Voices

[VioletS16]

I have too many questions about what songs mean 

All I caught in that song was something about sex being death. I know it has to do with some religious person but other than that it's a brick wall.
Please ignore my stupidity. I have a never-ending list of questions 

[Algo Fonix]

Maybe this'll help.

https://faq.dtnorway.com/question/117#comments

[Lowdz]

I always took it to be about Schizophrenia. There are alot of common themes in the lyrics that tie in with the experiences of Schizophrenics, especially the religious themes.

[wolfking]

The sex is death section is AMAZING!!!

[hefdaddy42]

I always took it to be about Schizophrenia. There are alot of common themes in the lyrics that tie in with the experiences of Schizophrenics, especially the religious themes.

That's because it is about schizophrenia.

[VioletS16]

The sex is death section is AMAZING!!!

That's my favourite part   Really shows off James's deeper side as well as getting in some great notes too! The way he says crucifix is just epic, too.

Also, Algo, that link is not working for my computer  I have a really stupid computer.
Yeah those theories sound correct but what the heck does that have to do with sex and love?

[Algo Fonix]

Also, Algo, that link is not working for my computer  I have a really stupid computer.
Yeah those theories sound correct but what the heck does that have to do with sex and love?

Ah, well, long quote incoming!

Author: Innocuous Fox

To me, one of the most intriguing songs that DT has ever written is "Voices" off of Awake. Not only is it a monstrous composition with a huge variety of dynamic musical textures, the lyrics are, in typical DT fashion, loaded with metaphorical references and vivid imagery supporting a deep emotionally based theme.

With the lyrics written by Petrucci, we see an example of his apparent struggle with religion and spirituality, in this case with regards to sexuality and other conflicting pressures of the outside world. The driving theme is that he is caught in a struggle between what he has been told throughout his life and what the "voices" in his head (perhaps conscience?) are trying to tell him.

"Love, just don't stare"
He used to say to me
Every Sunday morning

I believe the meaning of the statement "Love, just don't stare" is that it is OK to love someone as long as you don't lust after or objectify. The question in this passage is who "he" is. My first thought was that it was perhaps his father teaching him a lesson about how to treat a spouse (i.e. his mother by example).

The "Sunday morning" reference, however, leads one to believe that the "he" is a clergyman or spiritual leader. In the latter case, the "Love" line would be just a general doctrine - also stating that one should love emotionally but not get caught up in the physical.

The spider in the window
the angel in the pool

These lines are delightfully cryptic. The spider reference returns later in the song in the context of "like the spider in the window, I wish that I could speak". This latter reference could mean one of two things depending on how you place the emphasis:

1) The spider wishes he could speak but can not, it can only observe, or
2) John wishes that he COULD speak like the spider in the window can.

Since spiders don't speak and are generally known for creeping about and not being noticed, I would tend to go with #1. This brings us back to the lines above: Why are we referring to the spider now and what does it represent? The spider could symbolize someone, even John, who was used to hanging out in the corner and watching all that goes on. This doesn't explain why the word "window" was chosen. Perhaps in the window, the spider can look inside as well as out? Also, spiders in windows are more easily seen than spiders in corners. Is any of this relevant?

The "angel in the pool" is a Biblical reference to the pool at Bethesda. Legend had it that, every so often, an angel would stir the waters in a pool in the town of Bethesda. When that happened, the first person to go into the waters was healed of whatever affliction they suffered from. Because of this belief, people would camp out next to the pool waiting for the waters to be "stirred".

There was an old, crippled man there that was paralyzed. For the record, my pastor tells me that this is the only time recorded in the Bible that Jesus ever asked somone if they wanted to be healed. The man complained to Jesus that he could never be the first into the pool because no one would help him from his mat. In a nutshell, the answer Jesus gave was that he should rise and be healed... basically that he needed to help himself if he wanted to be healed.

In the song, I see it as the author realizing that if he is going to be healed of his "affliction", then he needs to do something about it himself.

The old man takes the poison
Now the widow makes the rules

To me, these lines are definitely related. Was the poison related to the widow at all? First of all, there is the possibility that the widow was the spider from above - i.e. Black Widow, in which case the poison was definitely taken from the "widow". Now, the structure of the sentence is such that the widow did not DO anything, the old man TOOK the poison. This could either be willingly and knowingly or not. Furthermore, what IS the poison? Is it the way the man was treated by the widow (allegedly his wife)? Is the poison actually a belief system given to him by others (e.g. religion) that caused him suffering related to his wife?

Also, there really isn't a reference to death here other than the word "widow" - which we have already possibly explained by applying it to the spider. The only thing we know is that the man no longer is in charge. This could be part of that doctrine I mentioned above. In what ways is the woman "in charge" in a household? If applied with the original statement of "Love, just don't stare", you could say that the man is under the idea that he should not force himself or even encourage intimacy - and therefore the woman would be making the rules in such a way that may be detrimental to the man's emotional well being.

"So speak, I'm right here"
She used to say to me

Who is "she?" Is this the same "she" alluded to above as the "widow"? Is this his girlfriend/wife? I can see the picture, though... the author being upset or reserved about something that the woman senses and is encouraging him to tell her. In fact, she may be demanding that she tell him - in not so nice a way. The words "so speak" really aren't a soft, gentle opening to a conversation. This is further played out by the following lines:

Not a word, not a word

He obviously doesn't feel comfortable discussing this subject with her.

Judas on the ceiling
the Devil in my bed

Judas, of course, is now synonymous with betrayal. Even more so, betrayal of a loved one using a symbol of love as the mechanism for that betrayal - i.e. the "Judas kiss". Why, however, is Judas on the ceiling? When coupled (pardon pun) with the next line (re: Devil), it seems apparent that he believes that either his woman is a symbol of evil, that the acts performed in that bed are a symbol of evil, or the Devil is there in bed trying to tempt him into doing those acts he believes are unclean with the woman.

