The Pendulous Fall

The lyrics of this song absolutely amaze me. I made an account on this site just to share my insight on them. It may not be perfect, but this is what I've got.

The song is about suicide. "In a garden, in a hand, lies the key to shadowland" is the opening scene in which a person is getting ready to take their own life. "you're far from feeling strong - the worst begins" gives a little bit more insight into the frame of mind of the person. To further solidify the image, Roy says "in the comfort of a knife you hold your breath and pray to god it wont take long (to die)"

The next line, "So you wonder where the rainbow ends... in this autumn setting sun" ... I believe this to be a metaphor for finding happiness. The end of the rainbow is historically thought to contain a pot of gold, or other treasure. However, there is no end to a rainbow in actuality... so its an interesting choice of metaphor. I believe the addition "autumn setting sun" not only sets the stage but also refers to where someone is in their life. I feel like the person contemplating suicide has some years behind them, but has never been able to find purpose or joy. (i revisit this notion in the second verse)

At the chorus, i agree with another poster that this might be the voice of reason or the words of a friend to the victim. He rationalizes that it is quite unlikely he will ever live again (be reincarnated, or not die in the first place). He further considers that life is hell, unstable and pendulous (downward inclined) but it may be worth the pain to continue... plus, he figures, we will all die soon enough and go where nobody can touch us.

This second verse was originally the most challenging for me to interpret, but i think i have an idea of what it means. I believe it refers to a man who's wife is leaving him. The man is "like a mother" in that he gives the wife all "that she claimed" in order to care for their children ... just like a good old friend. Since he is presumably an older man, the idea of losing his partner for life is devestating, and goes into his motivation for wanting to escape to where "nobody can touch us." also given his relative age and experience, it seems like "in the abyss of the mind, you found all there is to find" means that he is smart and educated, and that he understands life, but he cant reconcile his broken heart, despite all that he knows. the broken heart that overwhelms a person is very common in Kamelot / roy khan's music... and perhaps he is saying that there is no defense against a broken heart, despite everything you can find in your head.

Once again, he wonders where happiness is found - but adds "where the world must have begun". I feel like this may allude to the garden of eden, or perhaps a more primitive and happy state of existence that either the man or humanity once knew.

Lastly the chorus repeats itself. In my opinion, the man actually does go through with committing suicide... and I believe the chorus represents his last thoughts. The emphasis of "where nobody can touch us" and the stacked vocal line "so you wonder where the rainbow ends" at the end of the song allude to his jumbled last thoughts as dies. Also, something about the way the song fades out has a distinct "fade to black-esque" ending, at least in my opinion.

In any case, this song and several others have simply brilliant lyrics, proving that the lyrical quality of ghost opera was on par with Kamelot's earlier work, despite the usual naysayers. I enjoy the hell out of it.

• Beren

I think it's about dying.. Or thinking about dying.. Like the narrator is compairing both.. Not knowing what to do..

"There's a way from it all Though the chances are small We'll come back again Won't you think it over Life is a pendulous fall But maybe worth the pain And soon enough we'll go Where nobody can touch us "

Anyway.. Just a thought..

What I think this song is about, is not about dying, or thinking about dying. I think that it is more about finding comfort in knowing that there is always a way out rather than death. "Life is a pendulous fall, but maybe worth the pain." and knowing that your not alone in this world of pain. "But we all have broken hearts to mend."

This is only a guess, of course.

pretty simple this song is about considering suicide but finding out that its always worth it to stay alive as you don't know what the future may hold

First verse to me does sound like someone considering taking their life, but they're not totally gone. "& you wonder where the rainbow ends", I'd consider could have reference to looking at the joys in their life & where they may lead to, even though they seem so far away.

The chorus to me sounds like a another person, or companion thought not of his own suggesting "There's a way from it all" "Won't you think it over?", showing them no matter how far you believe you're gone, there's a way back, you'll get where you're considering going eventually.

"life is a pendulous fall, but maybe worth the pain" Life, you'll never know where it's going, but it has some pleasure you won't find elsewhere.

"Like a mother you were aimed, And you gave her what she claimed" This bit I couldn't say I've got a clear thought on, like a mother you were aimed... could refer to how a mother knows how it's right do, & to them there is no other way (Mum's decision will always be what they see is best for the child), then "and you gave her what she claimed" sounds a little off, as in you say to yourself that you let them have something, even though you know that they took it without consideration. Then "Just like a good old friend, in the abyss of the mind, you found all there is to find". If you give something your all, only to have to run you down & leave you bruised & confused, your mind isn't going to be kind to you & self-doubt is a natural course.

These are just my random thoughts after looking over the lyrics, nothing more, nothing less. :-) Beautiful song though.

First of all, I must agree with justliveit05. However, I have a different interpretation of the songs:

I think the first verse is talking about a person, who is considering suicide because they say, "And you pray to God it won't take long." They don't want to have any pain while they die. The next bit is probably them wondering where their happiness ends, since rainbows are supposed to be pretty and happy and such. Either that or as justliveit05 said, they're talking about their life and their hoping that at the end they'll find a pot of gold.

The chorus seems to be this persons compainion singing, though that's what it is pretty much the entire song, but anyways, they're trying to convince them that it would be better if they tried to live through the pain. They tell them that even though life is painful it's worth it to be alive. The last bit though I think they're saying that in the end they'll "go where nobody can touch" them. I think this means that in the end, they're going to go live elsewhere because where they're living right now they're not happy and people are hurting them. This made me think they're teenagers and they're in love, but they aren't eighteen yet so they can't leave the home where everything is going wrong.

The next verse I think they are talking about the same person as they were in the first two verses only this time I'm not exactly sure what they mean with the first two lines, but with the last two I think they mean that in their mind they know that things are going really bad and so they just want to end it, but then their companion tells them that they all are broken hearted and killing themself won't really make everything better it'll just make everything worse.

Then there's the chorus, but with a slight change: "where the world must have begun" and again I like justliveit05's comment about the garden of eden, which was supposed to be a very happy place. I think they're companion is telling them life can be happy if they really want it to be.

Then there is the chorus again and I think this time the person decides screw it and kills themself. Either that or they go and live with the one they love away from all the people who have hurt them in the past.

Though the interpretations are thus far good, I'd be inclined to disagree on the song's ending; I don't think the speaker went through with it, but they may still be contemplating it.

The phrase "life is a pendulous fall" refers to life being like the ticking of a clock, and "soon enough we go/where nobody can touch us" reenforces the statement, saying that we all die soon enough anyways, so why not live a little longer?

The second verse offers some confusion, but I think it refers to a bad breakup; "you gave her what she claimed...just like a good old friend". This seems to imply that he told a woman he loved her, but she turned around and said the same to him...only, it was "as a friend". After this the subject withdrew from his friends and family, but another friend of his, the speaker, is basically telling him that everyone hurts, so suck it up.

I also think "where the world must have begun" is more refferring to death itself; beginning in nothing, ending in nothing. "The rainbow ends" at a pot of gold, a reward. In this case, an escape from the suffering; death.

But with the brighter key change at the end, and repetition of the chorus, it seems like the words have stuck with the subject, so instead of blindly following through with his own misery, he stops and gives things another thought.

Beautiful song.