About the choirs in Bridges In The Sky

[Aquila Chrysaetos]

As far as I can hear they're singing / chanting "Angus Dei".
This is commonly used in Christian masses and is Latin for "Lamb Of God".

I wonder how this fits in the subject / lyrics of the song.
Why these Christian words in a song that's about Shamanism?
Or could the Shaman be a metaphor for God?
Or maybe Agnus Dei just sounded cool and that's why it was used?

Maybe a little far fetched and all, but still I wonder why they (JR?) chose these words.

[BlobVanDam]

There are two possibilities I see-

1. The entire choir section is from one of JR's sample sets, like the shaman drone voice, and so they didn't know what was being said (I never had any clue there were words there, so it's possible they didn't notice either).

2. There are no words there at all, and you're just hearing things.


I doubt there's any intentional meaning to be found there, personally. But that's just me.

[rumborak]

Having been in India now for over 3 weeks, I'm sooooo dying for an Angus burger.

Sorry, I got nothing.

rumborak

[Metabog]

There are two possibilities I see-

1. The entire choir section is from one of JR's sample sets, like the shaman drone voice, and so they didn't know what was being said (I never had any clue there were words there, so it's possible they didn't notice either).

2. There are no words there at all, and you're just hearing things.


I doubt there's any intentional meaning to be found there, personally. But that's just me.

Nope, I actually have the exact same sample set from Spetracsonics (Symphony of Voices). It's definitely the "Agnus Dei" (lamb of god) sample set. It even says Agnus Dei when you load the samples.

[BlobVanDam]

There are two possibilities I see-

1. The entire choir section is from one of JR's sample sets, like the shaman drone voice, and so they didn't know what was being said (I never had any clue there were words there, so it's possible they didn't notice either).

2. There are no words there at all, and you're just hearing things.


I doubt there's any intentional meaning to be found there, personally. But that's just me.

Nope, I actually have the exact same sample set from Spetracsonics (Symphony of Voices). It's definitely the "Agnus Dei" (lamb of god) sample set. It even says Agnus Dei when you load the samples.

Well that's a great find from Aquila Chrysaetos then. I couldn't hear any words in there.

[gentaishinigami]

Or maybe Agnus Dei just sounded cool and that's why it was used?

Gonna go with this option.  Just seems like them, plus they said they just scanned through Jordan's samples till they found a voice they all thought sounded cool for the Shaman so I have no reason to doubt they use that method often lol 

[BlackInk]

Cool, I alwways thought they were words but couldn't make out what was being said. If this is true it would be awesome. If not however and the choir is just there for effect, it's awesome too. Number 1 Dream Theater intro of all times.

[Aquila Chrysaetos]

Hey thanks for all your thoughts!

I also think it's somewhat of a random sample that just sounded cool.
But with DT, you never know if there's some hidden meaning behind it all!
Like I said, I COULD see the Shaman being a metaphor for God, looking at the lyrics.

[JustinSire]

Well as I read somewhere else, the lyrics seem to be pretty native American, the insert in the booklet features a native american dream catcher next to the lyrics as well. The two chantings (that is the grunting and then the choir chanting) happen one after another. First the chanting, then the choir, then the chanting again, and then the riff hits. The two seem almost in dialogue. It wouldn't be too far-fetched then to connect some dots and say that maybe we have some spiritual conflict affecting our speaker...actually that's actually what the lyrics suggest, a soul that needs "reuniting".

Maybe the idea we have is two different spiritual jumping points bridging together in one man who is spiritual afflicted.
"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" - John 1:29. As mentioned the choir is chanting the latin for "lamb of god" most obviously referencing Christ juxtaposed against the guttural chants which we can argue represent nature.

So we have our supposedly Native American speaker looking toward the sun, wind, and "messenger of truth" to lead him out of whatever metaphysical and spiritual funk he is in. It's rather odd this way how he switches from the natural to the idol (messenger/shaman). "to the power of the earth im calling" and then "Shaman take my hand".

Likewise earlier in the song "I will not grow in the light/Until I pass through the darkest caverns of my heart" Sounds a lot like "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear not evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4. The latter half seems to be what the speaker is looking for, the shaman/messenger/natural spirit that will comfort him in his dark moments and bring balance to his life.









....Or maybe he is a Jedi, I DONT KNOW, leave me a alone...

[nikostheater]

Excellent post!

[BlackInk]

I just love me some hidden meanings.