I guess Easter's never coming
So I'll just wait inside my head

Easter, of course, is a symbol of the resurrection - but more precisely the act that caused the ability for people to be forgiven of sins and renewed. In his statement, perhaps he believes that there will never be any forgiveness for him... maybe because his sins are unpardonable. Of course, Easter was the result of the crucifixion of Christ, which - in turn - was a result of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. What we have, then, is that his "Judas" (the woman) has put him into a position through her betrayal (the sexuallity?) from which he is never going to be forgiven. His only answer, then, is to keep all his thoughts and confessions to himself, not express his desires, and keep everything all bottled up.

Like a scream but sort of silent
living off my nightmares
Voices repeating me
"Feeling threatened?
We reflect your hopes and fears"

This is the first reference we have to the Voices. The fact that they are living off - if not entirely born of - his nightmares, as well as the fact that they reflect his hopes and fears, leads me to believe that the Voices are his conscience. They could also represent the sum total of what he has been told throughout his life and what he has taken to believe - i.e. his moral position.

On a darker side, the Voices could be his desires that he is fighting. I believe, as I will explain later, that the Voices play all of these roles and, in truth, are just the overwhelming dialogs that he has with himself regarding issues that concern him.

Voices discussing me
"Others steal your thoughts
they're not confined within your mind"

Again, when having mental debates with one's self, there is a tendency to talk to ourselves in 2nd person or even in 3rd person. I think the interesting thing in this quote from the "Voices", though, is the lines that follow:

Thought disorder
Dream control
Now they read my mind on the radio
But where was the Garden of Eden?

Now that we have SFAM, we understand a bit more that John was interested in the concepts of dreams and mental disorders. My first reaction to this, though, was Queensryche's song "Silent Lucidity" which is specifically about dream control. Is John lamenting the fact that he had wanted write music about dream control and then out comes a song that addresses it - therefore proving the statement "others steal your thoughts, they're not confined within your mind"? If that is the case, is there an obvious song about thought disorder that people could relate in a similar role?

Also, is he waiting for someone to write one about the "Garden Of Eden" - a concept he may still have tucked inside his head? Also, the "Garden of Eden" was the scene for the commission of "original sin" which many religions interpret as being sex (others will point out that "original sin" was simply rebelling against God). If he is referring to original sin, however, it transitions well into the next section.

I feel elated
I feel depressed

Simply conflicting emotions...

Sex is death, Death is sex
Says it right here on my Crucifix

This obviously refers the modern-day Christian idea that sex is the most unclean thing there is and that - by partaking in it - you are spiritually dead. The Crucifix, of course, is not just the symbol of Christianity, but representative of its core foundation. By having the concept "written" on the Crucifix, he is saying that it is his understanding that the fact that "sex is death" is inseparable from the teachings and beliefs of the church.

Also, notice that "Death" in the second phrase is capitalized. This could be a reference to "Death" as in Satan... this would accomplish a twist in the meaning saying "Sex is death, Satan is sex" rather than just repeating the reciprocal of the first phrase.

Like a scream but sort of silent
living off my nightmares
Voices protecting me
"Good behavior
brings the Savior
to his knees"

Again the Voices - i.e. other people and/or his conscience - telling him that if you live a good life, not only will you gain the favor of the Savior but perhaps even something more.

Voices rejecting me
"Others steal your thoughts
they're not confined within your mind"

At this point, it almost seems like the voices are telling him "you aren't the only one who has these thoughts." This becomes clearer farther down.

I'm kneeling on the floor
staring at the wall

I imagine the setting of kneeling in a church or sanctuary of some sort contemplating and praying.

Like the spider in the window
I wish that I could speak

Again with the spider reference... Before, the spider was near the section where he was being asked to speak about his issues and couldn't. I believe that that he is now identifying with the spider... he wants to be able to speak his mind (perhaps confess his thoughts while he is praying?) but cannot seem to.

Is there fantasy in refuge?
God in politicians?
Should I turn on my religion?
These demons in my head tell me to

This string of questions raises an interesting collection of conflicts for the author. In the first line, I see this as being the reverse of what we would normally expect. Generally, people would use fantasy as a refuge or escape from the rest of the world - therefore the line would read "is there refuge in fantasy".

I believe he has twisted that intentionally to ask the question "is it only a fantasy that you can achieve some sort of refuge?" In other words, is there really an escape from all of this or can you only pretend that it does not exisit?

Is there God in politicians? This could be a reference to how some political leaders are considered more morally sound (e.g. the "religious right") but can he trust them to tell him the way to go? Who does he look to OUTside of the church to give him guidance? Consider the possibility that this was written during some of the political sex scandals even by politicians who profess to be religious.

The third question is actually a summary of what the song is getting at anyway... the conflict that he has in resolving his feelings and desires with what he believes to be the doctrine of Christianity. Of course the "demons" in his head tell him that he should abandon the religion and surrender to the sexuality.

I'm lying here in bed
Swear my skin is inside out
Just another Sunday morning

Well, here's our hero lying in bed (which has already been established as a difficult place for him) and he is not terribly comfortable. All of the confusion and turmoil he has been feeling has made him hypersensitive and full of pain. In the 3rd line, he seems to resign himself to the fact that "hey, it's the same thing every week". I think this speaks of such surrender to the idea that he will never escape the preaching.

Seen my diary on the newsstand

I believe that this refers to all his inner turmoil and secrets and fantasies (the diary) being reflected in news stories around him - showing him that people are going out and thinking and DOING what he is keeping inside.

