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Todd Rundgren — Zen Archer
Album: A Wizard, a True Star
Avg rating:
5.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 259









Released: 1973
Length: 5:33
Plays (last 30 days): 2
Pretty bird with feathers falling
Pretty as a lady calling
For her pink and midnight lover
As she stares into the water

And a yellow moon is rising
And there can't be no disguising
That the pretty bird is dying
With a silver arrow lying at its side

Rivers of blood,
oceans of tears,
life without death,
and death without reason

To the whole United Nations,
To your greatest expectations
To the moment that you realize
As a dark figure slips from out of the shadow

Pretty bird closes its eyes, pretty bird dies
Another pretty thing dead on the end of the shaft
Of the Zen Archer

A man in parts forgotten
With an outlook that is rotten
And an attitude to match it
Finds relief inside a hatchet
And he halved someone in Boulder
Justifiability is in the hands of the beholder
And you just don't know what people will do next

Mountains of pain,
valleys of love,
death without life,
and life without meaning

To the promise kept and broken
To the love that's never spoken
Just as surely as I'm in your ears
A dark figure slips from out of the shadow
Comments (28)add comment
 bodinrichard1 wrote:

Really really not my thing. Sounds confused, disjointed and lost. 


Based on the cover portrait, that may have been how Todd was feeling when he wrote & recorded it. 
Really really not my thing. Sounds confused, disjointed and lost. 
 citizenkeith wrote:

And all the artists you just mentioned get regular play on RP.

I'm really shocked that there is nothing played from Something/Anything?, Runt, The Ballad of Todd Rundgren, Faithful, Acapella or Nearly Human. 


Or Liars...
Oh my sweet Jesus!  Do I love this guy.
Soundtrack to my teenage years, Todd spoke to me when my world could be very dark at times and for that I will never forget him.
I loved Todd's work in the 70s, but I thought he had pretty much dried up over the last few decades...almost everything after he produced Meat Loaf's album seemed forgettable...and then I heard 'Liars' and was blown away again.  I saw him play the whole album in live in Bristol, UK...and it was brilliant.  He's still got an occasional gem in him.
Yes, Todd is here.
Todd Rundgren! Finally. Been missing him from the mix.
Thanks, RP!
Among a fair number of friends I went to E-School with, it was said, at parties, when laying down records or cueing up tapes, "Todd Is God." I heard him lots growing up, as well. Always intensely unique, and totally unpredictable. And, along with his Radio Hits, some rather obscure, decidedly trippy songs... I got to see him at a small venue in Yokohama around 2005 or so, and he was frenetic, fantastic, and awe-inspiring!
 mrselfdestruct wrote:

Just let the goddamn bird die and move on, Todd.



mrselfdistruct, you don't like this track? I never heard it and I am enjoying it
Just let the goddamn bird die and move on, Todd.
 kingart wrote:
OMG. 
I've never, ever heard this! Wasn't even aware of it. 
1973??  What?  Is that right? 
Jay-sus, if I had to guess, I'd reply: 2003. 2013. 
With no clue of the artist. 
 
So right!  My GF guess was around 2000 lol.  Futuristic sounds.  Like it a lot {#Jump}
 teckels4 wrote:
I hear where Bob Moses 'borrowed' his sound.

 
This song is a Bob Moses song, RP playlist has a bug, pal.
 looking4sd wrote:
Seems like there was a glitch in the machine.  Shazam says it was 'Grace by Bob Moses'. Which explains the "similarity" ;)

 
In fact IT IS Bob Moses.
Seems like there was a glitch in the machine.  Shazam says it was 'Grace by Bob Moses'. Which explains the "similarity" ;)
There must be a mistake guys, this song is not Zen Archer, which is a quite different tune.
OMG. 
I've never, ever heard this! Wasn't even aware of it. 
1973??  What?  Is that right? 
Jay-sus, if I had to guess, I'd reply: 2003. 2013. 
With no clue of the artist. 
This song sounds brand new!  1973??  Wow!
I hear where Bob Moses 'borrowed' his sound.
How about "The Last Ride", "Black Maria", "Healing", "Bardo"????????
 dogdokken wrote:
No play in 3 years, ouch. RP isn't too fond of Todd, guess he isn't "cool" enough, but his impact as both musician and producer has left its mark in the music industry. The Band, Patti Smyth, XTC, all regulars on RP all had their paths crossed with Todd. 

 
And all the artists you just mentioned get regular play on RP.

I'm really shocked that there is nothing played from Something/Anything?, Runt, The Ballad of Todd Rundgren, Faithful, Acapella or Nearly Human. 
No play in 3 years, ouch. RP isn't too fond of Todd, guess he isn't "cool" enough, but his impact as both musician and producer has left its mark in the music industry. The Band, Patti Smyth, XTC, all regulars on RP all had their paths crossed with Todd. 
How many Ensteins' out there realize that this albumn is over 35 years old!   This albumn was decades ahead of it's time.  I do wonder of all the Todd material out there, why this was selected.  There is great stuff that is more contemporary.
 snakefinger wrote:
totally respect his talent - can't listen to some of his tunes
 
{#Yes}

Excellent!  I could be wrong, but this is the first Todd I think RP has played, at least while I've been listening.  This is an interesting choice, nicely representative of Todd's eclectic-ness (and therefore very representative of Radio Paradise...)
totally respect his talent - can't listen to some of his tunes
Weird.  I like it.
This whole album is great. As was his Something/Anything album
dreadful

he's got much better stuff

all that is wrong with the 70's