The Tune
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Version 1 is an edited studio recording, titled The Tune (Almost)
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Version 2 is a full length studio version
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Version 3 is the same recording as version 1, but much shorter due to the introduction and ending being removed
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Version 4 is a live recording, performed solo with piano during a concert in Northern Ireland
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Version 5 is the same recording as version 1, but fades out two to three seconds earlier
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Rough Mix 3 [Illegal Noise CD, titled Friends And Strangers]
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Version 6 is the same recording as version 2, but with the orchestral introduction and the refrain removed. Overall it is almost six and a half minutes shorter
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Version 7 is the same recording as version 2, but with the refrain removed. (It is actually present on the CD, as a hidden track, after twenty 22 second long tracks of silence)
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The Tune [CD Single]
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Version 8 is the refrain from version 2. (It is a hidden track on the CD, placed after twenty 22 second long tracks of silence)
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Version 9 is a live recording, performed solo with piano during a concert in Utah, in the 1980s
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lyrics versions 1, 3 and 5
Once, there was a tune
And everyone knew how it went
But as time went by
People began to forget
Until at last, no one could remember
And there was hatred, wars and death
And then one day somebody said
N'no, I can't play with you right now
Phydeaux, just sit there, sit
And there were wars and, [sigh] oh yeah
And then one day somebody said
No, no, I'm busy right now
Just take your ball and sit okay
Okay
And there was hatred and wars and death
And then one day somebody said
How does the tune go
There is no tune, there never was
It's only a myth
These were the philosophers
You mean there's no tune at all
Well, it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
And you don't hurt anybody
These were the religious leaders
And so
Um uh, what you want
Huh
I can't play with you right now. I told you
Oh, okay, but we’ll have to come right back
Now come on, come on
[Sound of footsteps receding, then door opening and closing]
And everyone knew how it went
But as time went by
People began to forget
Until at last, no one could remember
And there was hatred, wars and death
And then one day somebody said
N'no, I can't play with you right now
Phydeaux, just sit there, sit
And there were wars and, [sigh] oh yeah
And then one day somebody said
No, no, I'm busy right now
Just take your ball and sit okay
Okay
And there was hatred and wars and death
And then one day somebody said
How does the tune go
There is no tune, there never was
It's only a myth
These were the philosophers
You mean there's no tune at all
Well, it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
And you don't hurt anybody
These were the religious leaders
And so
Um uh, what you want
Huh
I can't play with you right now. I told you
Oh, okay, but we’ll have to come right back
Now come on, come on
[Sound of footsteps receding, then door opening and closing]
lyrics version 2
Once there was a tune
And everyone knew how it went
But as time went by
People began to forget
Until at last no one could remember
And there was hatred and wars and death
Then one day somebody said how does the tune go
There is no tune, there never was, it’s only a myth
These were the philosophers
You mean there's no tune at all
Well, it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
These were the religious leaders
And so the world played on
And there was hatred, wars and death
Then one day the people became weary of this song
And they all sat down on the side of a hill
And suddenly they heard a very strange voice
And somebody said that sounds like the tune
There is no tune, there never was, there never will be
Well it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
And you don't hurt anybody, especially me
But the people listened
And a man appeared before them
With a smile on his face
And a sad look too
And he was singing the tune
And some of the people began to sing along
La la la la la…
And the people who loved him
Decided to follow him
But the people who hated him
Decided to kill him
And they did
And when it was finished
They went back to their houses of philosophy and religion
And they sat down to their tables to eat and to drink
Suddenly, they were interrupted by a familiar voice
And they ran to their windows and looked outside
To see who it was
It was him
And they became confused and afraid
And they wondered how they could be rid of him once and for all
And while they were watching him
Something very strange happened
How did he do that
I don't really know, but he's gone
And when trouble goes, you don't ask where
He'll never return, ever again, I hope
Yet again they were interrupted
This time they ran out into the streets to lay hold of him
But they couldn't find him
Just a lot of people smiling
And they all knew the tune
La la la la la…
And when the people made a mistake
They stopped, and they listened
La la la la la…
That's how they knew the tune
Because they listened
La la la la la…
And if you listen you'll hear it
It's all around you
Just listen to your radio
Watch television
Listen to your leaders
To the authorities
To the governors
To the experts
But if you really listen
You can hear another tune
But you have to listen quietly
And you have to listen every day
I know the truth
I know the man
He’s coming soon
‘Cause that’s his plan
You’ve got to be ready
Hold on steady
Don’t go slack
He’s coming back
I know the man
Yeah, I’ve been claimed
Coming soon
Playin’ that tune
I got to go
You coming too
When he comes sailing down from the roof
And everyone knew how it went
But as time went by
People began to forget
Until at last no one could remember
And there was hatred and wars and death