Seems we've lost the truth to quicksand

The "truth" could be a reference to the Bible. If "truth" refers to the Christian teachings, he is saying that they have been swallowed up by the world as is reflected by the stories on the newsstand. The other option is that the truth about what is right and wrong is not reflected in either the church or the world - that it has been completely lost.

It's a shame no one is praying
because these Voices in my head keep saying
"Love, just don't stare"
"Reveal the Word when you're supposed to"

I think that he is lamenting the lack of spiritual and moral sense in the world (no one is praying) because he is still bombarded by the conflicting messages. The first quote ("Love...") of course refers directly to the beginning of the song where he talked about being taught that love is good - just don't let it translate into lust.

The second quote is intriguing. I think it also parallels the 2nd quote from the beginning of the song where he was asked to speak and yet he did not. Note the capital "W" which indicates the religious "Word" of God. My questions would be who is revealing the Word? The author? A clergyman? And when are they "supposed to"? It may be that he is supposed to use the Word as a defense against the impure thoughts that may get through.

Withdrawn and introverted
infectiously perverted

Again, his view of himself is that - inside his own head - he is a very corrupt and dirty person for having these thoughts. This causes him to withdraw and hide it all away from outsiders.

"Being laughed at and confused
keeps us pleasantly amused enough to stay"

Due to the quotes, this is obviously the Voices telling him they are going to be sticking around as long as he continues to have these feelings of confusion, embarrassment and isolation. This quandary is not going to leave him on it's own. The fact that the Voices say they are pleasantly amused paints the picture of them taunting him as well.

Maybe I'm just Cassandra fleeting

This was referred to in the DTFAQ, I will use their explanation:

"Cassandra was a figure in Greek mythology who was the object of the god Apollo's affections. He gave her the power to tell the future, but when she would not return his love, he made it so that no one would ever believe the prophecies she gave, although they were right.
The Fleeting part comes in because she foretold the downfall of the city of Troy, but no one she told would believe her. So she knew it was going to happen, but couldn't warn anyone. 'Fleeting' means that she's trying to do something even though she knows it won't work, not 'fleeing' as in running from something."

It seems that the author is comparing himself with Cassandra because - even though he may know the answer and see where things are going with his internal conflict - he feels powerless to do anything about it. Even if he tries, he suspects that is doomed to failure - and is even aware that he is doomed.

20th Century icon bleeding

This one I don't know... I can't think of who or what this icon may be.

Willing to risk salvation
to escape from isolation

He is almost at the point where he is ready to give into his thoughts and desires - therefore risking salvation - in order to be able to open himself up and get out of the emotional and psychological prison he has built.

I'm witness to redemption
heard you speak but never listened
Can you rid me of off my secrets?
Deliver us from Darkness?

The question here is who is he talking to? Whose redemption did he witness? Certainly not his own. Who, also, was he not listening to? The clergy? The voices? His lover? I suspect he is asking religion in general if - through redemption - he can be rid of his secrets and be delivered from Darkness (note capital "D" i.e. hell, damnation).

Voices repeating me
"Feeling threatened?
We reflect your hopes and fears"

A repeat of above, this makes me more confident that the Voices are his own conscience. When his values are threatened or he is confused about something, those Voices are merely a reflection of what he is already feeling... in effect the Voices ARE him... all he has done is make them another party inside his head. Combine that with the lines below...

Voices discussing me
Don't expect your own Messiah
This neverworld which you desire
is only in your mind

Notice that he doesn't use quotes after the first line... therefore the following lines are the author speaking, not the Voices. The Messiah, of course, symbolizes someone coming to save you. He is either being told or telling himself to not expect someone to come and rescue one from their own thoughts. The neverworld (the fantasies?) which he desires is only in his mind.

This could mean that the conflict that he is feeling is entirely self-perpetuated... that the conflict doesn't REALLY exist. This is in gross contrast with the earlier lines saying that everyone knew his thoughts.

To sum up, I believe that he comes to the conclusion that all the confusion and trauma that he is experiencing regarding expression of love and sexuality in the context of spirituality is entirely his own doing. The Voices, for the most part, are his own thoughts - some of which he has adopted from outside sources - i.e. society's often conflicting moral messages.

These conflicting messages put him at odds with himself and he feels despair and shame causing him to be introverted and not want to express his feelings and desires with others. He also begins to doubt his own belief structure as these messages he is receiving challenge it. In time, he almost decides to give up entirely and resign himself to damnation because he believes there is no hope at all of him resolving the conflict.

I the end, he may very well have decided that there is no resolution to the conflict aside from what he and his conscience (the Voices) work out amongst themselves - "go with what you feel is right" so to speak.

[VioletS16]

Also, Algo, that link is not working for my computer  I have a really stupid computer.
Yeah those theories sound correct but what the heck does that have to do with sex and love?

Ah, well, long quote incoming!

Author: Innocuous Fox

To me, one of the most intriguing songs that DT has ever written is "Voices" off of Awake. Not only is it a monstrous composition with a huge variety of dynamic musical textures, the lyrics are, in typical DT fashion, loaded with metaphorical references and vivid imagery supporting a deep emotionally based theme.

With the lyrics written by Petrucci, we see an example of his apparent struggle with religion and spirituality, in this case with regards to sexuality and other conflicting pressures of the outside world. The driving theme is that he is caught in a struggle between what he has been told throughout his life and what the "voices" in his head (perhaps conscience?) are trying to tell him.

