Tal; Lasker; Steinitz; Alekine; Botvinnik; Smyslov; Spassky; Euwe; Fischer; Petrosian; Anderson; Capablanca; Morphy; Karpov; (In the concept album the names are listed in chronological order, here they are in the order in which they are sung)
CHOIR 1866 Wilhelm Steinitz 1894 Emanuel Lasker
MOLOKOV How straightforward the game When one has trust in one's player (Choir 1921 Jose Capablanca) And how great the relief Working for one who believes in Loyalty, heritage, true to his kind come what may
CHOIR 1927 Alexander Alekine
THE AMARICAN Though it gives me no joy (The Russian 1935 Euwe) Adding to your satisfaction (Choir 1948 Mikhail Botvinnik) You can safely assume That your late unlamented employee Knows if he wins then the only thing won is the chess
CHOIR 1957 Vasily Smyslov
MOLOKOV It's the weak who accept (Florence 1960 Tal) Tawdry untruths about freedom (Choir 1963 Tigran Petrosian) Prostituting themselves Chasing a spurious starlight Trinkets in airports sufficient to lead them astray
CHOIR 1969 Boris Spassky
FLORENCE Does the player exist (Choir 1972 Bobby Fischer) In any human endeavour (Choir 1975 Anatoly Karpov) Who's been known to resist Sirens of fame and possessions ? They will destroy you, not rivals, not age, not success
THE RUSSIAN They all think they see a man Who doesn't know Which move to make Which way to go Whose private life Caused his decline Wrecked his grand design
Some are vicious, some are fools And others blind To see in me one of there kind
Anyone can be A husband, lover Sooner them than me When they discover Their domestic bliss is Shelter for their failing
Nothing could be worse Than self-denial Having to rehearse To endless trial Of a partners rather sad Demands prevailing
SVETLANA As you watch yourself caring About a minor sporting triumph, sharing Your win with esoterics, Paranoids, hysterics, Who don't pay any attention to What goes on around them They leave the one they love the way they found them A normal person must Dismiss you with disgust And weep for those who trusted you
THE RUSSIAN Nothing you have said is revelation Take my blues as read My consolation -
Finding out that I'm my one true obligation (Crowd cheer)
SVETLANA AND THE CROWD Listen to them shout They saw you do it In their minds no doubt That you've been through it Suffered for your art But in the end a winner
Who could not be stirred Such dedication We have never heard Such an ovation Skill and guts a model For the young beginner
They're completely enchanted But they don't take your qualities for granted It isn't very often That the critics soften Nonetheless you've won their hearts How can we begin to Appreciate the work that you've put into Your calling through the years The blood, the sweat, the tears The late, late nights, the early starts There they go again! Your deeds enflame them Drive them wild, but then Who wants to tame them If they want a part of you Who'd really blame them ? (Crowd cheer louder still)
THE RUSSIAN And so you're letting me know -
SVETLANA For you're the only one who's never suffered anything at all
THE RUSSIAN How you've hated my success -
SVETLANA Well I won't crawl - And you can slink back to your pawns and to your tarts
THE RUSSIAN And every poisoned word shows that you never understood
SVETLANA Liar!
THE RUSSIAN Never!
BOTH Nothing you have said Is revelation Take my blues as read My consolation -
SVETLANA Finding out that I'm my only obligation
THE RUSSIAN Is there no one in my life Who will not claim The right to steal My work, my name My success, my fame And my freedom