This is a little different than what everyone else has been say- but i first heard this song when I was going through a very emotionally trying adolescent stage. I see this song about a teenager who feels so much turmoil inside, but tries hide it.
"Carry on my wayward son,
They'll be peace when you are done.
Lay your weary head to rest,
Don't you cry no more " -
the son is the teenager, who is wayward- either he is rebelling or just feels mixed up inside- the chorus is telling him to carry on bec at the end there will be peace- once he grows out of that stage he will be in better control of his feelings and feel at peace.
"Once I rose above the noise and confusion,
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illussion.
I was soring ever higher,
But I flew too high. "
He tries to get out of his confusing feelings to see if he could see the world normally and live happily as it seems everyone else is doing. But he flew too high- he started thinking too much thus pushing him back into his depression and turmoil.
"Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man.
Though my mind could think I still was a mad man.
I hear the voices when I'm dreaming,
I can hear them say... "
He can see and think and seems normal but inside he is a "mad man".
"Masquerading as a man with a reason,
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man, well
It surely means that I don't know "
He tries to be all cool and confident and is really popular- no one knows how he is feeling inside. If he acts so wise like he knows everything- a lot of teenagers think they know everything- but they really dont and are very inexperienced with life.
"On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean
I set a course for winds of fortune
But I hear the voices say... "
This can either just be simply about the way hes feeling- confused and tossed around - or maybe "I set a course for winds of fortune"- he thought that by acting a certain way and all cool he would be happy but really he just keeps getting more miserable. Maybe hes involved with the wrong crowd, maybe hes into drugs.
"Carrry on, you will always remember
Carry on, nothing equals the splendor
Now your life's no longer empty
Surely heaven waits for you. "
Talking about when he outgrows this stage- "nothing equals the splendor"- of being in your 20's and in control of your life- it feels like you have the whole world ahead of you- "surely heaven waits for you"
I think you, my friend have nailed it!!!! This is good!!! I always liked the sound of the song, but the meaning could be just for me! Everyone thinks that I am happy, but inside I am not.
I think you, my friend have nailed it!!!! This is good!!! I always liked the sound of the song, but the meaning could be just for me! Everyone thinks that I am happy, but inside I am not.
"
This was written by Kansas guitarist Kerry Livgren. According to Livgren, the song was not written to express anything specifically religious, though it certainly expresses spiritual searching and other ideas.
"
This was written by Kansas guitarist Kerry Livgren. According to Livgren, the song was not written to express anything specifically religious, though it certainly expresses spiritual searching and other ideas.
Livgren became an evangelical Christian in 1980, and has said that his songwriting to that point was all about "searching." Regarding this song, he explained: "I felt a profound urge to 'Carry On' and continue the search. I saw myself as the 'Wayward Son,' alienated from the ultimate reality, and yet striving to know it or him. The positive note at the end ('Surely heaven waits for you') seemed strange and premature, but I felt impelled to include it in the lyrics. It proved to be prophetic.
"
This is a little different than what everyone else has been say- but i first heard this song when I was going through a very emotionally trying adolescent stage. I see this song about a teenager who feels so much turmoil inside, but tries hide it.
"Carry on my wayward son, They'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest, Don't you cry no more " -
the son is the teenager, who is wayward- either he is rebelling or just feels mixed up inside- the chorus is telling him to carry on bec at the end there will be peace- once he grows out of that stage he will be in better control of his feelings and feel at peace.
"Once I rose above the noise and confusion, Just to get a glimpse beyond this illussion. I was soring ever higher, But I flew too high. "
He tries to get out of his confusing feelings to see if he could see the world normally and live happily as it seems everyone else is doing. But he flew too high- he started thinking too much thus pushing him back into his depression and turmoil.
"Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man. Though my mind could think I still was a mad man. I hear the voices when I'm dreaming, I can hear them say... "
He can see and think and seems normal but inside he is a "mad man".
"Masquerading as a man with a reason, My charade is the event of the season And if I claim to be a wise man, well It surely means that I don't know "
He tries to be all cool and confident and is really popular- no one knows how he is feeling inside. If he acts so wise like he knows everything- a lot of teenagers think they know everything- but they really dont and are very inexperienced with life.
"On a stormy sea of moving emotion Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean I set a course for winds of fortune But I hear the voices say... "
This can either just be simply about the way hes feeling- confused and tossed around - or maybe "I set a course for winds of fortune"- he thought that by acting a certain way and all cool he would be happy but really he just keeps getting more miserable. Maybe hes involved with the wrong crowd, maybe hes into drugs.
"Carrry on, you will always remember Carry on, nothing equals the splendor Now your life's no longer empty Surely heaven waits for you. "
Talking about when he outgrows this stage- "nothing equals the splendor"- of being in your 20's and in control of your life- it feels like you have the whole world ahead of you- "surely heaven waits for you"
I think you, my friend have nailed it!!!! This is good!!! I always liked the sound of the song, but the meaning could be just for me! Everyone thinks that I am happy, but inside I am not.
I think you, my friend have nailed it!!!! This is good!!! I always liked the sound of the song, but the meaning could be just for me! Everyone thinks that I am happy, but inside I am not.
From wiki
From wiki
" This was written by Kansas guitarist Kerry Livgren. According to Livgren, the song was not written to express anything specifically religious, though it certainly expresses spiritual searching and other ideas.
" This was written by Kansas guitarist Kerry Livgren. According to Livgren, the song was not written to express anything specifically religious, though it certainly expresses spiritual searching and other ideas.
Livgren became an evangelical Christian in 1980, and has said that his songwriting to that point was all about "searching." Regarding this song, he explained: "I felt a profound urge to 'Carry On' and continue the search. I saw myself as the 'Wayward Son,' alienated from the ultimate reality, and yet striving to know it or him. The positive note at the end ('Surely heaven waits for you') seemed strange and premature, but I felt impelled to include it in the lyrics. It proved to be prophetic. "