"Love, just don't stare"
He used to say to me
Every Sunday morning

I believe the meaning of the statement "Love, just don't stare" is that it is OK to love someone as long as you don't lust after or objectify. The question in this passage is who "he" is. My first thought was that it was perhaps his father teaching him a lesson about how to treat a spouse (i.e. his mother by example).

The "Sunday morning" reference, however, leads one to believe that the "he" is a clergyman or spiritual leader. In the latter case, the "Love" line would be just a general doctrine - also stating that one should love emotionally but not get caught up in the physical.

The spider in the window
the angel in the pool

These lines are delightfully cryptic. The spider reference returns later in the song in the context of "like the spider in the window, I wish that I could speak". This latter reference could mean one of two things depending on how you place the emphasis:

1) The spider wishes he could speak but can not, it can only observe, or
2) John wishes that he COULD speak like the spider in the window can.

Since spiders don't speak and are generally known for creeping about and not being noticed, I would tend to go with #1. This brings us back to the lines above: Why are we referring to the spider now and what does it represent? The spider could symbolize someone, even John, who was used to hanging out in the corner and watching all that goes on. This doesn't explain why the word "window" was chosen. Perhaps in the window, the spider can look inside as well as out? Also, spiders in windows are more easily seen than spiders in corners. Is any of this relevant?

The "angel in the pool" is a Biblical reference to the pool at Bethesda. Legend had it that, every so often, an angel would stir the waters in a pool in the town of Bethesda. When that happened, the first person to go into the waters was healed of whatever affliction they suffered from. Because of this belief, people would camp out next to the pool waiting for the waters to be "stirred".

There was an old, crippled man there that was paralyzed. For the record, my pastor tells me that this is the only time recorded in the Bible that Jesus ever asked somone if they wanted to be healed. The man complained to Jesus that he could never be the first into the pool because no one would help him from his mat. In a nutshell, the answer Jesus gave was that he should rise and be healed... basically that he needed to help himself if he wanted to be healed.

In the song, I see it as the author realizing that if he is going to be healed of his "affliction", then he needs to do something about it himself.

The old man takes the poison
Now the widow makes the rules

To me, these lines are definitely related. Was the poison related to the widow at all? First of all, there is the possibility that the widow was the spider from above - i.e. Black Widow, in which case the poison was definitely taken from the "widow". Now, the structure of the sentence is such that the widow did not DO anything, the old man TOOK the poison. This could either be willingly and knowingly or not. Furthermore, what IS the poison? Is it the way the man was treated by the widow (allegedly his wife)? Is the poison actually a belief system given to him by others (e.g. religion) that caused him suffering related to his wife?

Also, there really isn't a reference to death here other than the word "widow" - which we have already possibly explained by applying it to the spider. The only thing we know is that the man no longer is in charge. This could be part of that doctrine I mentioned above. In what ways is the woman "in charge" in a household? If applied with the original statement of "Love, just don't stare", you could say that the man is under the idea that he should not force himself or even encourage intimacy - and therefore the woman would be making the rules in such a way that may be detrimental to the man's emotional well being.

"So speak, I'm right here"
She used to say to me

Who is "she?" Is this the same "she" alluded to above as the "widow"? Is this his girlfriend/wife? I can see the picture, though... the author being upset or reserved about something that the woman senses and is encouraging him to tell her. In fact, she may be demanding that she tell him - in not so nice a way. The words "so speak" really aren't a soft, gentle opening to a conversation. This is further played out by the following lines:

Not a word, not a word

He obviously doesn't feel comfortable discussing this subject with her.

Judas on the ceiling
the Devil in my bed

Judas, of course, is now synonymous with betrayal. Even more so, betrayal of a loved one using a symbol of love as the mechanism for that betrayal - i.e. the "Judas kiss". Why, however, is Judas on the ceiling? When coupled (pardon pun) with the next line (re: Devil), it seems apparent that he believes that either his woman is a symbol of evil, that the acts performed in that bed are a symbol of evil, or the Devil is there in bed trying to tempt him into doing those acts he believes are unclean with the woman.

I guess Easter's never coming
So I'll just wait inside my head

Easter, of course, is a symbol of the resurrection - but more precisely the act that caused the ability for people to be forgiven of sins and renewed. In his statement, perhaps he believes that there will never be any forgiveness for him... maybe because his sins are unpardonable. Of course, Easter was the result of the crucifixion of Christ, which - in turn - was a result of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. What we have, then, is that his "Judas" (the woman) has put him into a position through her betrayal (the sexuallity?) from which he is never going to be forgiven. His only answer, then, is to keep all his thoughts and confessions to himself, not express his desires, and keep everything all bottled up.

Like a scream but sort of silent
living off my nightmares
Voices repeating me
"Feeling threatened?
We reflect your hopes and fears"

This is the first reference we have to the Voices. The fact that they are living off - if not entirely born of - his nightmares, as well as the fact that they reflect his hopes and fears, leads me to believe that the Voices are his conscience. They could also represent the sum total of what he has been told throughout his life and what he has taken to believe - i.e. his moral position.

On a darker side, the Voices could be his desires that he is fighting. I believe, as I will explain later, that the Voices play all of these roles and, in truth, are just the overwhelming dialogs that he has with himself regarding issues that concern him.

Voices discussing me
"Others steal your thoughts
they're not confined within your mind"

Again, when having mental debates with one's self, there is a tendency to talk to ourselves in 2nd person or even in 3rd person. I think the interesting thing in this quote from the "Voices", though, is the lines that follow:

Thought disorder
Dream control
Now they read my mind on the radio
But where was the Garden of Eden?

