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The Gates of Delirium Lyrics
Stand and fight we do consider
Reminded of an inner pact between us
That's seen as we go
And ride there
In motion
To fields in debts of honor
Defending
Stand the marchers soaring talons,
Peaceful lives will not deliver freedom,
Fighting we know,
Destroy oppression
The point to reaction
As leaders look to you
Attacking
Choose and renounce throwing chains to the floor.
Kill or be killing faster sins correct the flow.
Casting giant shadows off vast penetrating force
To alter via the war that seen
As friction spans the spirits wrath ascending (slowly) to redeem.
Wars that shout in screams of anguish,
Power spent passion bespoils our soul receiver,
Surely we know.
In glory
We rise to offer,
Create our freedom,
A word we utter,
A word.
Words cause our banner, victorious our day.
Will silence be promised as violence display?
The curse increased we fight the power
And live by it by day.
Our gods awake in thunderous roars,
And guide the leaders' hand in paths of glory to the cause.
Listen, should we fight forever
Knowing as we do know fear destroys?
Listen, should we leave our children?
Listen, our lives stare in silence;
Help us now.
Listen, your friends have been broken,
They tell us of your poison; now we know.
Kill them, give them as they give us.
Slay them, burn their childrens' laughter
On to hell.
The fist will run, grasp metal to gun.
The spirit sings in crashing tones,
We gain the battle drum.
Our cries will shrill, the air will moan and crash into the dawn.
The pen won't stay the demon's wings,
The hour approaches pounding out the Devil's sermon.
Soon, oh soon the light,
Pass within and soothe this endless night
And wait here for you,
Our reason to be here.
Soon, oh soon the time,
All we move to gain will reach and calm;
Our heart is open,
Our reason to be here.
Long ago, set into rhyme.
Soon, oh soon the light,
Ours to shape for all time,
Ours the right;
The sun will lead us,
Our reason to be here.
Soon, oh soon the light,
Ours to shape for all time,
Ours the right;
The sun will lead us,
Our reason to be here.
Reminded of an inner pact between us
That's seen as we go
And ride there
In motion
To fields in debts of honor
Defending
Peaceful lives will not deliver freedom,
Fighting we know,
Destroy oppression
The point to reaction
As leaders look to you
Attacking
Kill or be killing faster sins correct the flow.
Casting giant shadows off vast penetrating force
To alter via the war that seen
As friction spans the spirits wrath ascending (slowly) to redeem.
Power spent passion bespoils our soul receiver,
Surely we know.
In glory
We rise to offer,
Create our freedom,
A word we utter,
A word.
Will silence be promised as violence display?
The curse increased we fight the power
And live by it by day.
Our gods awake in thunderous roars,
And guide the leaders' hand in paths of glory to the cause.
Knowing as we do know fear destroys?
Listen, should we leave our children?
Listen, our lives stare in silence;
Help us now.
They tell us of your poison; now we know.
Kill them, give them as they give us.
Slay them, burn their childrens' laughter
On to hell.
The spirit sings in crashing tones,
We gain the battle drum.
Our cries will shrill, the air will moan and crash into the dawn.
The pen won't stay the demon's wings,
The hour approaches pounding out the Devil's sermon.
Pass within and soothe this endless night
And wait here for you,
Our reason to be here.
All we move to gain will reach and calm;
Our heart is open,
Our reason to be here.
Soon, oh soon the light,
Ours to shape for all time,
Ours the right;
The sun will lead us,
Our reason to be here.
Ours to shape for all time,
Ours the right;
The sun will lead us,
Our reason to be here.
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lol. i think u are completely wrong. fighting for peace? it's a total anti-war peace-loving song.
The fist will run, grasp metal to gun. The spirit sings in crashing tones, We gain the battle drum. Our cries will shrill, the air will moan and crash into the dawn. The pen won't stay the demon's wings, The hour approaches pounding out the Devil's sermon.
it's about peace, it was written about the war in vietnam.
@man_show_boy487 idk where you got the vietnam war theme. anderson based the concept on tolstoy’s war and peace.
