On the Backs of Angels lyrics (now with poll to guess lyricist)

[Ħ]

Did JR confirm in the video chat that JP was the lyricist?

[bloop]

Yeah.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

The more I listen to this, the more I think it's about MP, as others have stated.

I think there are some lines that could very pointedly be about the split....

The easy interpretation is economic/political/religious - but maybe just a little too easy -
after the 15th or so listen, I'm just feeling an anger towards one person (in the lyrics).

[ThatGuitarGuy]

The end of the live video of them playing OTBOA in Rome (July 4th) shows the video that they play along with flashing through various kinds of currency.  I think that may confirm that it's economic in nature at least partially.

[TheGreatPretender]

Not to mention this:

The title of the album is a reference to the subject matter of the lyrics. The songs are all about different life-changing, sort of dramatic events, either in History or happening now in the world, politically, religiously or spiritually. It's all about events that have changed the world and changed people's lives.

[Aniland]

What exactly DOES that line mean? "Standing on the back of angels, destined to create." I can't help but feel like it's just a line for the sake of sounding cool. How does it relate?

[chrisbDTM]

What exactly DOES that line mean? "Standing on the back of angels, destined to create." I can't help but feel like it's just a line for the sake of sounding cool. How does it relate?

while heroes carry our weight

angels = heroes

same thing said twice, i think

[ThatGuitarGuy]

Perhaps it refers to the "God-like" / "Too Big to Fail" status of some of the people in power.  They're in control of so much of our world and have so many people below them that it's almost like they're a sort of God.

[wammabe]

"Standing on the backs of angels
Destined to create
Mounting the attack
While heroes carry your weight"
^ This is about Portnoy, he was basically standing on the backs of the DT members while they created music. He forced the DT members to walk towards a different direction.

"Riding out the wave
Content to feeding the machine
Leading us to death
The new American dream" < This is about them making more commercial and generic sounding music. The new "American Dream" is like "The MTV Dream"

The rest is completely self explanatory.
NOW IT ALL MAKES SENSE 

[Chrissalix]

I reckon it's about the Financial Crash of 2007-9. It could be about the wall st crash, but I don't think it is as it references the new American dream. This is my take on it, anyway.

Standing on the backs of angels
Destined to create
Mounting the attack
While heroes carry your weight

This verse is about bankers who go out and spend other people's money/take gambles on shares and markets with money that isn't theirs. This (in the UK, don't know about the US) was a major cause of the crash when banks and firms went under due to rogue traders.

Riding out the wave
Content to feeding the machine
Leading us to death
The new American dream

This references the boom and bust of recent economic times. In times of boom it was easy for bankers to take risks off it and get rich (the old american dream) but eventually they got it wrong and ruined innocent people (the new american dream).

Tears fall from the shameless
Shelter me, guide me to the edge of the water
Selfless are the righteous
Burden me, lead me like a lamb to the slaughter

When there were bad times, bankers deceived people that their money is secure (shelter me...) when people asked about it when it had been shamelessly gambled away and the bankers acted like it wasn't their fault at all. The public had to bear the cost of bailing out banks, hence "burden me".

Blurring lines drawn in between
What is right and what is wrong
Victims on the radar
Straining us along

They know at all times what the consequences will be if they mess up on the trading floor with other people's money (victims on the radar...). The first 2 lines are just a slight at the dubious actions of bankers that lead to the crash

We're onto your agenda
The dead end road to nowhere

People have now realised that bankers were bleeding us dry for personal gain and the problem is now being dealt with.

[Aniland]

"Standing on the backs of angels
Destined to create
Mounting the attack
While heroes carry your weight"
^ This is about Portnoy, he was basically standing on the backs of the DT members while they created music. He forced the DT members to walk towards a different direction.

"Riding out the wave
Content to feeding the machine
Leading us to death
The new American dream" < This is about them making more commercial and generic sounding music. The new "American Dream" is like "The MTV Dream"

The rest is completely self explanatory.
NOW IT ALL MAKES SENSE 

Leave Thuper.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Awesome work Chrissalix!

I think these lyrics are Petrucci's best in a long time. Quite creative if you ask me.

[ThatGuitarGuy]

I reckon it's about the Financial Crash of 2007-9. It could be about the wall st crash, but I don't think it is as it references the new American dream. This is my take on it, anyway.

Standing on the backs of angels
Destined to create
Mounting the attack
While heroes carry your weight

This verse is about bankers who go out and spend other people's money/take gambles on shares and markets with money that isn't theirs. This (in the UK, don't know about the US) was a major cause of the crash when banks and firms went under due to rogue traders.

Riding out the wave
Content to feeding the machine
Leading us to death
The new American dream

This references the boom and bust of recent economic times. In times of boom it was easy for bankers to take risks off it and get rich (the old american dream) but eventually they got it wrong and ruined innocent people (the new american dream).

Tears fall from the shameless
Shelter me, guide me to the edge of the water
Selfless are the righteous
Burden me, lead me like a lamb to the slaughter

When there were bad times, bankers deceived people that their money is secure (shelter me...) when people asked about it when it had been shamelessly gambled away and the bankers acted like it wasn't their fault at all. The public had to bear the cost of bailing out banks, hence "burden me".

Blurring lines drawn in between
What is right and what is wrong
Victims on the radar
Straining us along

They know at all times what the consequences will be if they mess up on the trading floor with other people's money (victims on the radar...). The first 2 lines are just a slight at the dubious actions of bankers that lead to the crash

We're onto your agenda
The dead end road to nowhere

People have now realised that bankers were bleeding us dry for personal gain and the problem is now being dealt with.

The new American Dream refers to the government backed loans that Bush instituted after 9/11 as a way to boost the economy and give every American the opportunity to own a home, aka "The American Dream."  You can look at history to find out about that.

[Elite]

Awesome work Chrissalix!

I think these lyrics are Petrucci's best in a long time. Quite creative if you ask me.

I found Wither's lyrics quite good as well.
But yeah, no more disappearing down cellar stairs, sucking on pipes, distinguished accents and finest wines that improve with age.

[Vajra]

During that sample thing before the actual song starts, the voice is saying...

"All things can be true"

/thread

[Tyrant21]

So where do stand as far as the lyric meaning of this song goes.  I don't want this thread to die just yet (even though it was started to discuss who wrote the lyrics).  Does everyone still feel the same way?  There are a lot of different points of view as to what the true meaning of these lyrics are.