Then one day somebody said how does the tune go
There is no tune, there never was, it’s only a myth
These were the philosophers
You mean there's no tune at all
Well, it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
These were the religious leaders
And so the world played on
And there was hatred, wars and death
Then one day the people became weary of this song
And they all sat down on the side of a hill
And suddenly they heard a very strange voice
And somebody said that sounds like the tune
There is no tune, there never was, there never will be
Well it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
And you don't hurt anybody, especially me
But the people listened
And a man appeared before them
With a smile on his face
And a sad look too
And he was singing the tune
And some of the people began to sing along
La la la la la…
And the people who loved him
Decided to follow him
But the people who hated him
Decided to kill him
And they did
And when it was finished
They went back to their houses of philosophy and religion
And they sat down to their tables to eat and to drink
Suddenly, they were interrupted by a familiar voice
And they ran to their windows and looked outside
To see who it was
It was him
And they became confused and afraid
And they wondered how they could be rid of him once and for all
And while they were watching him
Something very strange happened
How did he do that
I don't really know, but he's gone
And when trouble goes, you don't ask where
He'll never return, ever again, I hope
Yet again they were interrupted
This time they ran out into the streets to lay hold of him
But they couldn't find him
Just a lot of people smiling
And they all knew the tune
La la la la la…
And when the people made a mistake
They stopped, and they listened
La la la la la…
That's how they knew the tune
Because they listened
La la la la la…
And if you listen you'll hear it
It's all around you
Just listen to your radio
Watch television
Listen to your leaders
To the authorities
To the governors
To the experts
But if you really listen
You can hear another tune
But you have to listen quietly
And you have to listen every day
I know the truth
I know the man
He’s coming soon
‘Cause that’s his plan
You’ve got to be ready
Hold on steady
Don’t go slack
He’s coming back
I know the man
Yeah, I’ve been claimed
Coming soon
Playin’ that tune
I got to go
You coming too
When he comes sailing down from the roof
lyrics version 4
Once there was a tune
And everyone knew how it went
But as time went by
People began to forget
Until at last no one could remember
And there was sadness and hatred and wars and death
One day somebody said how does the tune go
Well, there is no tune, there never was, it’s only a myth
These were the philosophers
You mean there's no tune at all
Well it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
And you don't hurt anybody
These were the religious leaders
And so the world continued
And there were wars, death
And one day the world wearied all of this hatred and wars and
One day on the side of a hill a man appeared
With a smile on his face and kind of a sad look too
And some of the people heard this tune he was singing
And began to sing along
La la la la la…
And he looked at them and smiled
And someone said this sounds like the tune
Shut up, there is no tune, there never was, there never will be a tune
It's only a myth
Well it doesn't really matter what you play
As long as you play something
And don't hurt anybody, especially me
And he looked at them and
The people that loved him
Decided to follow him
And they did
La la la la la...
And the people that hated him
Decided to kill him
And they did
And when it was finished
They took his body down from the cross and laid it in a grave
And these philosophers and religious leaders went back to their houses
To eat and to drink
And they were interrupted
They heard someone singing the tune
And they, they didn't know who it could be
It was him
And had they been standing on the side of a mountain
Forty days later
They would have seen something very unusual
How did he do that
I don't really know, but when trouble goes you don't ask where
And he's gone, I mean I can't see him
And he, ah, he'll never be back ever again
And they went back to their houses of philosophy and religion
To finish their meals
Which were probably lukewarm by now
And they were interrupted
And they couldn't imagine who this could be
And they ran outside into the streets to lay hold of him
But they couldn't find him anywhere
Just a lot of people walking around kinda smiling
And they all knew the tune
La la la la la…
And they noticed something about these people
When they made a mistake they didn't just keep on singing until they'd completely forgotten
They stopped, and they listened
Da da da da
Da da da…
That's how they knew how the tune went
Because they listened
And if you're listening
Well all around you there's a tune
All you have to do is listen to it
Just listen to the radio
Watch television
Read Cosmopolitan
You'll hear it
Everywhere
There's a tune alright
But if you really listen quietly
You can hear another tune
But you have to listen quietly
And you have to listen every day
La da da da da da da
La da la da da da da
And everyone knew how it went
But as time went by
People began to forget
Until at last no one could remember
And there was sadness and hatred and wars and death
One day somebody said how does the tune go
Well, there is no tune, there never was, it’s only a myth
These were the philosophers
You mean there's no tune at all
Well it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
And you don't hurt anybody
These were the religious leaders
And so the world continued
And there were wars, death
And one day the world wearied all of this hatred and wars and
One day on the side of a hill a man appeared
With a smile on his face and kind of a sad look too
And some of the people heard this tune he was singing
And began to sing along
La la la la la…
And he looked at them and smiled
And someone said this sounds like the tune
Shut up, there is no tune, there never was, there never will be a tune
It's only a myth
Well it doesn't really matter what you play
As long as you play something
And don't hurt anybody, especially me
And he looked at them and
The people that loved him
Decided to follow him
And they did
La la la la la...
