The Last Supper
ALSO RELEASED ON: Live At The Way Inn - 1970
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Version 1: Capitol / Beechwood mix
The stereo image is reversed on We Wish You A Larry Christmas Note: this track on the collector's edition of Upon This Rock is from a mono radio broadcast tape |
Upon This Rock [Capitol version]
We Wish You A Larry Christmas Upon This Rock [Radio Promo and Illegal Noise CD versions] Upon This Rock [Collector's Edition, 2CD, 2002) [Partial only] |
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Version 2 is an almost if not entirely different recording, much less orchestrated and with re-sung vocals. There are some minor lyrical differences, and it is almost a full minute longer - the Larry Norman mix
Note: the South African Impact LP, Kingsway Right Price cassette and Kingsway CD reverse the stereo image |
lyrics version 1
There was a pig on the table
With a fig in his mouth
And a snake crawled around the plate
And when the wine turned to water
And the bread turned to dust
I knew I'd arrived too late
It was the last supper
A seven course meal for the soul
It was the last supper
But I was the last to know
I saw my name in a book
That lay in front of the veil
With a key in between the pages
And when I unlocked the door
I found a hall full of mirrors
And I saw my life in stages
It was the last supper
And a snake crawled around the plate
It was the last supper
And I knew I'd arrived too late
Ah ah ah ah ah ah
Ah ah ah
Last night I came to the gate
With invitation in hand
And my old life left behind
I came as soon as he called
But long before I had planned
Still I came prepared to dine
It was the last supper
And a snake crawled around the plate
It was the last supper
And I knew I'd arrived too late
With a fig in his mouth
And a snake crawled around the plate
And when the wine turned to water
And the bread turned to dust
I knew I'd arrived too late
It was the last supper
A seven course meal for the soul
It was the last supper
But I was the last to know
I saw my name in a book
That lay in front of the veil
With a key in between the pages
And when I unlocked the door
I found a hall full of mirrors
And I saw my life in stages
It was the last supper
And a snake crawled around the plate
It was the last supper
And I knew I'd arrived too late
Ah ah ah ah ah ah
Ah ah ah
Last night I came to the gate
With invitation in hand
And my old life left behind
I came as soon as he called
But long before I had planned
Still I came prepared to dine
It was the last supper
And a snake crawled around the plate
It was the last supper
And I knew I'd arrived too late
lyrics version 2
There was a pig on the table
With a fig in his mouth
And a snake crawled around the plate
And when the wine turned to water
And the bread turned to dust
I knew I'd arrived too late
It was the last supper
A seven course meal for the soul
It was the last supper
And I was the last to know
I saw my name in the book
That lay in front of the veil
With the key in between the pages
And when I unlocked the door
I found a hall full of mirrors
And I saw my life in stages
It was the last supper
And a snake crawled around the plate
It was the last supper
And I knew I'd arrived too late
Last night I came to the gates
With invitation in hand
And my old life left behind
I came as soon as he called
But long before I had planned
Still I came prepared to dine
It was the last supper
A snake crawled around the plate
It was the last supper
And I knew I'd arrived too late
With a fig in his mouth
And a snake crawled around the plate
And when the wine turned to water
And the bread turned to dust
I knew I'd arrived too late
It was the last supper
A seven course meal for the soul
It was the last supper
And I was the last to know
I saw my name in the book
That lay in front of the veil
With the key in between the pages
And when I unlocked the door
I found a hall full of mirrors
And I saw my life in stages
It was the last supper
And a snake crawled around the plate
It was the last supper
And I knew I'd arrived too late
Last night I came to the gates
With invitation in hand
And my old life left behind
I came as soon as he called
But long before I had planned
Still I came prepared to dine
It was the last supper
A snake crawled around the plate
It was the last supper
And I knew I'd arrived too late
This song is about a man who believes that he is in Heaven, only to discover that he is quite definitely not. Musically, I felt blessed when writing this. It seemed that quite by accident I had stumbled onto the right sequence of notes which worked with two separate four chord sequences as I sang:
"It was the last supper" (a seven course meal for the soul)
"It was the last supper (and I was the last to know)
Both sequences ended with suspension chords and created tension and drama that I would never have thought to attempt. And the story itself was really told backwards. To understand the song's meaning upon the first hearing, you would be more rewarded by reading the verses in the reverse order. So I quite liked the way the song came out, remaining a puzzle which required some thought.
"It was the last supper" (a seven course meal for the soul)
"It was the last supper (and I was the last to know)
Both sequences ended with suspension chords and created tension and drama that I would never have thought to attempt. And the story itself was really told backwards. To understand the song's meaning upon the first hearing, you would be more rewarded by reading the verses in the reverse order. So I quite liked the way the song came out, remaining a puzzle which required some thought.