The lyrics here are using United Flight 93 as a metaphor for the importance of accepting mortality and recognizing that leaving a message with what little time you have is the most anyone can do. The lyrics are written from dual perspectives: one (which mostly accompanies the frantic verses, but also appears in a few refrains) represents the thoughts of a person on United Flight 93 contemplating his or her situation and the consequences of his or her actions, and the other (the chorus and some refrains) is the broader narrative arch that connects that passenger's thoughts to the broader philosophical point.
Once the passenger accepted that death was their fate, then that "fate" was rendered powerless to actually control their actions; the passenger used the time left to leave a message to the world and that was all that mattered. This same point is broadly applicable to everyone alive. Their fate is death. Once they realize that, the only thing that matters is the message they send before they complete their fall.
The direct references to Flight 93:
"Suffering no deceit, no selfish lies,
we stand in our own crypt and we mobilize"
"The wreckage was never found,
but the black box was recovered."
"Stumble beneath the radar, big holes in each great city
is all the evidence I need."
Where the song ties the tragedy to the broader philosophical point:
"The wreckage was never found,
but the black box was recovered.
The message therein profound.
In our final moments our true names are all discovered.
So let it fall, fall. Even if it turns out to be futile,
at least we couldn?t ask for a sky so clear or a day more beautiful.
They?ll never find the wreckage, transcending all human languages.
Just a promise and a final message: the descent is all there truly ever is.
Just a promise and a final message: the descent is all there ever is.
Just a promise and a, just a promise and a final message: the fall is all there ever is.
Just a promise and a final message: the descent is all there ever is.
Just a promise and a, just a promise and a final message: the fall is all there ever is."
On a personal note, I think this song is pure, beautiful brilliance, both lyrically and musically. I even get a bit teary-eyed listening to it.
I think you nailed it about being a metaphor on flights that do not land and the fate of death, now looking in hindsight it seems pretty obvious but I could not figure it before.
I think you nailed it about being a metaphor on flights that do not land and the fate of death, now looking in hindsight it seems pretty obvious but I could not figure it before.
I just do not see how it is specifically related to United Flight 93 at all, if you have some points to support this I'd be curious to know. But the good thing was that I read and learnt more about the history behind the Flight 93. And thanks for the contribution btw.
I just do not see how it is specifically related to United Flight 93 at all, if you have some points to support this I'd be curious to know. But the good thing was that I read and learnt more about the history behind the Flight 93. And thanks for the contribution btw.
Anyway, excellent song and lyrics, one of my favourite of PtH now. Also pretty good to listen in the landing of flights.
Thanks for your comment. The lyrics actually have Flight 93 references woven throughout.
Thanks for your comment. The lyrics actually have Flight 93 references woven throughout.
The most explicit one is "Stumble beneath the radar, big holes in each great city
is all the evidence I need," which is directly addressing the passengers' discovery of the other attacks and how that discovery prompted them to take action.
The most explicit one is "Stumble beneath the radar, big holes in each great city
is all the evidence I need," which is directly addressing the passengers' discovery of the other attacks and how that discovery prompted them to take action.
But there are more:
But there are more:
"The wreckage was never found,
but the black box was recovered"
"The wreckage was never found,
but the black box was recovered"
This is addressing how the crash site of flight 93 left almost no visible wreckage, but the black box they eventually dug up ultimately told the story of the now-obliterated plane.
"Suffering no deceit, no selfish lies,
we stand in our own crypt and we mobilize"
The use of the verb "mobilize" here is an echo of the language used in Todd Beamer's "let's roll" phone call. In a normal crashing flight, this language would be odd: what would the passenger's be "mobilizing" to do? It only makes sense if you understand they are mobilizing to take the plane back from the hijackers, even though doing so will not save their own lives (hence the "stand in our own crypt").
"at least we couldn't ask for a sky so clear or a day more beautiful."
September 11 was a beautiful, clear day in the northeast where the attacks and the Flight 93 crash occurred.
I think the song is definitely deliberately vague so as to universalize its broader message, but I do think there is still enough there so that the basis for the metaphor is identifiable.
lol I typed that on my phone and it cut off the crucial gag part of it on the front where I said Protest were time travellers or clairvoyants because it fits the MH370 flight so well. Oh well.
lol I typed that on my phone and it cut off the crucial gag part of it on the front where I said Protest were time travellers or clairvoyants because it fits the MH370 flight so well. Oh well.
