Even though we know, yeah we know
Our time has almost come, we're all overdue
Can there be a place to call our own?
Can there be a road that takes us home?

We toe the line
We go along
We don't belong
To you now

When it rains it pours
Like summer storms
The skies as gray as leaves
The rivers flood the banks
And spill into the streets

But the people laughed
And swore that they'd restore
The city piece by piece
And then the clouds gave
Way as if to agree
When it rains it pours

The mystery unknown
Now unfolds
The life that we once owned
First bought, then sold

Like messengers of war
We've no control
To oceans unexplored
This ship sails through

We toe the line
We go along
We don't belong
To you now

When it rains it pours
Like summer storms
The skies as gray as leafs
The rivers flood the banks
And spill into the streets

But the people laughed
And swore that they'd restore
The city piece by piece
And then the clouds gave
Way as if to agree
When it rains it pours, it pours, it pours

When it rains it pours
When they die, we mourn
When it hit, we swore
Now we want not more

Like a saint reborn
Like a rose in a storm
Like a child unborn
A child unborn

It's the coin
We're tossing into the well
It's misfortune that
We could not foretell
It's the dry spell

When it rains it pours
Like summer storms
The skies as gray as leafs
The rivers flood the banks
And spill into the streets

But the people laughed
And swore that they'd restore
The city piece by piece
And then the clouds gave
Way as if to agree
When it rains it pours, it pours
When it rains it pours


Lyrics submitted by PansyMk4, edited by atemu1234, Belgarion262

Historia Calamitatum Lyrics as written by Joseph Principe Brandon Barnes

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Historia Calamitatum song meanings
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32 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    First of all, to HollyHomocide, it is not on any record you can buy, but what I heard it is a bonus song on appeal to reason that u get if u download it from itunes.

    This song has nothing to do with floods just because he sings about rain and rebuilding.

    I actually bothered to look up the title of the song and found out it is the latin title of an autobiography written by a french philosopher in the 12th century. Now in the foreword of the book he states this:

    "OFTEN the hearts of men and women are stirred, as likewise they are soothed in their sorrows more by example than by words. And therefore, because I too I have known some consolation from speech had with one who was a witness thereof, am I now minded to write of the sufferings which have sprung out of my misfortunes, for the eyes of one who, though absent, is of himself ever a consoler. This I do so that, in comparing your sorrows with mine, you may discover that yours are in truth nought, or at the most but of small account, and so shall you come to bear them more easily. "

    He is pretty much saying that whatever happens to you, there is always someone that has it worse, and we should cheer up and rebuild whatever got torn down or taken away.

    it also might be aimed towards the pessimists out there, saying that its to late to save our planet and doomsday is right around the corner, trying to tell them that there is still hope out there. There are some minor metaphors in this song that is hard to figure out cuzz i havent analyzed it well enough yet, but hopefully more will come.

    Rutlinon November 07, 2008   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    i tink it is about the german blitz on london in 1943 "When it rain it pours" talk about the bombs dropped on London, "The skies is grey as leaves" Talk about german bombers all over the skies, "But the pepoles laughed and sore than they restore the city piece by piece" it is beaucause after each night the city was completely destroyed and the pepoles did not abandon because they know than if they do that, the Nazi woud have win.

    cocopoultryon April 16, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    there's a couple spots in the lyrics that I don't agree with/don't make sense to me.

    I think it's we toe the line we go along we don't belong to you now

    that's what it sounds like to me + it makes more sense.

    +"skies as grey as leaves?" leaves aren't grey, I really think it's "skies as grey as these"

    savetheunlikelyon May 08, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    It should be "Like passengers aboard, we've no control" instead of "like messengers of war, we've no control."

    ISuckBadon June 28, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Amazing song, better than some stuff from the album. Don't know exactly what it's about, but could be about New Orleans or something like that.

    NeilStoneon October 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    on which record is that song?

    HollyHomicideon October 23, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Appeal to Reason.

    i don’t think its about flooding literally, I thinks it’s a kinda metaphor… not really much of an ider of what tho, its one of those songs that you can fit your own meaning to I think., about rebuilding something important , or saying ‘bring it on world'

    k1i2t3t4on November 07, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It on my Appeal to Reason, but im from Engaland, and it a bonus track at the end.

    now ive read a bit more i kinda agree with Rutlin, its about gettin on with life.

    Just like Suvive (we've all bin sorry , we've all bin hurt) its about not feeling sorry for yourself.

    Like a saint re-born, Like a rose in a storm, Like a child un-born,

    all butiful things, still to come,

    what you think??

    k1i2t3t4on November 07, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Historia Calamitatum - History of my calamities

    "But the people laughed and swore that they'd restore The city piece by piece."

    Pretty sure it's talking about our current worldly situation, we've got a torrent of issues affecting us all, one of which being the environmental problems we're facing. Although we keep saying we are going to fix it, we haven't seemed to do too much about it.

    lutheriuson December 17, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I have to agree with both Rutlin and Lutherius. I think this song talks about how we complain about things when in reality, soooo many people have it WAY worse than us. However, Lutherius also brings up a good point in saying that it's about worldly situations and what we're doing to try to fix things.

    This song is REALLY open to interpretation. Great song, though. Very meaningful to everyone!

    Mac98on December 20, 2008   Link

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