard to go back after coming this far
Down the road.

----------------------------© Al Stewart, 1978

"Hillary, Pelosi, and Daschle were the names of the mules...."
----------------------------© Andrew Bartmess, 2003

[50sDad]

Self serving bump

[alstewartfan]

If you are still a Freeper, God Bless, Sir! Wonderful song by Al. So you know, there are three sets of three mules in the song. Al’s songs are really timeless, as today’s chaos proves. Bob

[50sDad]

Old admirals are never put to sea.

[alstewartfan]

“And just like you I’ve sailed my dreams like ships upon the sea. Some of them have come on rocks and some faced mutiny.” The guy is just the greatest! Pax Vobiscum. Bob