paul siebel well come gather around me friends of mine while i sing to you about a minstrel band of children in their witches hats painting pictures with the pipes of pan how a young boy and his sister played some tunes upon a whistle made of tin and led me through the flower gardens laughing at the postman s stubby chin and in my dizzy stupor i was trying to forfeit all i d known and listen to that music that could swirl me in a magic all it s own but somewhere in the distance you and i we fought our monsters to a draw it was in those days of books and wine with ferlin getty grasping for a straw and out along the highways we journeyed far to find that mystic smile chasing down identities my god we must have run a million miles so we can teach the children nothing nothing but survival in the desert bare they can teach us how to laugh how to love and tie bright ribbons in our hair so sing for us you children tinkle bells and rhyme the purple greens and blues think of us as fighting fools who wintered through our seasons loving you think of us as fighting fools who wintered through our seasons loving you cause you can teach us how to laugh how to love and tie bright ribbons in our hair