Magnum had a few great songs, and clearly underrated. But this song is not only underrated, it's completely beyond me it's not on most people's radar. I count this one as one of those truly great epic rock classics....
My dad used to play rock art all the time and I’ve never looked back, they deserve so much more recognition, their songs have actually meaning and tell stories, amazing band!
My dad was the biggest magnum fan. Took us to concerts and stuff. Loved the band. Back in 2013 i bought "the mystery of time" by avantasia. I heard it the first time in my car, and was like "thats bob fkin catley, isnt it?". Drove to my dads place after work and showed it to him. New Avantasia fan was born. Incredible what great and unique of a singer bob catley is. Even in higher age. Even if he can barely perform more than 3-4 songs at this point. He is honest about it and every bit he does is great :)
133.020 VIEWS?????? IT'S A SHAME!!!!!!! I THINK, NOBODY LIKES THE GOOD MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAGNUM IT'S A VERY UNDERRATED BAND. I DON'T CARE, IS MY FAVORITE BAND EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was there. They were just magnificent. I thought they would be a household name within a year, within 2 years Polydor dropped them. Can't fathom how Clarkin and Catley are not on the same plane as Plant and Paige. Their last album. Shadow Garden is as good as anything.
Epic magnum .love Bob's voice and Tony's guitar 🎵🎶🎸🎹saw them on first tour in the 70s kingdom of madness ,been a fan ever since great magnificent band .so underated. RiP Tony..❤🙏🤟
One of the best rock bands in the world me and my wife Karen have followed them all over the country we even had a drink with Bob and met the rest of the band lovely people and brilliant musicians
One of the greatest ever British bands. So underatted and writers of such great songs. You will find more great guitar riffs on a single Magnum record than twenty other bands put together. Love this song.
One of the most underestimated bands. Bob Catley’s vocals are amazing. The lyrics for the this song should be read when listening to this. I was actually at this concert and have loved this band since the 80s
It was the day that war broke out Everyone seemed excited While young men boasted And talked of great times Dark clouds gathered On the Maginot line Sisters and fathers Mothers and sons All said goodbye It seemed so much fun We'll be finished by Christmas Back home by the fire Perish the distance The bombs and the wire Don't wake the lion Don't wake the lion Don't wake the lion There's a firework show tonight Everyone's been invited There's mud on faces With frightened white eyes And some won't make it Through the thunderous noise Powerful and angry Answer the guns All through the night Relief never comes It's a criminal deception Sets man against man Indicting reflection A devious plan Don't wake the lion Don't wake the lion Don't wake the lion Father, don't you leave me Mother, don't go Can't live without you No, don't go, don't go Hear what they're saying Come the freeze You'd better hold on tight And while you're praying On your knees Prepare to stand and fight Someone keeps saying It's written in a book So keep yourself in line But you're betraying With every nervous look That now it's killing time And from the morning till the night We try They said it all would turn out right But they lied Yes, they lied Too old to die young Too big to cry Too old to die young To say goodbye Too old to die young Too big to cry, mama Too old to die young To say goodbye Above the raging Evening sky Will never be the same While necks are straining Those hidden eyes Shoot out another flame And from the morning till the night We try They said it all would turn out right But they lied Yes, they lied, lied Too old to die young Too big to cry Too old to die young To say goodbye Too old to die young Too big to cry, mama Too old to die young To say goodbye No, don't you ever Never, never Never, never Don't you Don't you Don't you ever never, never go While the angels sleep tonight Some of us will be hoping That someone understands Who started this fight Thrown down on foreign shores So far out of sight Don't wake the lion, no Don't wake the lion It was the day that war broke out Everyone seemed excited While young men boasted And talked of great times Dark clouds gathered It was a change for all time Sisters and fathers Mothers and sons All said goodbye It seemed so much fun We'll be finished by Christmas Back home by the fire Perish the distance The bombs and the wire Don't wake the lion No, no, no, don't wake the lion Don't wake the lion No, don't you wake the lion
Absolutely extraordinarily powerful song.saw these guys on the Goodnight L.A tour in 1990 at Doncaster dome.they were exceptional live and this song gave you goosebumps.such an amazing band who have just never had the recognition they deserve!
Wow! I'm 16 years old, and just a couple of days ago, I heard my dad listening to this in the car. In no time I couldn't help but to love it, their music is SO GOOD! Now I'm listening to it all the time, haha!
Magnificent song! One of my all time favorite songs from Magnum for sure. After all these years they are still going strong as ever and Bob's voice are still as clear as it has ever been...absolutely amazing!!! Will always be a Magnum fan as long as there is breath in my lungs and until they bury me! Rock on guys!!!
I met Micky Barker the other week. He's a top bloke! He now runs a music studio in Birmingham UK. I recorded there. Didn't realise just how big Magnum were/are. Watching Mick in action here is great. He's such a chilled out friendly dude! He must have been knackered doing this track though!