And the people that hated him
Decided to kill him
And they did
And when it was finished
They took his body down from the cross and laid it in a grave
And these philosophers and religious leaders went back to their houses
To eat and to drink
And they were interrupted
They heard someone singing the tune
And they, they didn't know who it could be
It was him
And had they been standing on the side of a mountain
Forty days later
They would have seen something very unusual
How did he do that
I don't really know, but when trouble goes you don't ask where
And he's gone, I mean I can't see him
And he, ah, he'll never be back ever again
And they went back to their houses of philosophy and religion
To finish their meals
Which were probably lukewarm by now
And they were interrupted
And they couldn't imagine who this could be
And they ran outside into the streets to lay hold of him
But they couldn't find him anywhere
Just a lot of people walking around kinda smiling
And they all knew the tune
La la la la la…
And they noticed something about these people
When they made a mistake they didn't just keep on singing until they'd completely forgotten
They stopped, and they listened
Da da da da
Da da da…
That's how they knew how the tune went
Because they listened
And if you're listening
Well all around you there's a tune
All you have to do is listen to it
Just listen to the radio
Watch television
Read Cosmopolitan
You'll hear it
Everywhere
There's a tune alright
But if you really listen quietly
You can hear another tune
But you have to listen quietly
And you have to listen every day
La da da da da da da
La da la da da da da
lyrics versions 6 and 7
Once there was a tune
And everyone knew how it went
But as time went by
People began to forget
Until at last no one could remember
And there was hatred and wars and death
Then one day somebody said how does the tune go
There is no tune, there never was, it’s only a myth
These were the philosophers
You mean there's no tune at all
Well, it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
These were the religious leaders
And so the world played on
And there was hatred, wars and death
Then one day the people became weary of this song
And they all sat down on the side of a hill
And suddenly they heard a very strange voice
And somebody said that sounds like the tune
There is no tune, there never was, there never will be
Well it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
And you don't hurt anybody, especially me
But the people listened
And a man appeared before them
With a smile on his face
And a sad look too
And he was singing the tune
And some of the people began to sing along
La la la la la…
And the people who loved him
Decided to follow him
But the people who hated him
Decided to kill him
And they did
And when it was finished
They went back to their houses of philosophy and religion
And they sat down to their tables to eat and to drink
Suddenly, they were interrupted by a familiar voice
And they ran to their windows and looked outside
To see who it was
It was him
And they became confused and afraid
And they wondered how they could be rid of him once and for all
And while they were watching him
Something very strange happened
How did he do that
I don't really know, but he's gone
And when trouble goes, you don't ask where
He'll never return, ever again, I hope
Yet again they were interrupted
This time they ran out into the streets to lay hold of him
But they couldn't find him
Just a lot of people smiling
And they all knew the tune
La la la la la…
And when the people made a mistake
They stopped, and they listened
La la la la la…
That's how they knew the tune
Because they listened
La la la la la…
And if you listen you'll hear it
It's all around you
Just listen to your radio
Watch television
Listen to your leaders
To the authorities
To the governors
To the experts
But if you really listen
You can hear another tune
But you have to listen quietly
And you have to listen every day
And everyone knew how it went
But as time went by
People began to forget
Until at last no one could remember
And there was hatred and wars and death
Then one day somebody said how does the tune go
There is no tune, there never was, it’s only a myth
These were the philosophers
You mean there's no tune at all
Well, it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
These were the religious leaders
And so the world played on
And there was hatred, wars and death
Then one day the people became weary of this song
And they all sat down on the side of a hill
And suddenly they heard a very strange voice
And somebody said that sounds like the tune
There is no tune, there never was, there never will be
Well it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
And you don't hurt anybody, especially me
But the people listened
And a man appeared before them
With a smile on his face
And a sad look too
And he was singing the tune
And some of the people began to sing along
La la la la la…
And the people who loved him
Decided to follow him
But the people who hated him
Decided to kill him
And they did
And when it was finished
They went back to their houses of philosophy and religion
And they sat down to their tables to eat and to drink
Suddenly, they were interrupted by a familiar voice
And they ran to their windows and looked outside
To see who it was
It was him
And they became confused and afraid
And they wondered how they could be rid of him once and for all
And while they were watching him
Something very strange happened
How did he do that
I don't really know, but he's gone
And when trouble goes, you don't ask where
He'll never return, ever again, I hope
Yet again they were interrupted
This time they ran out into the streets to lay hold of him
But they couldn't find him
Just a lot of people smiling
And they all knew the tune
La la la la la…
And when the people made a mistake
They stopped, and they listened
La la la la la…
