To paraphrase Sparticus..."honored to be number 2."
This song is about the theory of evolution and the church's opposition to the idea of evolution. The church offers Genesis and the Creation myth (the plan) as an alternative. The "bee of the bird of the moth" is a description of the phenomenon of "convergent evolution" where vastly different creatures evelve to take advantage of a similar environment or ecological niche. The "hummingbird moth" has evolved to the point where it is virtually indistinguishable from a hummingbird, which in turn has an appearance and habit much like a honeybee.
The moth thus is "messing with the plan" and "can't be believed" at the urging of religuos leaders. The line "the moth defeats the mouse and man" refers to the famous line, "the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry," meaning the church's teachings, honed through centuries of force-feeding dogma to the followers, is being defeated by the observations and thinking that goes into the evolutionary theory.
But "protozoa, snakes and horses have enlisted in the forces" meaning the innumerable adaptations and peculiararities of such diverse beings suggest otherwise.
"Hypmotic flying" and "hypnotizing tractor beam" both evoke the random yet irresistable pull of evolutionary forces. All these images refer in some way the "hopeful monsters" that provide the engine of evolution. If you don't believe me, check out "the sleep of reason produces monsters", the 1799 painting by Goya. The "sleep of reason producing monsters" could be thought of as an ironic twist on the original meaning of the painting, instaed of the sleep (absence) of reason allowing the vices of men (the monsters) to gather around the tortured artist, it is a reference to the Theory of Evolution being a descendent of the philosophies of the Age of Reason.
Check out catbug in the corner of the painting, as well as the sleeping Manhouse.
To paraphrase Sparticus..."honored to be number 2."
This song is about the theory of evolution and the church's opposition to the idea of evolution. The church offers Genesis and the Creation myth (the plan) as an alternative. The "bee of the bird of the moth" is a description of the phenomenon of "convergent evolution" where vastly different creatures evelve to take advantage of a similar environment or ecological niche. The "hummingbird moth" has evolved to the point where it is virtually indistinguishable from a hummingbird, which in turn has an appearance and habit much like a honeybee.
The moth thus is "messing with the plan" and "can't be believed" at the urging of religuos leaders. The line "the moth defeats the mouse and man" refers to the famous line, "the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry," meaning the church's teachings, honed through centuries of force-feeding dogma to the followers, is being defeated by the observations and thinking that goes into the evolutionary theory.
But "protozoa, snakes and horses have enlisted in the forces" meaning the innumerable adaptations and peculiararities of such diverse beings suggest otherwise.
"Hypmotic flying" and "hypnotizing tractor beam" both evoke the random yet irresistable pull of evolutionary forces. All these images refer in some way the "hopeful monsters" that provide the engine of evolution. If you don't believe me, check out "the sleep of reason produces monsters", the 1799 painting by Goya. The "sleep of reason producing monsters" could be thought of as an ironic twist on the original meaning of the painting, instaed of the sleep (absence) of reason allowing the vices of men (the monsters) to gather around the tortured artist, it is a reference to the Theory of Evolution being a descendent of the philosophies of the Age of Reason.
Check out catbug in the corner of the painting, as well as the sleeping Manhouse.
Mr. Bacon, what do you think of that?