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Icarus - Borne on Wings of Steel Lyrics
Early in the morning sunlight
Soaring on the wings of dawn
Here I'll live and die with my wings in the sky
And I won't come down no more
Higher than a bird I'm flying
Crimson skies of ice and fire
Borne on wings of steel I have so much to feel
And I won't come down no more
Sail on, sail on, I will rise each day to meet the dawn
So high, so high
I've climbed the mountains of the sky
Without my wings you know I'd surely die
I found my freedom flyin' high
I've climbed the mountains of the sky
Floating on a cloud of amber
Searching for the rainbow's end
Earth so far below me,
I'm here alone, free
I can't come down no more
Soaring on the wings of dawn
Here I'll live and die with my wings in the sky
And I won't come down no more
Crimson skies of ice and fire
Borne on wings of steel I have so much to feel
And I won't come down no more
So high, so high
I've climbed the mountains of the sky
Without my wings you know I'd surely die
I found my freedom flyin' high
I've climbed the mountains of the sky
Searching for the rainbow's end
Earth so far below me,
I'm here alone, free
I can't come down no more
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It seems to me that it's not exactly about flying in its most literal sense, but rather, it's using wings and flying as symbolism for something that makes the singer feel free. Possibly its his feeling of freedom itself. And "without my wings you know I'd surely die" means that his life would not be worth living without freedom. That's just what it means to me.
It's an awesome song, probably the best one on the Masque album.
Wow, I love what you wrote. I think it is really deep and proubally the truest defintion of this song
Wow, I love what you wrote. I think it is really deep and proubally the truest defintion of this song
This song is pretty simple. In Greek mythology, Icarus's father, Daedalus, along with Theseus had slain the Minotaur in the labyrinth on Knossos. However, Icarus was a prisoner in the labyrinth. Thus, Daedalus had constructed wings made of feathers and wax so he and Icarus could fly away. Unfortunately, Icarus flew too close to the sun, as his father had warned him, so the max melted, and he perished in the ocean. The song describes his bravado. Kansas made so many good songs besides "Carry on My Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind" - this is one of them.
i think this song is about someone who enjoys flying a plane :)
the song is just called icarus in tribute to him, borne on wings of steel - well just look up the word borne
Seems obvious to me that wings of steel refer to the steel strings of Kerry Livgren's guitar. That when he plays his spirit soars into the stratosphere. But there is also a danger that he can be so taken up my his music, that if he ignores some realities, he will come crashing back to earth.
@WillMc7 100% accurate... my cousin was a good friend with the band, traveled and hung out, I met them in Pgh... this was DEF about Kerry and what he feels like playing guitar (wings of steel). This song is NOT 1) about flying or 2) Motorcycles or 3) ANything other than the steel strings of Kerry's guitar and where they take him...
@WillMc7 100% accurate... my cousin was a good friend with the band, traveled and hung out, I met them in Pgh... this was DEF about Kerry and what he feels like playing guitar (wings of steel). This song is NOT 1) about flying or 2) Motorcycles or 3) ANything other than the steel strings of Kerry's guitar and where they take him...
No comments? why not?! this song is awesome! What it's about, I couldn't tell you. I think alot of Kansas songs are hard to Interpret, especially on the Masque Album. But the song is still awesome!
oh yeah, kansas has been my favorite band since i was a kid, and i get sick of the people that have only heard those two and point of know return...quite unfortunate, but indeed this song is probably one of my favorites of Kansas'
I think it is most definitely about flying, literally, in a plane, but he is using to show that he is free from the people telling him what to do, because he is so high up, no one can talk to him. He is free. If you listen to Icarus II (not a great song...) it talks about a guy who loves to fly planes, but now is in war because of his talent and was chosen to do what he is good at and he dies for it.
Kashmir91086 is Correct in his interpretaaton It i just as he said. the thing about Kansas is tat a lot of their lyrics dealt with a spiritial aspect of it. In fact you couldsay kansas was a christian band in one sense of the word.
Kashmir91086 is Correct in his interpretaaton It i just as he said. the thing about Kansas is tat a lot of their lyrics dealt with a spiritial aspect of it. In fact you couldsay kansas was a christian band in one sense of the word.
I think that MindBreaker is right, especially when you take into context Icarus II, which is clearly a song about the feelings of a pilot in a war, who loves flying but not the war... He grows to wish he was home, in his bed. I think that Icarus Borne on wings of steel, is about his past, where he learned to fly and loved it.
I think that MindBreaker is right, especially when you take into context Icarus II, which is clearly a song about the feelings of a pilot in a war, who loves flying but not the war... He grows to wish he was home, in his bed. I think that Icarus Borne on wings of steel, is about his past, where he learned to fly and loved it.
After 9-11, The first part of Icarus... makes me think of Flight 93 or even the WTC attacks. I just heard Kansas play it in a concert tonight. Perhaps they added it to their tour play list after all these years for the same reason?
After 9-11, The first part of Icarus... makes me think of Flight 93 or even the WTC attacks. I just heard Kansas play it in a concert tonight. Perhaps they added it to their tour play list after all these years for the same reason?
I think this song and Icarus II are two parts of a story. The definition of borne is technically not birth, but being concieved by other means. He was not literally borne of wings of steel, but he feels that way because flying makes him feel so free. Obviously, if he were flying and lost his wings, he'd die, but in another sense, if he lost his plane or means of flying, he'd die of the feeling of being lost. Icarus II Is where he is drafted into the airforce to fight in a war. He wishes he were back home, but cant go back, because he must focus on his task that was set for him. He ends up getting shot down while trying to help his friends escape. He sacrifices himself for them.
This also could be referring to God, who lives in Heaven. God is higher than anyone on Earth. But in Icarus II, Jesus is sent to the Earth to save people from their sins by sacrificing himself for them. The enemy planes could be sin, and the friends going down in flames could be his disciple who lose faith and fall away. Listen to the two song in a row again, and youll catch my drift.
I think the religeon bit is a bit on the edge of likelihood, not that im anti religeon, but I think that Icarus and Icarus II are sister songs, they are both interesting and great songs. In Icarus II he is a bomber pilot, he is fed up with war and does some deep thinking, he wonders if the enemy is not actually much different than himself. When he does get shot down, he tries to keep the plane from crashing long enough for his crew to bail.
I think the religeon bit is a bit on the edge of likelihood, not that im anti religeon, but I think that Icarus and Icarus II are sister songs, they are both interesting and great songs. In Icarus II he is a bomber pilot, he is fed up with war and does some deep thinking, he wonders if the enemy is not actually much different than himself. When he does get shot down, he tries to keep the plane from crashing long enough for his crew to bail.
Of course it is written as reference to the Greek mythology. But Kerry, I believe was referring to freedom, and as reference to Wings of Steel, personally it portrays the feelings of Freedom and Flight on my Motorcycle. It fits perfectly with the Spirit Of Motorcycling. I am currently writing a book called, The Fear of Motorcycling and Other Religions. (THE Joys and Sorrows of a common Mormons life.) Kerry song, for me, has always been about Motorcycling.
I actually ran into a member of the band. I was so nervous! He was so nice. I asked what the meaning of the song Icarus is. He said, or something close, "Icarus. You know" (then flapped his arms like a bird). So there. It's about the Greek mythological character.
However I do suspect if you asked another band member the answer might be different. What I am confident about though is that this song is one of the bands favorite.