A Man for All Seasons - Al Stewart (1978)

"A Man for All Seasons" was released on Al Stewart's eight album, Time Passages in September 1978. I hope you enjoy the this lesser known but typically excellent track by Al Stewart...thanks for visiting! PLEASE give it some love so it doesn't sink to the bottom of the pile! Share, comment, like...you know the drill!? LOL! CC Lyrics pending...yikes, that's a lot of lyrics! About the artist/album/song (from Wikipedia): Time Passages was the follow-up album to his hugely popular Year of the Cat album from 1976. Like "Year of the Cat" and 1975's Modern Times, it was produced by Alan Parsons. The album's title track (which, when edited, reached #7 on the Billboard charts) and "End of the Day" were both co-written by Peter White. The title track occupied #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts for 10 weeks. Al Stewart wrote the composition is about the original man for all seasons, Sir Thomas More. Born in London on February 7, 1478, the son of Sir John More would become a lawyer and later a judge. Elected to Parliament, he rose to become Speaker of the House, but fell foul of the Monarch which resulted in his execution. In those days, the King could do more or less what he wanted in spite of Magna Carta. When his first wife Catherine of Aragon was unable to give him the male heir he so wanted, Henry decided to divorce her and marry Anne Boleyn. When the Church wouldn't allow him to divorce his wife, Henry decided to divorce the Church instead! When More refused to go along with the plan, he was denounced as a traitor, and his fate was sealed. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London on April 17, 1534, and executed July 6. The following year, Anne Boleyn met the same fate. About the video: I really enjoy making video for Al's songs because besides the beautiful music he writes, he often uses historical references, and I enjoy working with his lyrics very much for that reason. This one jumped in front of the line mainly because I had a visit from a good YouTube friend from way back, who is a HUGE Al fan...and performs amazing Al Stewart covers! Thanks Michela!    / @michelavazzana   This has been my next planned video since the last one, probably a few years ago...and though I'd started something before, I started from scratch so I could use more AI in it. I love both the song and the film "A Man for All Seasons"...I almost went with "Time Passages" (which of course I've wanted to do since I started making videos, because popular songs make much more popular videos...and though getting the most views possible isn't my first priority (the channel was started to give some attention to the more obscure tracks!)....but I may start trying to use more popular tracks more often, because the return on the time and energy invested is so much greater? If you know the song, hope like the vid & if you weren't familiar with the track before, I hope the video will enhance the beauty of the music! Thanks to all! About the audio: We listened to several different source tracks and in the end the version from Al's "Admiralty Lights" got the edge from both Sparky and I and after he worked a little of his magic on it...it sounded even better! Thanks as always, Sparky! [Lyrics] What if you reached the age of reason Only to find there was no reprieve Would you still be a man for all seasons? Or would you just have to leave We measure our days out In steps of uncertainty Not turning to see how we've come And peer down the highway From here to eternity And reach out for love on the run While the man for all seasons Is lost behind the sun Henry Plantagenet still looks for someone To bring good news in his hour of doubt While Thomas More waits in the Tower of London Watching the sands running out And measures the hours out From here to oblivion In actions that can't be undone A sailor through the darkness He scans the meridian And caught by the first rays of dawn The man for all seasons Is lost beneath the storm And I should know by now I should know by now I hear them call it out all around Oh, they go There's nothing to believe in Hear them, Just daydreams, deceiving They'll just let you down What if you reached the age of reason Only to find there was no reprieve Would you still be a man for all seasons? Or would you just disbelieve? We measure our gains out in luck and coincidence Lanterns to turn back the night And put our defeats down to chance or experience And try once again for the light Some wait for the waters of fortune to cover them Some just see the tides of ill chance running over them Some call on Jehovah Some cry out to Allah Some wait for the boats that still row to Valhalla Well, you should try to accept what the fates are unfolding While some say they're sure where the blame should be falling You look round for maybe a chance of forestalling Bot too soon its over and done And the man for all seasons Is lost behind the sun