YYZumbi Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I have been listening a lot to Clockwork Angels lately, while I read the lyrics. And Im trying to understand what Clockwork Angels is really about, but I dont get it... Someone that could please explain to me what the story is about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savagegrace26 Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 Read Candide. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleRushmonkey Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 If you have the CD at the top of the lyrics it tells you the story as you go along. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savagegrace26 Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 (edited) It's about a bunch of random stuff but in the end nothing happens. Just like life... Edited October 4, 2014 by savagegrace26 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savagegrace26 Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 There's a novelization of it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
len(songs) Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 There's a novelization of it too.Though it's not very good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifeson90 Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 i dont even want to think about it anymore. there's half a dozen great tracks on the album that stand alone i'll listen to quite often but lost interest in the storyline 'concept' very quickly after release. i remember thinking was a poor kind of homage to stephen king's The Stand for some reason, but doesnt deserve mentioning in same sentence really. yeah, i think the guys made a decent effort to grasp the thing musically you can see what the end result might have been, but CA doesnt hold even a faint light to 2112 or hemispheres etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerofthor Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 Its basically a metaphor for sexuality and freedom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefox4000 Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I hate concept albums........i couldn't care less whether you have a story to tell.......give me the music. CA..... Form what i gather. Neil whines about religion again. Some angels on clocks that control people.....i don't know. There's a discontented anarchist, some sort of carnival. Some evil dude with a bomb. Then for some reason. There's a woman who this guy thinks is great but it's a delusion he projected on here. There;s a sea disaster. He wishes he could do it all again.....blah blah blah. Screw the haters wish them well. Big cheesy sunday school like song. The end. But don't go by me. Mick 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
len(songs) Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I hate concept albums........i couldn't care less whether you have a story to tell.......give me the music. CA..... Form what i gather. Neil whines about religion again. Some angels on clocks that control people.....i don't know. There's a discontented anarchist, some sort of carnival. Some evil dude with a bomb. Then for some reason. There's a woman who this guy thinks is great but it's a delusion he projected on here. There;s a sea disaster. He wishes he could do it all again.....blah blah blah. Screw the haters wish them well. Big cheesy sunday school like song. The end. But don't go by me. MickA well written, musically interesting concept album is fine by me; I agree though that the concept itself sorta falls flat on CA. It's not coherent enough to form the "conceptual" dimension that the band seemed to be searching for. Just my two cents... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antiquark Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 Here's a book review of the CA novel: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2012/08/review-clockwork-angels-by-kevin-j-anderson-based-on-a-story-and-lyrics-by-neil-peart/ "BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Owen Hardy grows up in a world controlled by the Watchmaker, where “the Universe has a plan, All is for the best.” His yearning for something more takes him out of the order of his small town, and thrusts him into the battle between order (the Watchmaker) and chaos (the Anarchist) leading him to explore places and worlds he did not realize existed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YYZumbi Posted October 4, 2014 Author Share Posted October 4, 2014 Here's a book review of the CA novel: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2012/08/review-clockwork-angels-by-kevin-j-anderson-based-on-a-story-and-lyrics-by-neil-peart/ "BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Owen Hardy grows up in a world controlled by the Watchmaker, where “the Universe has a plan, All is for the best.” His yearning for something more takes him out of the order of his small town, and thrusts him into the battle between order (the Watchmaker) and chaos (the Anarchist) leading him to explore places and worlds he did not realize existed. Thanks for that! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
x1yyz Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 Here's a book review of the CA novel: http://www.sfsignal....-by-neil-peart/ "BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Owen Hardy grows up in a world controlled by the Watchmaker, where “the Universe has a plan, All is for the best.” His yearning for something more takes him out of the order of his small town, and thrusts him into the battle between order (the Watchmaker) and chaos (the Anarchist) leading him to explore places and worlds he did not realize existed. The gist of Clockwork Angels is order vs. chaos, a recurring theme in Rush songs. It was discussed in Cygnus X-1: Bk II, and probably other songs I can't recall at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeddysMullet Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 The story behind the album isn't the strongest (to say the least!) but I find the album itself to be incredibly satisfying as a full musical work listened to from start to finish. So I can't say as I much care whether the story works or not. I mean, the "story" told in Red Barchetta is full of holes, but damn if I don't feel like I'm actually in the car taking that ride when I listen to it! :D 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circumstantial tree Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I think it's open to interpretation. To me, it's about the stultified mechanical world versus the wild and free natural world. In order for me to enjoy contemporary Rush, I have to ignore lyrical meanings. And I always enjoy a song best when I attach my own meaning or experience to the songs than what Neil may have in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaghetti Lee Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 It's basically Neil's obtuse story overbearing with the overall theme that God sucks, and that anyone who believes in such a higher power is a a f*ckin' worthless dumbass...according to the elitist Mr. Peart. I don't remember if there was a mention of a billboard in the story, but there's probably some stupid simile for one since Neil hasn't figured out metaphors yet and still uses "like" and "as" anytime he needs grade-school level symbolism and allegory. