Ta' Jiang - Landmarq

I) Source

From these rivers of gold i grew

Panning silent silt-filled waters

The trinkets on my arms speak truths

Stories of wealth in these swift waters

Chi’n sha' jiang — river of golden sand

From these distant mountains you bring

Precious gold our future with you

Amongst grit and sand we sing

Hands held in prayer our hopes renewed

Chi’n sha' jiang — river of golden sand

Limestone cliffs rise either side

Junks attempt to fight fierce tides

Sampan chase the upstream winds

The river rages still

Hammers smashing rocks for miles

Factories choke the township tiles

Ferries spew their diesel oil

In glossy rainbow films

Ta' jiang .ta' jiang

From sources pure you gave to us

A future for our grandsons new

Respect was all you asked of us

In return we stole your future too

Chi’n sha' jiang — river of golden sand

Limestone cliffs rise either side

II) spirit (instrumental)

III) vision

Not fifty years from now

The world will look like this

So bleak in this harsh land

A damp and crowded bliss

Cold and hunger grey-filled skies

Amidst this sulpherous thunder

If i could see the future

It’s written in these tides

Woman, man and child

Hard work is all they know

Crude tools to do their chores

And the farmers work their land

And chase their hunger on rain-filled

Streets of stone their pushcarts thunder

If i could see the future — it’s written in these tides

If i could see the future — it’s here before my eyes

IV) rage (instrumental)

V) finale

Concrete banks rise either side

Sewers spill their putrid tide

Corpses take their lurid way

The river rages still

Of great importance to them all

This mighty river thunders through

Habitat laid low by man

Forever lost in time

Ta' jiang .ta' jiang

(unconquered spirit, how could we chain you?)