I think this song is describing the perils of being a wanderer. Dion is Christian and has some quite conservative beliefs, amongst them are that casual relationships bring pain to both parties.

I think this song is describing the perils of being a wanderer. Dion is Christian and has some quite conservative beliefs, amongst them are that casual relationships bring pain to both parties.

The wanderer with his "two fists of iron" suggests he possesses great strength and control, but also he's clenched in fear/anger? He's going nowhere, the repetition on around around around... suggests it's tedius for him. And he could fall for girls, but a barely thought through compulsion making him "hop right into that car".

The wanderer with his "two fists of iron" suggests he possesses great strength and control, but also he's clenched in fear/anger? He's going nowhere, the repetition on around around around... suggests it's tedius for him. And he could fall for girls, but a barely thought through compulsion making him "hop right into that car".

Dion is saying that people like this appear happy, but are miserable.

Asa Bay is a location that Bathory has previously covered in their song "One Road to Asa Bay". In this song, they talk about cultural identity, religious imposition and the difficulties that can arise when traditions conflict. Asa Bay is one of the places where the Vikings' "Dragon ships" often sail to other lands. In the song One Road to Asa Bay, the feeling of loss and resistance to change are presented to us with the clash of old traditions against a new belief (Christianity).

Asa Bay is a location that Bathory has previously covered in their song "One Road to Asa Bay". In this song, they talk about cultural identity, religious imposition and the difficulties that can arise when traditions conflict. Asa Bay is one of the places where the Vikings' "Dragon ships" often sail to other lands. In the song One Road to Asa Bay, the feeling of loss and resistance to change are presented to us with the clash of old traditions against a new belief (Christianity).

In the song Ring of Gold, Bathory provides details as if they are telling us the background of the stories of our heroes in One Road to Asa Bay. Their relationship with nature, their devotion to their religion (using imagery such as the raven, the endless sky and the open sea) and their adventurous spirit are conveyed to us through words. At the same time, their devotion to their loved ones is represented by a gold ring that will survive even beyond time.

I'm pretty sure I figured it out.

I'm pretty sure I figured it out.

"It didn't matter what they wanted to see. He thought he saw someone that looked just like me. That summer memory that just never dies. We worked too long and hard to give it no time."

"It didn't matter what they wanted to see. He thought he saw someone that looked just like me. That summer memory that just never dies. We worked too long and hard to give it no time."

"It didnt matter what they wanted to see [I will love her regardless.]" "He thought he saw someone that lookED just like me" means his friend thought that he was still innocent, like when he was a kid. The "summer memory that just never dies" is when he was innocent. "We worked too long and hard to [let this friendship die]"

"He sees right through me it's so easy with lies. Cracks in the road that I would try and disguise. He runs his scissors at the seem in the wall. He cannot break it down or else he would fall. One thousand lonely stars hiding in the cold. Take it, I don't wanna sing anymore."

"He sees [that narrator loves his gf/wife.]" "He runs his scissors at the seem in the wall" means he's being risky in his approach, he might lose their friendship. "He cannot break it down or else he would fall" means he can't end things. He can't call him out because their friendship would end/he needs this friend. "One thousand lonely stars hiding in the cold" means everyone is aware of the situation but nobody is making any moves. Everyone has lost attraction and they're all lonely in the cold. "Take it, I don't wanna sing anymore" means that he wants his friend to have the girl. He's done with this mess, he gives up, he can have her.

The last unique lyrics: "I don't understand, don't get upset. I'm not with you. We're swimming around. It's all I do when I'm with you." She's upset with his decision. He says, I'm not your man. We're treading water, but going nowhere.

I think this is the end because of the story because of the music break. The music grows, it peaks, it reaches a plateau, then spikes again at the end. I think that's indicative of the story. It reaches this peak, he resolves it, but it's not a perfect resolution because she's hurt with the result. "Can I give it up or give it away?" in the end he does give it up. He gives it away to his friend.

This song is about Charon, the mythological creature from greek and roman literature (In particular he is known for his appearance in Virgilio’s Eneide), and the feeling of scare and discomfort a dead soul feels when they see him. We know from Dante’s Divina Commedia that he is a very quiet and old man, and intimidating when he talks (He is very reluctant to get Dante to hell since he’s still a living man), and this surely adds to the dark atmosphere described in this song. Anyway, regardless of the lyrics, this is a very beautiful song, the intro solo is...

