Trial of Tears Lyrics
Bassist John Myung in an interview about the song's meaning. "That was the first song that I did a sketch for where I played guitar and keyboards and bass on it, and I presented it to the band. It was a song that went through many different stages. The first demo that I made was a really raw version of that and then we worked on it as a band and took it to another level. It turned out to be this incredible song that went from the version that I did to something that incorporated the band, which is a really great thing because you can still have independence and choose a direction, but then be able to synergize what that song is with your bandmates and be interdependent with them. That's when the magic happens. That's when the song really starts to transform and take on a strong personality.
Lyrically, that was a real therapeutic song for me. It deals with ego and my perception of it and understanding how it can cage you and really alter your perspective, but then realizing that life is really short so you need to make a decision. You also need to learn how to deal with regret while still moving forward. There's one line that talks about, 'you're not much better than the man you hate.' That's pretty much a play off one of the commandments 'Love thy enemy'. You know, 'Open up, you're not the only person here.' Also, my view of heaven being here today and not some distant galaxy, but based upon how centered and conscious you are will affect your experience and your perception. Understanding that is a really hard thing to do. It's just a whole bunch of different things that I was going through, just put into a song."
This one was written by John Myung (his songs are always damn near impossible to crack...), and I know he used to live in Chicago, and later moved to NY. It could be a personal experience, though I've never heard anything about him having to go back or nearly having to go back... I still think it's a reflection on some kind of serious family financial problem they had when he was younger, or something.
"People disappear The music fades away Splashing through the rain I'll dream with them one day"
He went to high school with John Petrucci and Kevin Moore. Maybe "I'll dream with them one day" is a reference to DT.
Why not more comments? This song is great
Right, this song is awesome, really like it
Hey, the bass line of this song is exceptionally good...
You bastard :) I dont know if ill ever get to see them live in concert being that i live in Australia :/ props to this song!!... gives me shivers every time i hear it... especially part 3.. such a beautifully haunting piece of music
A great song. "I'ts raining, raining..." this part always gives me the creeps (in a good way), but there is just something about the whole song... maybe it's the melodies, maybe it's the lyrics.. can't say
These gyus are just so good at conveying emotions through their songs, there is something special in almost every of their songs.
Everyone has made good observations about the song's lyrics. Did anyone notice some of the band's influences creeping into the song? The intro sounds like Dream Theater's tribute (or rip-off depending on your point of view) to "Xanadu" by Rush. The instrumental section in the middle of the song is very reminiscent of the instrumental solo section of "Losing It" by Rush. And perhaps the most obvious influence is in "The Wasteland." The beginning of that section almost verbatim copies the melody and chords of verses of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by The Beatles.
The chords of the initial verses of "The Wasteland" are from Aqualung, by Jethro Tull.
The chords of the initial verses of "The Wasteland" are from Aqualung, by Jethro Tull.
To my mind it's these lines in which the "meaning" of the song concentrates the most vividly.
"As I walk through all my myths Rising and sinking like the waves With my thoughts wrapped around me Through a trial of tears"
It's about having become jaded and uninspired, facing an inner trial which judges that one has "wasted all those years", it's about doubting who you really are. That also goes together with:
"Under the sun, there is nothing to hide Under the moon, a stranger waits inside"
When the sun is high you have nothing to hide, all is clear and your path is ahead of you, but then comes a time when you notice the sun is gone and the moon is up there, and doubt arises, you ask "who am I?" and thus "a stranger waits inside". The rain that's mentioned throughout is a deliberately created setting for thoughts like these. Rain is like tears in a way.
@kristaps_k Really like that interpretation. If I may add, I have always thought that much of the lyrics are about a journey through oneself, an inner search; the subject is really, really depressed, something terrible happened to him in the past that left him utterly uninspired, without any glimpse of hope. The chorus “…it’s raining, raining…” it’s, what I interpret as a metaphor about his loss, his misfortune. Anyway, I love how the song ends, I have always felt that the instrumental closing section gives your a tiny ray of light, there’s hope! Even after this person goes...
@kristaps_k Really like that interpretation. If I may add, I have always thought that much of the lyrics are about a journey through oneself, an inner search; the subject is really, really depressed, something terrible happened to him in the past that left him utterly uninspired, without any glimpse of hope. The chorus “…it’s raining, raining…” it’s, what I interpret as a metaphor about his loss, his misfortune. Anyway, I love how the song ends, I have always felt that the instrumental closing section gives your a tiny ray of light, there’s hope! Even after this person goes to the extreme of sensing that Heaven won’t offer deliverance and his expectations will be clearly unmatched. Somehow, there is a sense of relief. A classic song, a much interesting an underrated album!
Credit goes to Daily Doug, for his inspiring and in depth review of this particular song!
Seems to me like this song is about a person who ran away from home to NYC, thinking it's heaven, realising it's not, and after failing to make it, looking for a way home.
It's one of DT's best, IMO.