Now that we have SFAM, we understand a bit more that John was interested in the concepts of dreams and mental disorders. My first reaction to this, though, was Queensryche's song "Silent Lucidity" which is specifically about dream control. Is John lamenting the fact that he had wanted write music about dream control and then out comes a song that addresses it - therefore proving the statement "others steal your thoughts, they're not confined within your mind"? If that is the case, is there an obvious song about thought disorder that people could relate in a similar role?

Also, is he waiting for someone to write one about the "Garden Of Eden" - a concept he may still have tucked inside his head? Also, the "Garden of Eden" was the scene for the commission of "original sin" which many religions interpret as being sex (others will point out that "original sin" was simply rebelling against God). If he is referring to original sin, however, it transitions well into the next section.

I feel elated
I feel depressed

Simply conflicting emotions...

Sex is death, Death is sex
Says it right here on my Crucifix

This obviously refers the modern-day Christian idea that sex is the most unclean thing there is and that - by partaking in it - you are spiritually dead. The Crucifix, of course, is not just the symbol of Christianity, but representative of its core foundation. By having the concept "written" on the Crucifix, he is saying that it is his understanding that the fact that "sex is death" is inseparable from the teachings and beliefs of the church.

Also, notice that "Death" in the second phrase is capitalized. This could be a reference to "Death" as in Satan... this would accomplish a twist in the meaning saying "Sex is death, Satan is sex" rather than just repeating the reciprocal of the first phrase.

Like a scream but sort of silent
living off my nightmares
Voices protecting me
"Good behavior
brings the Savior
to his knees"

Again the Voices - i.e. other people and/or his conscience - telling him that if you live a good life, not only will you gain the favor of the Savior but perhaps even something more.

Voices rejecting me
"Others steal your thoughts
they're not confined within your mind"

At this point, it almost seems like the voices are telling him "you aren't the only one who has these thoughts." This becomes clearer farther down.

I'm kneeling on the floor
staring at the wall

I imagine the setting of kneeling in a church or sanctuary of some sort contemplating and praying.

Like the spider in the window
I wish that I could speak

Again with the spider reference... Before, the spider was near the section where he was being asked to speak about his issues and couldn't. I believe that that he is now identifying with the spider... he wants to be able to speak his mind (perhaps confess his thoughts while he is praying?) but cannot seem to.

Is there fantasy in refuge?
God in politicians?
Should I turn on my religion?
These demons in my head tell me to

This string of questions raises an interesting collection of conflicts for the author. In the first line, I see this as being the reverse of what we would normally expect. Generally, people would use fantasy as a refuge or escape from the rest of the world - therefore the line would read "is there refuge in fantasy".

I believe he has twisted that intentionally to ask the question "is it only a fantasy that you can achieve some sort of refuge?" In other words, is there really an escape from all of this or can you only pretend that it does not exisit?

Is there God in politicians? This could be a reference to how some political leaders are considered more morally sound (e.g. the "religious right") but can he trust them to tell him the way to go? Who does he look to OUTside of the church to give him guidance? Consider the possibility that this was written during some of the political sex scandals even by politicians who profess to be religious.

The third question is actually a summary of what the song is getting at anyway... the conflict that he has in resolving his feelings and desires with what he believes to be the doctrine of Christianity. Of course the "demons" in his head tell him that he should abandon the religion and surrender to the sexuality.

I'm lying here in bed
Swear my skin is inside out
Just another Sunday morning

Well, here's our hero lying in bed (which has already been established as a difficult place for him) and he is not terribly comfortable. All of the confusion and turmoil he has been feeling has made him hypersensitive and full of pain. In the 3rd line, he seems to resign himself to the fact that "hey, it's the same thing every week". I think this speaks of such surrender to the idea that he will never escape the preaching.

Seen my diary on the newsstand

I believe that this refers to all his inner turmoil and secrets and fantasies (the diary) being reflected in news stories around him - showing him that people are going out and thinking and DOING what he is keeping inside.

Seems we've lost the truth to quicksand

The "truth" could be a reference to the Bible. If "truth" refers to the Christian teachings, he is saying that they have been swallowed up by the world as is reflected by the stories on the newsstand. The other option is that the truth about what is right and wrong is not reflected in either the church or the world - that it has been completely lost.

It's a shame no one is praying
because these Voices in my head keep saying
"Love, just don't stare"
"Reveal the Word when you're supposed to"

I think that he is lamenting the lack of spiritual and moral sense in the world (no one is praying) because he is still bombarded by the conflicting messages. The first quote ("Love...") of course refers directly to the beginning of the song where he talked about being taught that love is good - just don't let it translate into lust.

The second quote is intriguing. I think it also parallels the 2nd quote from the beginning of the song where he was asked to speak and yet he did not. Note the capital "W" which indicates the religious "Word" of God. My questions would be who is revealing the Word? The author? A clergyman? And when are they "supposed to"? It may be that he is supposed to use the Word as a defense against the impure thoughts that may get through.

Withdrawn and introverted
infectiously perverted

Again, his view of himself is that - inside his own head - he is a very corrupt and dirty person for having these thoughts. This causes him to withdraw and hide it all away from outsiders.

"Being laughed at and confused
keeps us pleasantly amused enough to stay"

Due to the quotes, this is obviously the Voices telling him they are going to be sticking around as long as he continues to have these feelings of confusion, embarrassment and isolation. This quandary is not going to leave him on it's own. The fact that the Voices say they are pleasantly amused paints the picture of them taunting him as well.

Maybe I'm just Cassandra fleeting

This was referred to in the DTFAQ, I will use their explanation:

"Cassandra was a figure in Greek mythology who was the object of the god Apollo's affections. He gave her the power to tell the future, but when she would not return his love, he made it so that no one would ever believe the prophecies she gave, although they were right.
The Fleeting part comes in because she foretold the downfall of the city of Troy, but no one she told would believe her. So she knew it was going to happen, but couldn't warn anyone. 'Fleeting' means that she's trying to do something even though she knows it won't work, not 'fleeing' as in running from something."