Ich habe dieses Konzert in den "heiligen Hallen" im Hammersmith Odeon, live erleben dürfen..es war episch. Ich habe Pink Floyds "Wall" fallen sehen, ich habe AC/DC ihre Kanonen abfeuern sehen, die Stones und selbst die Sex Pistols und ein paar andere "Grosse"...aber dieses Konzert hat mich geprägt!! Einfach fantastisch👍👊
@z750andy Have to agree mate... saw them in Northern Ireland outdoors on the shores of Lough Neagh in Summer of 88 ( 2 more times in later years) FANTASTIC SONG FANTASTIC BAND.
Only today saw the sad news. Many memories of seeing Magnum back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Met my wife at one of their shows in Hannover. Such a great song writer in a classic band. RIP Tony Clarkin..
Hi, I used to play bass for a band called Walk The Wire and we played support to Magnum on some dates in the UK when they were touring the Rock Art album. What a great band those guys are, very friendly, helpful and courteous to us. Great days indeed! If you like this song why not check out WTW`s song `Crossfire`.......enjoy!
Magnum are simply awesome and bristle with talent. It's a tragedy that these guys don't get the recognition they truly deserve. This is such a bloody great song.
They are still going. From this line-up, keyboardist Mark Stanway, singer Bob Catley (duh) and guitarist/mastermind/genius songwriter Tony Clarkin remains. I saw them in Stockholm last week, it was amazing! This song was the encore!!!!
I listened to this while watching old world war 1 footage of fighting in the trenches of the somme and flanders, you could not get a better song to fit the times. Magnum summed it up perfect.
No superlative crack could even begin to define just how good this song is, had the good fortune seeing them live a few times and boy oh boy they were real good. IMO their songs just don't age...
the first time i saw Magnum live, id never even heard of them, then they got really big in the 80,s with the vigilante &wings of heaven albums still a great band & they have the original line up.
My favourite on Wings Of Heaven together with Pray For The Day and Days Of No Trust. Great anti-war song. And tell Tony Clarkin that he looked with beard and long hair much better than today with shaved skinhead.
A simply great down to earth UK rock band.. great live, great to meet, great fan club,, Mickey and Bob both wrote letters to me in 1983/85...awesome tracks throughout there career..
Magnum had a few great songs, and clearly underrated.
But this song is not only underrated, it's completely beyond me it's not on most people's radar.
I count this one as one of those truly great epic rock classics....
Wings of Heaven was a great album. My dad used to play it in the car when I was a kid. These guys never got the success they deserved.
My dad used to play rock art all the time and I’ve never looked back, they deserve so much more recognition, their songs have actually meaning and tell stories, amazing band!
My dad was the biggest magnum fan. Took us to concerts and stuff. Loved the band.
Back in 2013 i bought "the mystery of time" by avantasia. I heard it the first time in my car, and was like "thats bob fkin catley, isnt it?". Drove to my dads place after work and showed it to him. New Avantasia fan was born. Incredible what great and unique of a singer bob catley is. Even in higher age. Even if he can barely perform more than 3-4 songs at this point. He is honest about it and every bit he does is great :)
Probably one of the best and most awesome (and terrific) song in history.
I agree. This song is ...well it just is.
One of Britains most underatted bands, that never really got the recognition they deserve...
133.020 VIEWS?????? IT'S A SHAME!!!!!!! I THINK, NOBODY LIKES THE GOOD MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAGNUM IT'S A VERY UNDERRATED BAND. I DON'T CARE, IS MY FAVORITE BAND EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like good music, and this is good, 👍
No one understands real music anymore it's all visual lies
When young men boasted and talks of great time's 🎵🎶🎹great song great band..love em .RIP Tony 🙏🎸🎵🎵🎶
I was there. They were just magnificent. I thought they would be a household name within a year, within 2 years Polydor dropped them. Can't fathom how Clarkin and Catley are not on the same plane as Plant and Paige. Their last album. Shadow Garden is as good as anything.
deff leppard thats why
Wings of Heaven was a masterpiece. Goodnight LA was underwhelming.
Epic magnum .love Bob's voice and Tony's guitar 🎵🎶🎸🎹saw them on first tour in the 70s kingdom of madness ,been a fan ever since great magnificent band .so underated. RiP Tony..❤🙏🤟
His guitar tone is unbelievable - awesome, awesome song.
One of the best rock bands in the world me and my wife Karen have followed them all over the country we even had a drink with Bob and met the rest of the band lovely people and brilliant musicians
One of the greatest ever British bands. So underatted and writers of such great songs. You will find more great guitar riffs on a single Magnum record than twenty other bands put together. Love this song.