@man_show_boy487 idk where you got the vietnam war theme. anderson based the concept on tolstoy’s war and peace.
imo, TGOD is the greatest piece of music ever recorded.
imo, TGOD is the greatest piece of music ever recorded.
To start off, I am going to come right out and claim that this is Jon Anderson's best lyrical work. Ever. It almost perfectly sums up war, but does so much more. It compresses all the emotions that go along with war, all the thoughts that must be going through a warrior's head as he heads out to battle, all into one song, yet without losing a single drop of the power these feelings have. As a poet myself, I will say that this is the type of poetry I like to read, and the type that I sometimes wish I could write. And I've only talked about the lyrics so far. Anderson's vocals are heavenly here. He really establishes his place as one of prog's best singers. But then there's the music. They play faster than even the Mahavishnu Orchestra, it seems, and every note fits perfectly. There are some slower parts that are truly beautiful, and there are some fast parts that are just plain impressive, and sound good as well. In short, this is a masterpiece of a song. Utterly, 100% a masterpiece. It's not the best song I've heard, nor even probably in my top 5, but it certainly is in my top 15, and probably my top 10. For those who were wondering, Close to the Edge comes nowhere close to making either of those lists. Gates of Delirium is simply Yes's best song
@inpraiseoffolly : Hello, could I read your poems please? I'm asking you that because you seem to understand quite accurately the meaning of "Gates of Delirium", which is actually based upon "WAR & PEACE" (Tolstoi)
@inpraiseoffolly : Hello, could I read your poems please? I'm asking you that because you seem to understand quite accurately the meaning of "Gates of Delirium", which is actually based upon "WAR & PEACE" (Tolstoi)
Peace, war, fighting for peace (sic), the whirling climb down after a tumultuous battle, the soporific lament that it was all worth it. That's what I see, anyway, or something along those lines. Wonderful, wonderful, hair-raising music, and, for once, tangible lyrics. The Yes Album, Fragile, Close to the Edge and The Gates of Delerium were the fruits of a golden era.
The "Soon" portion of this song is absolutely beautiful. Both the vocals and the pedal steel guitar by Steve Howe.
I agree with nescient and add that this is a wonderful song...even if the concept is somewhat daunting. "Soon" is a wonderful part of the song....Although it does not sound good as a single.
I am so thankful to Jon, Chris, and Steve, for sticking through without regards to pretentious Bruford and Wakeman.
Them high school drop outs could do this? My guess is that they were picked on for not finishing high school... they were doubted... and guess what...
They shoved the best music of the 20th century up all their critics asses.
I'm forever thankful for their monumental triumph - in Topographic Oceans and Relayer.
This song blows just about any other song in history out of the water. Especially 'Stairway To Heaven'.... man I hate that song.... ahem! I love the battle, it's just seismic in it's scope and tenacity...
Never mind what I said about CTTE (the song) in my last post. I know enjoy every Yes album from The Yes Album to Relayer sans Tales, and I haven't heard anything beyond that.
Not the best of prog (Genesis gets that award), but definitely up there with the greats.
First off, I don't any difference in quality of music between Relayer and Tales from Topographic Oceans. I'll admit that the SOON portion of Gates of Delirium is the best of all Yes frm that period, but overall the albums are very similar to me. Only "To be Over" off of Relayer compares to The Revealing science of god and gates of delirium.
As for the meaning of this song, I had the feeling, upon reading the lyrics and listening to it at the same time, that it was about the civil rights movement. "Throwing chains to the floor," "reminded of an inner pact," "stand the marchers," and "destroy oppression" all have alusions to the civil rights movements. I realize this imagery can have to do with any war, but the african americans definitely saw their movement as a war, and everything here fits that. "Words casue oour baaner" and "Will silence be promised as violence display" could be an allusion to the non-violent resistance, sit-in type of thing of Martin Luther king Jr. And the ending "Soon" portion of the song could be anologised to Luther's "I have a dream" speech.
I must say I really enjoy this type of meaningful music that Yes produced. Much more pleasing and beautiful than anything being done today.
The Wikipedia article on this song says it's loosely based on Tolstoy's 'War and Peace'. Which I haven't read so can't comment beyond that :)
Phenomenal track.