It seems that the author is comparing himself with Cassandra because - even though he may know the answer and see where things are going with his internal conflict - he feels powerless to do anything about it. Even if he tries, he suspects that is doomed to failure - and is even aware that he is doomed.

20th Century icon bleeding

This one I don't know... I can't think of who or what this icon may be.

Willing to risk salvation
to escape from isolation

He is almost at the point where he is ready to give into his thoughts and desires - therefore risking salvation - in order to be able to open himself up and get out of the emotional and psychological prison he has built.

I'm witness to redemption
heard you speak but never listened
Can you rid me of off my secrets?
Deliver us from Darkness?

The question here is who is he talking to? Whose redemption did he witness? Certainly not his own. Who, also, was he not listening to? The clergy? The voices? His lover? I suspect he is asking religion in general if - through redemption - he can be rid of his secrets and be delivered from Darkness (note capital "D" i.e.  @#!*% , damnation).

Voices repeating me
"Feeling threatened?
We reflect your hopes and fears"

A repeat of above, this makes me more confident that the Voices are his own conscience. When his values are threatened or he is confused about something, those Voices are merely a reflection of what he is already feeling... in effect the Voices ARE him... all he has done is make them another party inside his head. Combine that with the lines below...

Voices discussing me
Don't expect your own Messiah
This neverworld which you desire
is only in your mind

Notice that he doesn't use quotes after the first line... therefore the following lines are the author speaking, not the Voices. The Messiah, of course, symbolizes someone coming to save you. He is either being told or telling himself to not expect someone to come and rescue one from their own thoughts. The neverworld (the fantasies?) which he desires is only in his mind.

This could mean that the conflict that he is feeling is entirely self-perpetuated... that the conflict doesn't REALLY exist. This is in gross contrast with the earlier lines saying that everyone knew his thoughts.

To sum up, I believe that he comes to the conclusion that all the confusion and trauma that he is experiencing regarding expression of love and sexuality in the context of spirituality is entirely his own doing. The Voices, for the most part, are his own thoughts - some of which he has adopted from outside sources - i.e. society's often conflicting moral messages.

These conflicting messages put him at odds with himself and he feels despair and shame causing him to be introverted and not want to express his feelings and desires with others. He also begins to doubt his own belief structure as these messages he is receiving challenge it. In time, he almost decides to give up entirely and resign himself to damnation because he believes there is no hope at all of him resolving the conflict.

I the end, he may very well have decided that there is no resolution to the conflict aside from what he and his conscience (the Voices) work out amongst themselves - "go with what you feel is right" so to speak.

that was so epic!!! I get it now!! Thanks What a great reade!

[hefdaddy42]

that was so epic!!! I get it now!! Thanks What a great reade!

You only "get" that one guy's opinion.  That one guy is not the lyricist.  Keep that in mind.

[SnakeEyes]

Someone on the Petrucci forum said a while back that he was at a Petrucci guitar clinic back around 1999 or 2000 and someone asked JP about the meaning behind Voices.  Apparently, JP said that he had been interested in the topic of mental illness and began reading through some medical journals and basically put together a bunch of ideas based on what he read.  I personally believe the religious stuff wasn't in the medical journals, but rather added by Petrucci, but the JP forum guy didn't say anything about that, so I don't know.  All I know is that religious/ Christian themes are all over JP's lyrics (especially in the old days). 

[VioletS16]

that was so epic!!! I get it now!! Thanks What a great reade!

You only "get" that one guy's opinion.  That one guy is not the lyricist.  Keep that in mind.

I know, but he's clearly thought it about a bit, plus it does make sense, everything he's saying.
It's not like

"'The spider in the window' probably means he's staring at a spider, which are known for their eight legs, and the angel in the pool is probably something about someone dying in their pool'"

[hefdaddy42]

The "spider in the window" part is actually just a line inserted to bring this song into the fold as part of the overall concept of the album.

[Ben_Jamin]

What that guy says about "the spider in the window" makes sense. The spider observes a lot just sitting in the window and wishes he could speak of what he,s seen. Or the man thinks the spider wants to speak.

[Lowdz]

And now we have The Count...

Whenever JP does "insanity lyrics" he does them well. I am a psychiatric nurse and I see things in his lyrics that ring true and that I've seen for myself, until recent albms that is.
maybe it's sacrilige but maybe JP needs to spend less time in the gym and more time writing lyrics for the next album.

[antigoon]

The "spider in the window" part is actually just a line inserted to bring this song into the fold as part of the overall concept of the album.

Right. You can't have a Spiderman concept album without spiders.

[hefdaddy42]

The "spider in the window" part is actually just a line inserted to bring this song into the fold as part of the overall concept of the album.

Right. You can't have a Spiderman concept album without spiders.

[Xanthul]

I love Voices to death and I read an interpretation once somewhere else that made me think a lot about the lyrics. I have since added some of my thoughts and fleshed it out a little in my mind (how fitting) so I will attempt to post it as well as I can (English is not my first language).

'Love, just don't stare'
He used to say to me
every Sunday morning

I read this the protagonist recalling what his father used to tell him during mass, hence the "every Sunday morning" part. It symbolizes his father being a truly religious person, respectful and commited to religion.

The spider in the window
The angel in the pool

Like it's been explained before, the spider in the window symbolizes someone that can see a lot of things but can't do anything about it. Can't speak, can't change things or take action otherwise. The angel in the pool I can't really explain, it's probably a reference to death, which is coming next.