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I hate concept albums........i couldn't care less whether you have a story to tell.......give me the music. CA..... Form what i gather. Neil whines about religion again. Some angels on clocks that control people.....i don't know. There's a discontented anarchist, some sort of carnival. Some evil dude with a bomb. Then for some reason. There's a woman who this guy thinks is great but it's a delusion he projected on here. There;s a sea disaster. He wishes he could do it all again.....blah blah blah. Screw the haters wish them well. Big cheesy sunday school like song. The end. But don't go by me. Mick I'm with you. Couldn't care less about the concept. Just give me the music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narps Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I hate concept albums........i couldn't care less whether you have a story to tell.......give me the music. CA..... Form what i gather. Neil whines about religion again. Some angels on clocks that control people.....i don't know. There's a discontented anarchist, some sort of carnival. Some evil dude with a bomb. Then for some reason. There's a woman who this guy thinks is great but it's a delusion he projected on here. There;s a sea disaster. He wishes he could do it all again.....blah blah blah. Screw the haters wish them well. Big cheesy sunday school like song. The end. But don't go by me. MickWhat about The Garden? What does that mean?.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Analog Grownup Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I hate concept albums........i couldn't care less whether you have a story to tell.......give me the music. CA..... Form what i gather. Neil whines about religion again. Some angels on clocks that control people.....i don't know. There's a discontented anarchist, some sort of carnival. Some evil dude with a bomb. Then for some reason. There's a woman who this guy thinks is great but it's a delusion he projected on here. There;s a sea disaster. He wishes he could do it all again.....blah blah blah. Screw the haters wish them well. Big cheesy sunday school like song. The end. But don't go by me. MickWhat about The Garden? What does that mean?.... The Garden is metaphor. What happens in a garden? Plants sprouts and dies and repeats. Whatever that means for you only you can tell. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narps Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I hate concept albums........i couldn't care less whether you have a story to tell.......give me the music. CA..... Form what i gather. Neil whines about religion again. Some angels on clocks that control people.....i don't know. There's a discontented anarchist, some sort of carnival. Some evil dude with a bomb. Then for some reason. There's a woman who this guy thinks is great but it's a delusion he projected on here. There;s a sea disaster. He wishes he could do it all again.....blah blah blah. Screw the haters wish them well. Big cheesy sunday school like song. The end. But don't go by me. MickWhat about The Garden? What does that mean?.... The Garden is metaphor. What happens in a garden? Plants sprouts and dies and repeats. Whatever that means for you only you can tell.Not what I was hoping for I was thinking more like "I' am the gardener tending to my garden and when I die what have I left behind. My legacy, good works, positive influence on others etc. There goes that down the tubes.... Oh well 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
len(songs) Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I hate concept albums........i couldn't care less whether you have a story to tell.......give me the music. CA..... Form what i gather. Neil whines about religion again. Some angels on clocks that control people.....i don't know. There's a discontented anarchist, some sort of carnival. Some evil dude with a bomb. Then for some reason. There's a woman who this guy thinks is great but it's a delusion he projected on here. There;s a sea disaster. He wishes he could do it all again.....blah blah blah. Screw the haters wish them well. Big cheesy sunday school like song. The end. But don't go by me. MickWhat about The Garden? What does that mean?.... The Garden is metaphor. What happens in a garden? Plants sprouts and dies and repeats. Whatever that means for you only you can tell.Not what I was hoping for I was thinking more like "I' am the gardener tending to my garden and when I die what have I left behind. My legacy, good works, positive influence on others etc. There goes that down the tubes.... Oh wellThere are elements of both in there (all three if you count Mick's ) IMO... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narps Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I hate concept albums........i couldn't care less whether you have a story to tell.......give me the music. CA..... Form what i gather. Neil whines about religion again. Some angels on clocks that control people.....i don't know. There's a discontented anarchist, some sort of carnival. Some evil dude with a bomb. Then for some reason. There's a woman who this guy thinks is great but it's a delusion he projected on here. There;s a sea disaster. He wishes he could do it all again.....blah blah blah. Screw the haters wish them well. Big cheesy sunday school like song. The end. But don't go by me. MickWhat about The Garden? What does that mean?.... The Garden is metaphor. What happens in a garden? Plants sprouts and dies and repeats. Whatever that means for you only you can tell.Not what I was hoping for I was thinking more like "I' am the gardener tending to my garden and when I die what have I left behind. My legacy, good works, positive influence on others etc. There goes that down the tubes.... Oh wellThere are elements of both in there (all three if you count Mick's ) IMO...The way I describe it is the way "I" hear it.... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefox4000 Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 The garden....is the work you put in and leave behind. your legacy......i guess....usually i've tuned out by this point. Used to be nuts abut it......now it's like ok Neil/Ged you can stop talking at me. Notice i said AT not to. lol Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narps Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 Maybe sheldon will happen by with his opinion at some point and we can put this to bed... :) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony R Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 It's really about 15 minutes too long. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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