One of the most underestimated bands. Bob Catley’s vocals are amazing. The lyrics for the this song should be read when listening to this. I was actually at this concert and have loved this band since the 80s
Outstanding Masterpiece!👍👏- Unique!; "Someone keep's saying: It's written in a book!!"
A song about the 'The Great' war, WW1. The lyrics and the music still puts the hairs up on the back of my neck! Remember them all this Sunday.
One of rock music's masterpices for sure...... simply awesome!!!!
In my opinion the best song they ever recorded. Love Wings of Heaven. Have it on CD, vinyl and still cassette.
was it really 23 years ago it this came out? God I must be getting OLD!
Still good all these years later!
Truly, one of Tony's finest songs...
Amo magnum.
Only one word : Great !
It was the day that war broke out
Everyone seemed excited
While young men boasted
And talked of great times
Dark clouds gathered
On the Maginot line
Sisters and fathers
Mothers and sons
All said goodbye
It seemed so much fun
We'll be finished by Christmas
Back home by the fire
Perish the distance
The bombs and the wire
Don't wake the lion
Don't wake the lion
Don't wake the lion
There's a firework show tonight
Everyone's been invited
There's mud on faces
With frightened white eyes
And some won't make it
Through the thunderous noise
Powerful and angry
Answer the guns
All through the night
Relief never comes
It's a criminal deception
Sets man against man
Indicting reflection
A devious plan
Don't wake the lion
Don't wake the lion
Don't wake the lion
Father, don't you leave me
Mother, don't go
Can't live without you
No, don't go, don't go
Hear what they're saying
Come the freeze
You'd better hold on tight
And while you're praying
On your knees
Prepare to stand and fight
Someone keeps saying
It's written in a book
So keep yourself in line
But you're betraying
With every nervous look
That now it's killing time
And from the morning till the night
We try
They said it all would turn out right
But they lied
Yes, they lied
Too old to die young
Too big to cry
Too old to die young
To say goodbye
Too old to die young
Too big to cry, mama
Too old to die young
To say goodbye
Above the raging
Evening sky
Will never be the same
While necks are straining
Those hidden eyes
Shoot out another flame
And from the morning till the night
We try
They said it all would turn out right
But they lied
Yes, they lied, lied
Too old to die young
Too big to cry
Too old to die young
To say goodbye
Too old to die young
Too big to cry, mama
Too old to die young
To say goodbye
No, don't you ever
Never, never
Never, never
Don't you
Don't you
Don't you ever never, never go
While the angels sleep tonight
Some of us will be hoping
That someone understands
Who started this fight
Thrown down on foreign shores
So far out of sight
Don't wake the lion, no
Don't wake the lion
It was the day that war broke out
Everyone seemed excited
While young men boasted
And talked of great times
Dark clouds gathered
It was a change for all time
Sisters and fathers
Mothers and sons
All said goodbye
It seemed so much fun
We'll be finished by Christmas
Back home by the fire
Perish the distance
The bombs and the wire
Don't wake the lion
No, no, no, don't wake the lion
Don't wake the lion
No, don't you wake the lion
Yes
The greatest song ever written.
rip tony. end of a great band
La banda más infravalorada de la historia !!! La palabra Leyendas se queda corta !!!
Saw them twice still playing their albums brilliant band
so cool how the song builds up
23 years ago defo getting old. Fantastic song fantastic band. Seen them live over 50 times never tire of seeing them. Roll on Bilston in Novmber.
NELLIEB123
Mero monstruo genial no máximo excelente tema magnun
Absolutely extraordinarily powerful song.saw these guys on the Goodnight L.A tour in 1990 at Doncaster dome.they were exceptional live and this song gave you goosebumps.such an amazing band who have just never had the recognition they deserve!
Extraordinária música de uma inesquecível banda.
Wow! I'm 16 years old, and just a couple of days ago, I heard my dad listening to this in the car. In no time I couldn't help but to love it, their music is SO GOOD! Now I'm listening to it all the time, haha!
Just brilliant!..
one of the best war songs ever!
song has begun 4:43
Great Gigs at Hanleys Victoria Hall in the 80's .
Magnificent song! One of my all time favorite songs from Magnum for sure. After all these years they are still going strong as ever and Bob's voice are still as clear as it has ever been...absolutely amazing!!! Will always be a Magnum fan as long as there is breath in my lungs and until they bury me! Rock on guys!!!
I met Micky Barker the other week. He's a top bloke! He now runs a music studio in Birmingham UK. I recorded there. Didn't realise just how big Magnum were/are.
Watching Mick in action here is great. He's such a chilled out friendly dude! He must have been knackered doing this track though!
Fucking wicked song from my youth days !!!
1980's MASTERPIECE.
Group mastodonte
I was at this gig,, beginning of a lasting love affair
best magnum line up of all times! phantastic. wally lowe and mickey barker were perfect. heroes!