The old man takes the poison
Now the widow makes the rules

His father "takes the poison" and dies, now the widow (which for some reason I've always thought is NOT the protagonists mother but rather someone that married his father afterwards) makes the rules in the house.

'So speak, I'm right here'
She used to say to me
not a word, not a word

The protagonist has receded into his own world and become introspected. The stepmother asks him to speak, say something but he does not say a word. This is a clear contrast with the song's first lines: his father taught him respect and heartfelt religion, his stepmother is just commanding.

The middle line can also be joined with the third line instead of the first. In this case the protagonist would ask his stepmother to talk to him (maybe she's just ignoring him) but she wouldn't say a word. Either way, it reflects a clear problem with her and a total lack of communication.

Judas on the ceiling
the Devil in my bed

Now, get ready for this. I might just have a sick sick mind, but these lines for some reason always made me thought that his stepmother might be forcing him to have sex with her. Yeah, whatever. Anyway, whichever kind it is, I think the protagonist feels betrayed and being taken away from the true religion his father taught him. This is important for latter.

I guess Easter's never coming
So I'll just wait inside my head

He sees that Easter (symbolizing the kind of religion is father taught him) is never coming, he will never have the chance to go to Mass on Sunday like used to do or share religion the same way he used to. This makes him even more introspected, creating some sort of inner world in his mind in which he can be somewhat happy.

Like a scream but sort of silent
living off my nightmares

The voices are loud but only in his head, they are silent for everybody else. The voices have started because of his nightmares - a product of him being "inside his head".

Voices repeating me
'Feeling threatened?
We reflect your hopes and fears.'

I think the first "voice" in each chorus is the positive one, while the second is the negative one. Sort of like the typical angel in one shoulder and a demon on the other trying to convince you to do as they say. In this case, the first one sounds sympathetic and tells him they share his concerns. His "hopes and fears" probably refer both to the turn things have taken in his house (his relationship with his stepmother and late father) as well as the direction religion is going nowadays (abandoning the path of true religion and going towards a more politized religion).

Voices discussing me
'Others steal your thoughts
they're not confined
within your mind.'

The negative voice can be interpreted at least two ways. The literal way just feeds his schizophrenia, telling him people can steal his thoughts and know what he thinks. The other interpretation tells him other people share his concerns for religion (just like the previous voice), but does so in a negative way.

Thought disorder
Dream control
Now they read my mind on the radio

He is becoming more and more distressed - can't have ordered, logical thoughts and his sleep has become affected. He is probably listening to some religious debate in which someone has similar views to him but, given his state, he just takes this as if they are reading his mind.

But where was the Garden of Eden?

The Garden of Eden is where the first sin was originally commited. This might have relation to sex like the previous explanation stated, or he may me mean he is wondering where (when) did it all go wrong with religion.

I feel elated
I feel depressed
Sex is death, Death is sex
Says it right here on my Crucifix

He is having constant mood swings, a sign of his mental illness. I take it as him feeling elated when he's at church and depressed when not. Now the sex part might mean him feeling impure and going crazy about the sexual relation with his stepmother (which might very well not exist, I realize it's a pretty weird interpretation) or it might represent the new, stricter Christianity.

Like a scream but sort of silent
living off my nightmares

Voices protecting me
'Good behavior
brings the Savior
to his knees.'

The positive voice again, protecting and conforting him. "Behave good and all will be forgiven", it's a voice that tries to keep him sane.

Voices rejecting me
'Others steal your thoughts
they're not confined
to your own mind.'

Same as before.

"I don't wanna be here, 'cause of my
suffering, 'cause of my illness.
Only love is worth having, only
love is what matters, loving every
people on equal terms. "
"You've got to know who you're
dealin' with because, like a stranger,
a-heh, just might come in through
here with a gun... and then, what
would you do? (Heh.)"
"Everything is immaterial..."
"'n' you know that reality is immaterial."
"This is not reality..."

This isn't part of the lyrics but it's pretty telling. These words acknowledge his illness and state he might be questioning the very reality he lives on. Now that might be his own reality within his mind, or the real world.

I'm kneeling on the floor
staring at the wall
like the spider in the window
I wish that I could speak

Kneeling on the floor sounds like praying to me, but he is staring at the wall, a place where it is likely he would have a crucifix. This could mean the crucifix is there but he can't really look at it or see it because of his disappointment with the Church, or it could mean he has taken it off altogether. He wishes he could speak about his feelings, but he feels just like the spider - he can see much, but can't do anything about it.

Is there fantasy in refuge?
God in politicians?

For the first line, I agree with the explanation above, it suggests there can't really be refuge because problems will not just disappear.

For the second line however, I have a different explanation. I believe when he says "politicians" he is talking about the Church, referring to them that way because they have grown more interested in politics, power and money than in protecting and nurturing religion. "Is there a God in politicians?" questions the level of commitment towards God of the people in charge of the Church.

Should I turn on my religion?
These demons in my head tell me to

If my previous explanations are right, up until now he wanted to do something about religion because he felt it was the right thing to do. Now he says the "demons" are telling him to do it. It seems like his illness and confusion are so advanced he doesn't even know what he wants to do or what's wrong and right anymore.

I'm lying here in bed
Swear my skin is inside out
Just another Sunday morning

This verse is VERY telling. Remember how at the start of the song he recalls how his father used to talk to him during Mass every Sunday? Now he is in bed, feeling terrible, but it's just another Sunday morning for him. His Sundays are no longer about Mass, he probably isn't even attending anymore. His Sundays are now just like any other day, him in bed battling the demons in his head.

Seen my diary on the newsstand
Seems we've lost the truth to quicksand
It's a shame no one is praying
'Cause these voices in my head
keep saying...