That's how they knew the tune
Because they listened
La la la la la…
And if you listen you'll hear it
It's all around you
Just listen to your radio
Watch television
Listen to your leaders
To the authorities
To the governors
To the experts
But if you really listen
You can hear another tune
But you have to listen quietly
And you have to listen every day
Lyrics version 8
I know the truth
I know the man
He’s coming soon
‘Cause that’s his plan
You’ve got to be ready
Hold on steady
Don’t go slack
He’s coming back
I know the man
Yeah, I’ve been claimed
Coming soon
Playin’ that tune
I got to go
You coming too
When he comes sailing down from the roof
I know the man
He’s coming soon
‘Cause that’s his plan
You’ve got to be ready
Hold on steady
Don’t go slack
He’s coming back
I know the man
Yeah, I’ve been claimed
Coming soon
Playin’ that tune
I got to go
You coming too
When he comes sailing down from the roof
lyrics version 9
Once there was a tune
And everyone knew how it went
But as time went by
People began to forget
Until at last no one could remember
And there was sadness and hatred and wars, death
And one day somebody said how does the tune go
Well there is no tune, there never was, it’s only a myth
These were the philosophers
You mean there's no tune at all
Well, it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
And you don't hurt anybody
These were the religious leaders
And so the world continued
There was hatred, wars and death
And one by one people became weary
Until at last one day as people were sitting on the side of a hill
They heard a strange noise
And a man appeared before them with a smile on his face
And kind of a sad look too
And some of the people began to sing along
La la la la la…
Hey this sounds like the tune
Shut up, there is no tune, there never was, there never will be
But it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
And you don't hurt anybody, especially me
And he just looked at them
And the people that loved him
Decided to follow him
And the people that hated him
Decided to kill him
And they did
And when it was finished
They went back to their houses of philosophy and religion
And they sat down to their tables to eat and to drink
They were interrupted
And they went over to their windows and looked outside
To see who it was singing the tune
It was him
And while they were watching
Something very strange happened
How did he do that
I don't really know
But when trouble goes, you don't ask where
I mean he's gone, can't see him
And eh, and um, he's gone
And, and he'll never return again, I hope
And they went back to their tables to finish their meals
Which were lukewarm by now
They were interrupted
They were beginning to get indigestion
And this time they ran out into the streets to lay hold of him
But they couldn't find him anywhere
Just a lot of people walking around, kinda smiling
And they all knew the tune
La la la la la…
And they noticed something strange about these people
When they made a mistake
They stopped, and they listened
La la la la…
That's how they knew how the tune went
Because they listened
And if you're listening
Well, all around you there's a tune
You can hear it if you just listen
Just listen to your radio
Watch television
Read the newspapers
Cosmopolitan
But if you really listen quietly
You can hear another tune
But you have to listen quietly
And you have to listen every day
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
And everyone knew how it went
But as time went by
People began to forget
Until at last no one could remember
And there was sadness and hatred and wars, death
And one day somebody said how does the tune go
Well there is no tune, there never was, it’s only a myth
These were the philosophers
You mean there's no tune at all
Well, it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
And you don't hurt anybody
These were the religious leaders
And so the world continued
There was hatred, wars and death
And one by one people became weary
Until at last one day as people were sitting on the side of a hill
They heard a strange noise
And a man appeared before them with a smile on his face
And kind of a sad look too
And some of the people began to sing along
La la la la la…
Hey this sounds like the tune
Shut up, there is no tune, there never was, there never will be
But it doesn't really matter what tune you play
As long as you play something
And you don't hurt anybody, especially me
And he just looked at them
And the people that loved him
Decided to follow him
And the people that hated him
Decided to kill him
And they did
And when it was finished
They went back to their houses of philosophy and religion
And they sat down to their tables to eat and to drink
They were interrupted
And they went over to their windows and looked outside
To see who it was singing the tune
It was him
And while they were watching
Something very strange happened
How did he do that
I don't really know
But when trouble goes, you don't ask where
I mean he's gone, can't see him
And eh, and um, he's gone
And, and he'll never return again, I hope
And they went back to their tables to finish their meals
Which were lukewarm by now
They were interrupted
They were beginning to get indigestion
And this time they ran out into the streets to lay hold of him
But they couldn't find him anywhere
Just a lot of people walking around, kinda smiling
And they all knew the tune
La la la la la…
And they noticed something strange about these people
When they made a mistake
They stopped, and they listened
La la la la…
That's how they knew how the tune went
Because they listened
And if you're listening
Well, all around you there's a tune
You can hear it if you just listen
Just listen to your radio
Watch television
Read the newspapers
Cosmopolitan
But if you really listen quietly
You can hear another tune
But you have to listen quietly
And you have to listen every day
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la