Underrated as usual with the greats 😞
Ich habe dieses Konzert in den "heiligen Hallen" im Hammersmith Odeon, live erleben dürfen..es war episch. Ich habe Pink Floyds "Wall" fallen sehen, ich habe AC/DC ihre Kanonen abfeuern sehen, die Stones und selbst die Sex Pistols und ein paar andere "Grosse"...aber dieses Konzert hat mich geprägt!! Einfach fantastisch👍👊
Great song
@z750andy Have to agree mate... saw them in Northern Ireland outdoors on the shores of Lough Neagh in Summer of 88 ( 2 more times in later years) FANTASTIC SONG FANTASTIC BAND.
Only today saw the sad news. Many memories of seeing Magnum back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Met my wife at one of their shows in Hannover. Such a great song writer in a classic band. RIP Tony Clarkin..
What a great Live Version of this Epic Song!
Unusual to see Magnum on those big Stage! What a great Band! One of my favorite Bands!
Hi, I used to play bass for a band called Walk The Wire and we played support to Magnum on some dates in the UK when they were touring the Rock Art album. What a great band those guys are, very friendly, helpful and courteous to us. Great days indeed! If you like this song why not check out WTW`s song `Crossfire`.......enjoy!
An incredible track from a superb, underated band!!!
Magnum are simply awesome and bristle with talent. It's a tragedy that these guys don't get the recognition they truly deserve. This is such a bloody great song.
This is a wonderful song, really makes you think!
First saw Magnum supporting Krokus in the 80's. They were awesome then and remain so. This has to be one of my favourite songs. Just brilliant.
Fantastic-Magic-Rock-Band!!!!
Best song ever!!!
Waouh.. What a period fom Magnum. Splendid !
Oh my god,what a song, wonderful.that song should be played befor going into war. Mr President listen to it and you will understand the whole world
They played this when I saw them in Stockholm in 2009... religious experience.
They are still going. From this line-up, keyboardist Mark Stanway, singer Bob Catley (duh) and guitarist/mastermind/genius songwriter Tony Clarkin remains.
I saw them in Stockholm last week, it was amazing! This song was the encore!!!!
i saw them in göteborg in swe, last month i think it was IT... WAS.... AWESOME, and it was also my first concert whit them, just godlike
I was there. Great gig.
amazing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great ,great song and band. Such a pity they never made it huge! They truly deserved to!
I listened to this while watching old world war 1 footage of fighting in the trenches of the somme and flanders, you could not get a better song to fit the times. Magnum summed it up perfect.
Classic, simply classic
best song of magnum.finaly end of october 2010- 5 cds` of best on sale
The best song ever writen
I WAS ATT THIS GIG FANTASTIC
Ohne wenn und aber: Die beste Band die es gibt !!
I cannot stop listening to this song.
Great SONG!!
song has begun 4:43
Tony Clarkin, Master Songwriter.
A good tune will always come to mind at anytime...this is up there 😉
this song is just EPIC! no other word for it...
No superlative crack could even begin to define just how good this song is, had the good fortune seeing them live a few times and boy oh boy they were real good. IMO their songs just don't age...
Best Magnum lineup.
Magnum are in a league all of their own. So unique, and their songs are like poetry. I love them. Thanks for posting this up.
amazing song . sang by an amazing singer & played by an amazing band.
Brilliant!!!!!!!
The atmosphere of this song is tremendous...
the first time i saw Magnum live, id never even heard of them, then they got really big in the 80,s with the vigilante &wings of heaven albums still a great band & they have the original line up.
This live version is one of the best songs that I know.
seen them 3 months ago superb
My favourite on Wings Of Heaven together with Pray For The Day and Days Of No Trust. Great anti-war song. And tell Tony Clarkin that he looked with beard and long hair much better than today with shaved skinhead.
Quite simply breathtaking...
Best Magnum Song.
Klasse!J.Kohler
A great song about WW1! Amazing band...
fantastic song
Impressive performance of a great song.
Great!!
So many memories of this awesome band! Long may they shine… 😃👍
f**k me I was at this gig.....a truly awesome group.....never really got he recognition they deserved....
all i can say is great song, great band,
such a powerful song, if only some world leaders could listen to this some .
thanks for the post
Great song , great band great live!
This Year live on the Tour...
It was great 💖
A simply great down to earth UK rock band.. great live, great to meet, great fan club,, Mickey and Bob both wrote letters to me in 1983/85...awesome tracks throughout there career..
This is one of the most underrated bands in modern history.
i seen these in liverpool in the 80s awesome
my fave song of all time - alwaysd gives me goosebumps listening to this,had the pleasure of seeing it performed live last year
Magnum are the best of british rock,still are ,and in a different league to the like of Status Quo
Mark cbay
Yet another winning song from the lads! i love the build up in the middle of the song.
Don't miss the WOH-Tour 2008!!!