Lerxster Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 QUOTE (Rush Cocky @ Oct 12 2011, 08:05 AM)"Peaceable Kingdom" - I totally don't get this one. QUOTE A wave toward the clearing the sky All this time we're talking and sharing our rational view A billion other voices are spreading other news All this time we're living and trying to understand Why a billion other choices are making their demands Talk of a peaceable kingdom Talk of a time without fear The ones we wish would listen Are never going to hear Justice against the hanged man Knight of Wands against the hour Swords against the kingdom Time against the tower All this time we're shuffling and laying out all our cards While a billion other dealers are slipping past our guards All this time we're hoping and praying we all might learn While a billion other teachers are teaching them how to burn Dream of a peaceable kingdom Dream of a time without war The ones we wish would hear us Have heard it all before A wave toward the clearing sky A wave toward the clearing sky The hermit against the lovers Or the devil against the fool Swords against the kingdom The wheel against the rules All this time we're burning like bonfires in the dark A billion other blazes are shooting off their sparks Every spark a drifting ember of desire To fall upon the earth and spark another fire A homeward angel on the fly A wave toward the clearing sky This song is "inspired" by 9/11 (for lack of a better word), and is filled with tarot card references. The nineteenth-century Quaker folk artist, Edward Hicks, painted no less than sixty versions of the same biblical scene, "Peaceable Kingdom," and the tarot card "The Tower" seemed a chilling reflection of the events of September 11, 2001. - Behind The Fire -The Making Of Vapor Trails By Neil Peart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rush Cocky Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 QUOTE (Lerxster @ Oct 12 2011, 09:18 AM) This song is "inspired" by 9/11 (for lack of a better word), and is filled with tarot card references. The nineteenth-century Quaker folk artist, Edward Hicks, painted no less than sixty versions of the same biblical scene, "Peaceable Kingdom," and the tarot card "The Tower" seemed a chilling reflection of the events of September 11, 2001. - Behind The Fire -The Making Of Vapor Trails By Neil Peart Thanks for that, but I don't get the tarot card references either. You know, being that I'm not a fortune teller or anything like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 of the 7 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I get a lot of individual vs. collective out of Peaceable Kingdom too; that we each try to make sense of the events in our lives amidst the influence of large groups of people, be it the government, terrorists, religious or political groups, the media, or just "the citizens along for the ride". For Beyond Sun and Moon, see my post a ways back regarding the poem it grew out of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RushIslander Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Does anyone know what Mission is about? A lot of "They", and "Their" in that song, so I guess I'm asking.....who if Neil referring to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate2112 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 QUOTE (RushIslander @ Oct 12 2011, 08:44 PM) Does anyone know what Mission is about? A lot of "They", and "Their" in that song, so I guess I'm asking.....who if Neil referring to? I think the world and its people in general Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeddyRulz Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 QUOTE (Nate2112 @ Oct 13 2011, 07:40 AM) QUOTE (RushIslander @ Oct 12 2011, 08:44 PM) Does anyone know what Mission is about? A lot of "They", and "Their" in that song, so I guess I'm asking.....who if Neil referring to? I think the world and its people in general Yes. He's referring to us, and everyone and anyone who fantasizes about being famous. If we were to actually become famous, like Neil himself, we'd probably wish we weren't. If our lives were exotic and strange, we would likely gladly exchange our lives for something more plain and sane. Likewise, in "Limelight" (another Rush song that discusses the trappings of fame): living in the limelight is the universal dream, for those who wish to seem (or "pretend" to be famous). It's quite a different story for those who actually become famous, where it's not really the "dream life" we imagine it would be. That's all Neil meant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 The only lyric that confuses me is: 'When two halves make two wholes'. Surely two halves would make one whole. Not two. This is me: ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Sawyer Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 QUOTE (Babycat @ Oct 19 2011, 05:04 AM) The only lyric that confuses me is: 'When two halves make two wholes'. Surely two halves would make one whole. Not two. This is me: ... I would guess that it means that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drbirdsong Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 QUOTE (Babycat @ Oct 19 2011, 04:04 AM) The only lyric that confuses me is: 'When two halves make two wholes'. Surely two halves would make one whole. Not two. This is me: ... Two halfs are supposed to make a whole, but sometimes things go awry. In a relationship, for example, you may start out together and your bond may become stronger, but about fifty percent of the time people divorce. The two halfs become two wholes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 QUOTE (Tommy Sawyer @ Oct 19 2011, 12:47 PM) QUOTE (Babycat @ Oct 19 2011, 05:04 AM) The only lyric that confuses me is: 'When two halves make two wholes'. Surely two halves would make one whole. Not two. This is me: ... I would guess that it means that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Got a point, there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 QUOTE (drbirdsong @ Oct 19 2011, 01:20 PM) QUOTE (Babycat @ Oct 19 2011, 04:04 AM) The only lyric that confuses me is: 'When two halves make two wholes'. Surely two halves would make one whole. Not two. This is me: ... Two halfs are supposed to make a whole, but sometimes things go awry. In a relationship, for example, you may start out together and your bond may become stronger, but about fifty percent of the time people divorce. The two halfs become two wholes. That's quite an interesting point, there - hadn't thought of that. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drbirdsong Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 QUOTE (RushIslander @ Oct 12 2011, 08:44 PM) Does anyone know what Mission is about? A lot of "They", and "Their" in that song, so I guess I'm asking.....who if Neil referring to? I think he is imagining what the lives of other people might be like. He talks about architects (their beautiful buildings), film makers (their images flicker) and even other musicians (their powerful music). He also mentions the fact that the highly talented people might wish for a normal life instead of the issues that come with fame and fortune. In the end though, the vision will not let these people go and they have chosen to follow their dreams despite the consequences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lerxster Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowItIs Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnoble Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Color Of Right is the first Neil lyric that made me go "ummm...what?" That's still such a bland uneventful song to me. For me, Neil's lyrics started going downhill starting with Counterparts. Not saying that I don't like any of them since that album, just that he started to lose me more and more post 1993. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FountainOfSyrinx Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Chain Lightning.. isn't a sun dog a natural even involving the suns rays/reflection? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog) I think it's just about an inspiring moment.. i've heard that it was remniscent of a time with his daughter on a lake too.. just spitballing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowItIs Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 QUOTE (FountainOfSyrinx @ Oct 20 2011, 08:56 PM) Chain Lightning.. isn't a sun dog a natural even involving the suns rays/reflection? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog) I think it's just about an inspiring moment.. i've heard that it was remniscent of a time with his daughter on a lake too.. just spitballing. Go read Page One of this thread.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queslington Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Kid Gloves? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Sawyer Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 QUOTE (Queslington @ Oct 21 2011, 04:25 PM) Kid Gloves? It's about how adults have a hard time understanding the lives of children and also about how hard it is to be 'cool' in school. The third thing I get from it is that life lessons are more important than academics. Complicated song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queslington Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 QUOTE (Tommy Sawyer @ Oct 21 2011, 03:42 PM)QUOTE (Queslington @ Oct 21 2011, 04:25 PM) Kid Gloves? It's about how adults have a hard time understanding the lives of children and also about how hard it is to be 'cool' in school. The third thing I get from it is that life lessons are more important than academics. Complicated song. Thank you. That song had me stumped for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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