His diary on the newsstand might be similar to the previous "now they read my mind on the radio" line. He might have seen a newspaper with something similar to his thoughts on religion, and he takes it as people reading his diary. The next lines are self explanatory.

'Love, just don't stare.'
'Reveal the Word when you're
supposed to'

The first line of the song comes back here with a twist. Now it's the voices (the positive one) that tells him not to stare, to be respectful of religion and its symbols. At the same time, it encourages him that he's right, telling him he should do something about the way religion has turned (reveal his Word).

Withdrawn and introverted
Infectiously perverted
'Being laughed at and confused
keeps us pleasantly amused
enough to stay.'

It's the turn for the negative voice, telling him how inadapted he is. The second line has sexual connotations, which again takes me to his relationship with his stepmother. The negative voice then tells him it will stay as long as he amuses it by being confused and ill.

Maybe I'm just Cassandra fleeting
Twentieth century Icon bleeding
Willing to risk Salvation
to escape from isolation

He starts to wonder if he is just a Cassandra, telling prophecies that no one listens to. The next lines are sort of the prophecy he's been telling for the whole song: the 20th century icon (which is no doubt the Crucifix, it's probably been the most important symbol in the 20th century) is bleeding because it's losing it's connection with what it's supposed to represent. He feels people and maybe the Church itself is just willing to risk Salvation to escape from being isolated - that is, to reach more people and have more power.

I'm witness to redemption
heard you speak but never listened
Can you rid me of my secrets?
Deliver us from Darkness?

I think here he is talking (probably in his mind) to his stepmother. He is saying he has witnessed her "redemption", representing this new "fake" religion forgiving his stepmother for her sins (having sex with him). The next line might be about the stepmother or a clergy, people he heard speak but never paid attention to because they represent the new religion he wants to know nothing about. Can this religion set him free and save people? It sounds like he is challenging the new religion to be able to do what the "old" religion (the one his father taught him) was able to do.

Voices repeating me
'Feeling threatened?
We reflect your hopes and fears.'

Same positive voice as before.

Voices discussing me
Don't expect your own Messiah
This neverworld which you desire
is only in your mind.

Like someone noted earlier, there are no quotation marks here, so it's not a voice speaking. I believe his stepmother has taken the place of the negative (devil) voice, telling him to not expect anything because the neverworld that he desires (old religion with his father) is only in his mind and will never come back.

[Lowdz]

I've never taken the religious overtones as literal or a comment on modern day religion. To me they are the disordered thoughts and obsessions of the Schizophrenic which often are based on religious themes, especially if they have tried to take "refuge" from their illness in the Church and it has failed.

"Judas on the ceiling" I took to be Jesus, who is often painted on the ceilings of Churches and reflects the betrayal he feels. "The Devil in my bed" I take to be erotic thoughts and dreams he is ashamed of.

I never thought that he was having sex with his mother but from your explanations it's possible. And the pre-ceeding instrumental being Erotomania it's possible. It's certainly a disfunctional household. I've never been sure whether the father's death was suicide or murder, could be either really. Maybe the mad woman did away with him. She could be his real mother, where the protagonist gets his insanity from, as he doesn't refer to either person in close terms and may feel disconnected from close ties due to his illness (the old man, the widow). The first lines of the song I take to be the father telling the child not to stare at his strange mother.

"Reveal the Word when you're supposed to"- schizophrenics often feel they have a message to proclaim that they are being prevented from telling by someone.

Good interpretation though. It's a great song and it was the standout on Awake for me initially as I struggled to get into it after I&W.

[SixDegrees]

.

[Rina]

The "spider in the window" part is actually just a line inserted to bring this song into the fold as part of the overall concept of the album.

Right. You can't have a Spiderman concept album without spiders.

I love both of you.

[Rina]

Apparently, JP said that he had been interested in the topic of mental illness and began reading through some medical journals and basically put together a bunch of ideas based on what he read.

I heard this too, but somewhere else (I forget where). I specifically remember JP saying that he was reading papers on schizophrenia and his imagination was caught by a guy saying his skin felt inside-out. Obviously that concept was directly lifted into the song.

Huh...thats really cool.    I like all the other meanings you guys brought out too. But schizophrenia is a pretty cool thing to write about. (Actually, a lot of my favorite "thriller" movies have that involved) 

[SixDegrees]

.

[Rina]

Huh...thats really cool.    I like all the other meanings you guys brought out too. But schizophrenia is a pretty cool thing to write about. (Actually, a lot of my favorite "thriller" movies have that involved) 

It's a very interesting subject, I'm sure it makes good film material! I love JP's songs about mental illness, they're very sensitively done and often weirdly touching.

It seriously is. Especially since it's something that most people can't relate to, so it has a bit of "mystery" about it in a way.

[Amoniz]

I always thought that if you took the lyrics literally, "the spider in the window" could represent a 'stained glass' (somehow reflecting light through spider-leg shaped rays - and also the protagonist 'could' be remembering the masses from his childhood) that the protagonist would look through while attending Sunday masses, and therefore see 'the angel in the pool' in the church yard...

But thematically, I think the spider in the window may symbolize schizophrenic symptoms blurring (or shattering) his perception of reality (window). We've got the angel in the pool (water, purity - healing water, as mentioned earlier) then Judas on the ceiling (or the dome, the sky above, betrayal weighing on his conscience.).
And we know that the Voices tell him "We reflect your hopes and fears"...

Also when you read the lyrics of John/James in "Caught in a web" there are oddly similar sections, like 'Protagonist vs. some entity' talk-backs and recurring verses with different words.

[Silver Tears]

Interesting stuff in this thread.