The lyrics here are using United Flight 93 as a metaphor for the importance of accepting mortality and recognizing that leaving a message with what little time you have is the most anyone can do. The lyrics are written from dual perspectives: one (which mostly accompanies the frantic verses, but also appears in a few refrains) represents the thoughts of a person on United Flight 93 contemplating his or her situation and the consequences of his or her actions, and the other (the chorus and some refrains) is the broader narrative arch that connects that passenger's thoughts to the broader philosophical point.
Once the passenger accepted that death was their fate, then that "fate" was rendered powerless to actually control their actions; the passenger used the time left to leave a message to the world and that was all that mattered. This same point is broadly applicable to everyone alive. Their fate is death. Once they realize that, the only thing that matters is the message they send before they complete their fall.
The direct references to Flight 93:
"Suffering no deceit, no selfish lies, we stand in our own crypt and we mobilize"
"The wreckage was never found, but the black box was recovered."
"Stumble beneath the radar, big holes in each great city is all the evidence I need."
Where the song ties the tragedy to the broader philosophical point:
"The wreckage was never found, but the black box was recovered. The message therein profound. In our final moments our true names are all discovered. So let it fall, fall. Even if it turns out to be futile, at least we couldn?t ask for a sky so clear or a day more beautiful. They?ll never find the wreckage, transcending all human languages. Just a promise and a final message: the descent is all there truly ever is. Just a promise and a final message: the descent is all there ever is. Just a promise and a, just a promise and a final message: the fall is all there ever is. Just a promise and a final message: the descent is all there ever is. Just a promise and a, just a promise and a final message: the fall is all there ever is."
On a personal note, I think this song is pure, beautiful brilliance, both lyrically and musically. I even get a bit teary-eyed listening to it.
I think you nailed it about being a metaphor on flights that do not land and the fate of death, now looking in hindsight it seems pretty obvious but I could not figure it before.
I think you nailed it about being a metaphor on flights that do not land and the fate of death, now looking in hindsight it seems pretty obvious but I could not figure it before.
I just do not see how it is specifically related to United Flight 93 at all, if you have some points to support this I'd be curious to know. But the good thing was that I read and learnt more about the history behind the Flight 93. And thanks for the contribution btw.
I just do not see how it is specifically related to United Flight 93 at all, if you have some points to support this I'd be curious to know. But the good thing was that I read and learnt more about the history behind the Flight 93. And thanks for the contribution btw.
Anyway, excellent song and lyrics, one of my favourite of PtH now. Also pretty good to listen in the landing of flights.
Thanks for your comment. The lyrics actually have Flight 93 references woven throughout.
Thanks for your comment. The lyrics actually have Flight 93 references woven throughout.
The most explicit one is "Stumble beneath the radar, big holes in each great city is all the evidence I need," which is directly addressing the passengers' discovery of the other attacks and how that discovery prompted them to take action.
The most explicit one is "Stumble beneath the radar, big holes in each great city is all the evidence I need," which is directly addressing the passengers' discovery of the other attacks and how that discovery prompted them to take action.
But there are more:
But there are more:
"The wreckage was never found, but the black box was recovered"
"The wreckage was never found, but the black box was recovered"
This is addressing how the crash site of flight 93 left almost no visible wreckage, but the black box they eventually dug up ultimately told the story of the now-obliterated plane.
"Suffering no deceit, no selfish lies, we stand in our own crypt and we mobilize"
The use of the verb "mobilize" here is an echo of the language used in Todd Beamer's "let's roll" phone call. In a normal crashing flight, this language would be odd: what would the passenger's be "mobilizing" to do? It only makes sense if you understand they are mobilizing to take the plane back from the hijackers, even though doing so will not save their own lives (hence the "stand in our own crypt").
"at least we couldn't ask for a sky so clear or a day more beautiful."
September 11 was a beautiful, clear day in the northeast where the attacks and the Flight 93 crash occurred.
I think the song is definitely deliberately vague so as to universalize its broader message, but I do think there is still enough there so that the basis for the metaphor is identifiable.
Only problem of course being that this song was written and recorded long before MH370 and MH17 went down...
Only problem of course being that this song was written and recorded long before MH370 and MH17 went down...
re cramthelanon August 27, 2014:
re cramthelanon August 27, 2014:
Do you seriously not know the difference between Flight 93 and the Malaysian airlines planes? Way to read, champ.
Do you seriously not know the difference between Flight 93 and the Malaysian airlines planes? Way to read, champ.
lol I typed that on my phone and it cut off the crucial gag part of it on the front where I said Protest were time travellers or clairvoyants because it fits the MH370 flight so well. Oh well.
lol I typed that on my phone and it cut off the crucial gag part of it on the front where I said Protest were time travellers or clairvoyants because it fits the MH370 flight so well. Oh well.