This song is about Charon, the mythological creature from greek and roman literature (In particular he is known for his appearance in Virgilio’s Eneide), and the feeling of scare and discomfort a dead soul feels when they see him. We know from Dante’s Divina Commedia that he is a very quiet and old man, and intimidating when he talks (He is very reluctant to get Dante to hell since he’s still a living man), and this surely adds to the dark atmosphere described in this song. Anyway, regardless of the lyrics, this is a very beautiful song, the intro solo is very good, both melodic and shred-y, very ahead of its time since its from 1978, when guitarist like Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve vai still had to pick up the instrument.

Whatever the command "Wade in the water!" means, the speaker really wants it to happen, and for children too, since it is repeated several times. The warning/notification "God's a-gonna trouble the water" also happens repeatedly.

Whatever the command "Wade in the water!" means, the speaker really wants it to happen, and for children too, since it is repeated several times. The warning/notification "God's a-gonna trouble the water" also happens repeatedly.

Two primary interpretations:

Two primary interpretations:

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The line "Look over yonder, what do I see? The Holy Ghost a-comin' on me" has a common meaning referring to death that inevitably ends a human life, eventually meeting with God (The Holy Ghost/Spirit being one of the Holy Trinity making up the divine). Another commonality is "band dressed in red" can mean potentially bloody or lethal consequences for whatever wading in the water is and when God troubles the water.

Each primary interpretation has different symbolism for the concepts in the song:

First interpretation. Children = black children. Host in White = lynch mobs or the Ku Klux Klan out for blood (or take back their property). Israelites = white people who support slavery or oppose Black civil rights, or anyone who supports White supremacy. Are the Israelites the Chosen People? No. Israelite leader dressed in white = leader of lynch mob or Ku Klux Klan (Israelites are Semites, not Black). Band dressed in red that Moses led = Anyone who fights toward being redeemed. Being redeemed = Escape from slavery or improvement in Black civil rights. Follow me down to Jordan's stream = an exhortation to the listener to take steps or help others toward being redeemed.

Second interpretation. Children = israelite children. Host in white = Egyptians. Israelites = Egyptians (Egyptians are Arabs, might be visually similar to Semites to the naive observer). Are the Israelites the Chosen People? Yes (although deeper analysis beyond this song indicates they aren't the only ones). Israelite leader dressed in white = Pharoah (leader of figurative Israelites). Band dressed in red that Moses led = Israelites. Moses has association with red (e.g. blood smeared on doorposts for the passover). Being redeemed = Making the way to the Promised Land. Follow me down to Jordan's stream = the river Jordan is the eastern border of the land promised to the Israelites, so maybe directionally this means going to the Promised Land.

The central question of the song is the question "Why are there so many songs about rainbows?". Visually a rainbow is a vision, an illusion, and has no trickery about it. The speaker has heard there is a connection there, and the speaker knows others believe the connection exists. The speaker doesn't think the interpretation he's heard makes sense, but he thinks he (and others) will figure it out some day.

The central question of the song is the question "Why are there so many songs about rainbows?". Visually a rainbow is a vision, an illusion, and has no trickery about it. The speaker has heard there is a connection there, and the speaker knows others believe the connection exists. The speaker doesn't think the interpretation he's heard makes sense, but he thinks he (and others) will figure it out some day.

A related phenomenon is the idea that morning stars are capable of granting wishes. Someone had to be the first to think of that idea, and that idea was spread around from person to person and generation to generation. The speaker observes that the concept of wishing upon morning stars has been productive, but the speaker does not understand why people go stargazing or what they get out of it.

However, the speaker does feel SOMETHING related to rainbows, and presumes others can feel that too. His best guess is it's magic but is not certain. One manifestation of this phenomenon is hearing voices in one's head in a semiawake state. The feeling is analogized to a song heard by sailors (maybe the temptation song of the siren). The speaker has felt this feeling a lot and feels it's an intrisic part of who he is, but he's only willing to say that someday we'll figure it out. The speaker separates himself from lovers and dreamers, indicating it's a categorization relevant to the question.

My answer is it is the psychological concept of apophenia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apophenia). People make connections between rainbows/stars and other entities because of the natural human tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things. The emotion of wonder (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_(emotion)) is also an explanation, but I don't like that as a full explanation because not everyone has that level of emotional range. My interpretation is the lovers and the dreamers can feel wonder, but the speaker cannot. But I feel like everybody could feel apophenia if they try.