The Fountain of Lamneth is probably my second favorite Rush song. I still prefer 2112 over it, but this one is a very close second for me.
I agree with byhatchetaxeandsaw on this one. This song is about a man's life, from birth to death.
In The Valley (BIRTH and CHILDHOOD). I am born, I am me, I am new, I am free. As in childhood, the man has curiousities about his future, "Yet my eyes are drawn toward the mountain in the east..."
Didacts And Narpets (ADOLESCENCE), all the way. It is all about rebellion. Your parent says work! And you say no! Your teacher says learn! You say live! And live it to the fullest. Party all night, sleep all day!
No One At The Bridge (College, Young Adulthood, First Job, On Your Own). You're on your own, there's no safety net now. Maybe a bit through college, but then it's out into the real world, and you have to make it on your own. "Why must my crew (your parents or friends) desert me? I need a guiding hand." You get that first job, and you have to be grown up enough to keep it, make a living for yourself, pay the bills, etc. But you sail on, toward that dream you fantasized about In The Valley.
Panacea (FIRST TRUE LOVE, MARRIAGE). Then you find the one that you can steer your boat with. You find that you can forget about your troubles with her body, soft and warm. Still, it may not be all that you need, and it may not last. It might end in divorce, as mentioned above, but for now, you've got that peace of mind, and that's what's important.
Bacchus Plateau (GOLDEN YEARS, RETIREMENT). This is my favorite part of the song, not so much because you've reached this point in life, but it rocks and flows so well! Truthfully, this is about the rewards in life for working so hard and getting this far, "Draw another goblet from the cask of '43." Another endless day, silhouettes of gray. You're just enjoying the fruits of your labors, and of course, it's even better if you still have your Panacea with you!
The Fountain (OLD AGE, THE END, DEATH). Yeah, you're happy at first, you have reached the goal that you longed for In The Valley, but you now realize that, like the fabled Fountain of Youth, it doesn't mean you're going to live forever...death is still a part of life, and you come to that realization. "Now at last I fall before The Fountain Of Lamneth, I thought I would be singing, but I'm tired, out of breath. Many journeys end here, but the secret's told the same. Life is just a candle, and a dream must give it flame." Like a candle, life finally burns out, but your dreams and desires are what keep the candle going. If the candle didn't get lit, you were never born to begin with. "I am crying, I am still." That line is very moving, that is just before death. "I'm forever at the start...still I am." You realize that you're back to the start point In The Valley, and you might think your life has been pointless. "Still I am..." Every life has some purpose and meaning, though we may never fully understand it all.
The point is, live your life to the fullest each and every day, because there's only one candle, and once that flame is extinguished, it's gone forever.
Great, great song! I wish they would do this one live in concert again, the entire 19 minutes and 57 secs of it!
The Fountain of Lamneth is probably my second favorite Rush song. I still prefer 2112 over it, but this one is a very close second for me.
I agree with byhatchetaxeandsaw on this one. This song is about a man's life, from birth to death.
In The Valley (BIRTH and CHILDHOOD). I am born, I am me, I am new, I am free. As in childhood, the man has curiousities about his future, "Yet my eyes are drawn toward the mountain in the east..."
Didacts And Narpets (ADOLESCENCE), all the way. It is all about rebellion. Your parent says work! And you say no! Your teacher says learn! You say live! And live it to the fullest. Party all night, sleep all day!
No One At The Bridge (College, Young Adulthood, First Job, On Your Own). You're on your own, there's no safety net now. Maybe a bit through college, but then it's out into the real world, and you have to make it on your own. "Why must my crew (your parents or friends) desert me? I need a guiding hand." You get that first job, and you have to be grown up enough to keep it, make a living for yourself, pay the bills, etc. But you sail on, toward that dream you fantasized about In The Valley.
Panacea (FIRST TRUE LOVE, MARRIAGE). Then you find the one that you can steer your boat with. You find that you can forget about your troubles with her body, soft and warm. Still, it may not be all that you need, and it may not last. It might end in divorce, as mentioned above, but for now, you've got that peace of mind, and that's what's important.
Bacchus Plateau (GOLDEN YEARS, RETIREMENT). This is my favorite part of the song, not so much because you've reached this point in life, but it rocks and flows so well! Truthfully, this is about the rewards in life for working so hard and getting this far, "Draw another goblet from the cask of '43." Another endless day, silhouettes of gray. You're just enjoying the fruits of your labors, and of course, it's even better if you still have your Panacea with you!
The Fountain (OLD AGE, THE END, DEATH). Yeah, you're happy at first, you have reached the goal that you longed for In The Valley, but you now realize that, like the fabled Fountain of Youth, it doesn't mean you're going to live forever...death is still a part of life, and you come to that realization. "Now at last I fall before The Fountain Of Lamneth, I thought I would be singing, but I'm tired, out of breath. Many journeys end here, but the secret's told the same. Life is just a candle, and a dream must give it flame." Like a candle, life finally burns out, but your dreams and desires are what keep the candle going. If the candle didn't get lit, you were never born to begin with. "I am crying, I am still." That line is very moving, that is just before death. "I'm forever at the start...still I am." You realize that you're back to the start point In The Valley, and you might think your life has been pointless. "Still I am..." Every life has some purpose and meaning, though we may never fully understand it all.
The point is, live your life to the fullest each and every day, because there's only one candle, and once that flame is extinguished, it's gone forever.
Great, great song! I wish they would do this one live in concert again, the entire 19 minutes and 57 secs of it!