The Glass Prison

Dream Theater

Cunning, Baffling, Powerful
Been beaten to a pulp
Vigorous, irresistible
Sick and tired and laid low
Dominating, Invisible
Black-out, loss of control
Overwhelming, Unquenchable
I'm powerless, have to let go

I can't escape it
It leaves me frail and worn
Can no longer take it
Senses tattered and torn

Hopeless surrender
Obsession's got me beat
Losing the will to live
Admitting complete defeat

Fatal Descent
Spinning around
I've gone too far
To turn back round

Desperate attempt
Stop the progression
At any length
Lift this obsession

Crawling to my glass prison
A place where no one knows
My secret lonely world begins

So much safer here
A place where I can go
To forget about my daily sins

Life here in my glass prison
A place I once called home
Fall in nocturnal bliss again

Chasing a long lost friend
I no longer can control
Just waiting for this hopelessness to end

Run fast from the wreckage of the past
A shattered glass prison wall behind me
Fight past walking through the ashes
A distant oasis before me

Cry desperate crawling on my knees
Begging God to please stop the insanity
Help me I'm trying to believe
Stop wallowing in my own self pity

"We've been waiting for you my friend
The writing's been on the wall
All it takes is a little faith
You know you're the same as us all"

Help me I can't break out this prison all alone
Save me I'm drowning and I'm hopeless on my own
Heal me I can't restore my sanity alone

Enter the door
Desperate
Fighting no more
Help me restore
To my sanity
At this temple of hope

I need to learn
Teach me how
Sorrow to burn
Help me return
To humanity
I'll be fearless and thorough
The enter this temple of hope

Believe
Transcend the pain
Living the live
Humility
Opened my eyes
This new odyssey
Of rigorous honesty

Serenity
I never knew
Soundness of mind
Helped me to find
Courage the change
All the things that I can

"We'll help you perform this miracle
But you must set your past free
You dug the hole, but you can't bury your soul
Open your mind and you will see"

Help me I can't break out this prison all alone
Save me I'm drowning and I'm hopeless on my own
Heal me I can't restore my sanity alone

Way off in the distance I saw the door
I tried to open
I tried forcing with all of my will and still
The door wouldn't open

Unable to trust in my faith
I turned and walked away
I looked around, felt a chill in the air
Took my will and turned it over

The glass prison which once held me is now gone
A long lost fortress
Armed only with liberty
And the key of my willingness

Fell down on my knees and prayed
"Thy will be done"
I turned around, saw a light shining through
The door was wide open


Lyrics submitted by Idan

The Glass Prison Lyrics as written by John Petrucci John Myung

Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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The Glass Prison song meanings
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23 Comments

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  • +5
    General CommentThis song is not linked to any other DT song, any resemblance is coincidental ;) This is obviously a song about Mike P's alcoholism; the title is blatant: "glass prison" refers to being trapped in the bottle, and the song is dedicated to Bill W. and his friends. Bill W. was the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.
    Vozzyon August 25, 2002   Link
  • +3
    General CommentMike Portnoy:"It's about battling addiction and recovery and those were some things that I have dealt with in my personal life over the past few years. All three of the movements are written directly about the first three steps in twelve step recovery of Alcoholics Anonymous. So the first step in the first section of the song is admitting being powerless, the second step is needing the help of others, came to believe a power greater than ourselves to restore sanity. The third section is being willing to turn your life over to a higher power and handing over your will. So the three sections are directly out of the first three steps in AA. "
    Grace_UnderPressureon October 31, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General CommentThere has been debate that this song may be a continuation of the end of Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory (Finally Free) in some way. This argument mainly stems from the fact that the sound at the beginning of The Glass Prison sounds like that of the end of Finally Free. Also, some believe this song documents what Edward goes through after getting away with Victoria and Julian's murder.
    Seems pretty farfetched, I know, but just to let you all know what one suggestion is.
    Jester24on June 09, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General CommentBuilding on the above theory, the song corresponds exactly with the steps of the Alcoholics Anonymous program.
    shand2001on June 26, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General CommentTHe sound at the beginning of The Glass Prison is actually a continuation of the sound at the end of Finally Free, but the lyrics are not connected. DT does the same thing with the end of Losing Time/Grand Finale on 6DOIT and As I Am on Train of Thought.
    MetallicaFan923on April 24, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis song may not be linked to Finally Free, but it is linked to a couple other DT songs. The first is The Mirror, as it is about the exact same thing, although they really are two separate songs. The second is This Dying Soul, which is actually a continuation of this song.
    Fluxon April 28, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Commentvozzy spot on with this song. shit its a good song
    -ElBarto-on September 05, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis is about The Glass Prison (the tiltle obviously) which Would be a bottle of beer ,Whisky, rum, that obviously the drumer Mike Portnoy was addicted to which at the end it says somethin about a door bein shut, right before he starts prayin (which is one of the Steps in the AA) ( i think about 6 steps i dont know but i think im close) which would be to trust God or somethin in that motion. Then it says somethin about the glass prision bein broken and then the door is open. which would mean he is no longer addicted to it.
    Glass_prisoneron January 24, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentWay to clarify everything for the retards, Glass prisoner.

    Great song, I'd give a blow job to anyone that can play the intro solo, including John Petrucci.
    darshbagelon March 07, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentUNBELIEVABLE GUITAR IN THIS...TWICE
    :D
    Dustpanon April 01, 2006   Link

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