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The Balance Shifts Lyrics by Jon English, Barry Humphries

Paris (Original Musical Soundtrack)

1990

[CASSANDRA]
The balance still shifts
Beware all Greeks bearing gifts
For they will return
To pillage and burn
Why waste my breath?
When will they learn
[LAOCOEN]
Ah, Cassandra
I have always believed you
But what can one priest do?
[CASSANDRA]
Your role was cast
From the very beginning, my friend
You are the object of the losing and the winning
If you destroy this thing
Before night falls
Your sacrifice will save us all
[LAOCOEN]
You sound sad, little princess
Do not cry
I am ready if I must die
For if this monster is how the gods conspire
Let’s see what happens when we set it on fire
[TROJAN]
Good princess, good priest
Stop your grieving
Our prayers are answered
The Greeks are leaving
Look, see
They sail into the sun
They've given up
It's over
We've won
[Chorus]
No better feeling that this in your homeland
Now we must go
No more tears to cry now
No more destruction
No fear for your loved ones
Lay down your weapons and take up [?]
No more destruction
No fear for your loved ones
Lay down your weapons and take up [?]
[PRIAM]
It seems the Greek retreat was not all that swift
Hecuba, look
They took the time to leave us a gift
[HECUBA, spoken]
Are you sure it's a gift, Priam?
[HECUBA]
They must have built this thing
Just before they fled
As a monument, perhaps, for their dead
[PRIAM]
The dead were the last thing on their minds
Look, see
They've left one behind
[?]
It’s true, Your Majesty
He looks like death
[?]
Ugh. But you should just smell his breath
[?]
It was no Trojan weapon that made him fall
But a Greek wineskin
He's drunk, that's all
[Chorus]
No greater drunk than a Greek with a skin full
[PRIAM]
This prisoner is a damn disgrace to his race
[?]
He’d be better of dead
[PRIAM]
Yes, let's cut off his head
[SINON, spoken]
I guess that's fair for a prisoner of war
You could cut off my head
It couldn’t hurt anymore
But do it quietly, would you
[PRIAM, spoken]
You live while you speak, you pathetic little man
Just what is this thing
What does it mean?
[SINON, spoken]
What thing
[PRIAM, spoken]
That thing
[SINON, spoken]
What thing
[PRIAM, spoken]
That thing
[SINON]
Oh, that horse
Is an offering
Of praise from the gods
I forget which one
But to move it at all
Will bring Greece undone
Serve 'em right
They leave the innocent behind
So you've beaten those bastards
Well, it serves them right
Still, you've got to admit
It was one hell of a fight
I'm on the fence
I'm not into violence
This is a gift for you all to enjoy
A symbol of triumph
To the people of Troy
The gods have decreed
That all Greece will fall
The minute you stable it
Inside your wall
[PRIAM]
The spirits you quote seem to grow on a vine
We have a true servant of the gods
Stop wasting my time
[SINON, spoken]
You're all the same, you kings
[PRIAM, spoken]
Priest, what do the gods make of this
[LAOCOEN]
I am no slave to the gods anymore
I renounce the struggle of passion and law
For I pray for the day
That they will fall
When men realize we don't need them at all
So no matter what they say
Or try to do
The final decision rests with you
Farewell, sweet Cassandra
My part is now played
I challenge the gods
For I am not afraid
[CASSANDRA]
No!
My friend!
Credits
Jon English

Jon English

Barry Humphries

Barry Humphries

About “The Balance Shifts” by Jon English

Read the complete lyrics to "The Balance Shifts" by Jon English, Barry Humphries from the album "Paris (Original Musical Soundtrack)" in 1990. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"The Balance Shifts" is performed by Jon English, Barry Humphries. from the album "Paris (Original Musical Soundtrack)" in 1990 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Balance Shifts", explore more songs by Jon English, Barry Humphries using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"The Balance Shifts" is credited to Jon English, Barry Humphries. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"The Balance Shifts" appears on "Paris (Original Musical Soundtrack)" in 1990.

Visit the Jon English, Barry Humphries artist page at /artist/jon-english for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.