Minstrel in the Gallery

The minstrel in the gallery looked down upon the smiling faces
He met the gazes, observed the spaces between the old men's cackle
He brewed a song of love and hatred, oblique suggestions, and he waited
He polarized the pumpkin-eaters, static-humming panel-beaters, freshly
Day-glo'd factory cheaters (salaried and collar-scrubbing)
He titillated men-of-action, belly warming, hands still rubbing on the
Parts they never mention
He pacified the nappy-suffering, infant-bleating one-line jokers, TV
Documentary makers (over-fed and undertakers)
Sunday paper backgammon players, family-scarred and women-haters
Then he called the band down to the stage and he looked at all the friends
He'd made

The minstrel in the gallery looked down upon the smiling faces
He met the gazes observed the spaces in between the old men's cackle
And he brewed a song of love and hatred - oblique suggestions - and he
Waited
He polarized the pumpkin-eaters, static-humming panel-beaters

The minstrel in the gallery looked down on the rabbit-run
And threw away his looking-glass, saw his face in everyone
Hey!

He titillated men-of-action, belly warming, hands still rubbing on the
Parts they never mention (salaried and collar-scrubbing)

He pacified the nappy-suffering, infant-bleating one-line jokers, t. V
Documentary makers (over-fed and undertakers)
Sunday paper backgammon players, family-scarred and women-haters
Then he called the band down to the stage and he looked at all the friends
He'd made

The minstrel in the gallery looked down on the rabbit-run
And he threw away his looking-glass and saw his face in everyone
Hey!
The minstrel in the gallery
Yes!
Looked down upon the smiling faces
He met the gazes
Yeah!
Mm, the minstrel in the gallery