[ZirconBlue]

Having been in India now for over 3 weeks, I'm sooooo dying for an Angus burger.

Sorry, I got nothing.

rumborak

Yeah, I think "Angus Dei" is "Steak of God".

[Orion1967]

The Spectrasonics info is correct, however the agnus dei sounds are also part of their Omnisphere instrument/soft-synth (I have it and use it).  The other choir part is also pat of the gregorian mens vocies in the same instrument.   The Shaman's voice ALSO sounds remarkably like a tweaked version of the Tuvan Throat singers patches in Omnisphere as well with some modulation envelope wizardry at the end.   One fo the things I was going to ask JR at the met-n-greet in Atlanta

I cant find an exact example of audio but this is an exampole of Tuvan THroat singing.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfEp67sRZNI The patches in Omnisphere sound pretty much exactly like this.

[Lowdz]

I'm going with "it sounded mysterious and cool".
I'm always amazed at people cramming god into every song meaning whether it fits or not. It appears to be a song about a shaman's trance. Shamanism all over the world was brutally supressed by Christians over the centuries so to use shamanism as a metaphor for god would be unlikely and frankly insulting.

[Aquila Chrysaetos]

I'm going with "it sounded mysterious and cool".
I'm always amazed at people cramming god into every song meaning whether it fits or not.

I'm not sure if this directed at me but let me explain that I just wanted to discuss a possible link between two things. Nothing more, nothing less.

[ariich]

There are two possibilities I see-

1. The entire choir section is from one of JR's sample sets, like the shaman drone voice, and so they didn't know what was being said (I never had any clue there were words there, so it's possible they didn't notice either).

2. There are no words there at all, and you're just hearing things.


I doubt there's any intentional meaning to be found there, personally. But that's just me.

Nope, I actually have the exact same sample set from Spetracsonics (Symphony of Voices). It's definitely the "Agnus Dei" (lamb of god) sample set. It even says Agnus Dei when you load the samples.

Well that's a great find from Aquila Chrysaetos then. I couldn't hear any words in there.

Wait really? The section in the intro before the song kicks off? They are definitely singing Agnus Dei.

But I'm 90% sure it doesn't have any special meaning. Anyone who listens to a lot of choral classical music will know that Agnus Dei is a lyric very prominent in any requiem or mass.

[Lowdz]

I'm going with "it sounded mysterious and cool".
I'm always amazed at people cramming god into every song meaning whether it fits or not.

I'm not sure if this directed at me but let me explain that I just wanted to discuss a possible link between two things. Nothing more, nothing less.

Didn't mean any offence. I wasn't so much moaning at this example than the likes of Voices where I've read someone coming up with it being a comment on modern religion, or I Walk Beside You. though the last one works if you believe JP is god. And we do, don't we?

[Priest of Syrinx]

As far as I can hear they're singing / chanting "Angus Dei".
This is commonly used in Christian masses and is Latin for "Lamb Of God".

I wonder how this fits in the subject / lyrics of the song.
Why these Christian words in a song that's about Shamanism?
Or could the Shaman be a metaphor for God?
Or maybe Agnus Dei just sounded cool and that's why it was used?

Maybe a little far fetched and all, but still I wonder why they (JR?) chose these words.

Since JP wrote the lyrics, I think it's a subtle hint that he has a manbear-crush on Mark Morton. 

[yesrushdt]

The Flower Kings used a choir sample from the same Spectrasonics set on their track "Garden Of Dreams" (Dungeon Of The Deep  section).  I've always loved the Gregorian type chant samples used in songs. 

Strangely enough, The Flower Kings also used a (sort of) similar Aboriginal battle cry a few years later on "Last Minute On Earth".

[Cranky]

The Morte Et Dabo sample in the intro of Bridges in The Sky was also used in the intro to the song called Morte Et Dabo, by Asking Alexandria.

In which I heard first, so when I finally heard Bridges in The Sky for the first time, I was a little put off by it.. But it stopped bothering me.

Man.. First, Dream Theater uses an album cover with a uni cycling clown that is a stock image used for a circus flyer, then I find out they used a sample that was also used in another song that came out before (And, who knows.. Maybe more), then I find out they re-used all of their charts from Images and Words? Talk about copy-cats!!





I'm only kidding...  I don't care, I love this song, and the entire album!!

[Lowdz]

The Morte Et Dabo sample in the intro of Bridges in The Sky was also used in the intro to the song called Morte Et Dabo, by Asking Alexandria.

In which I heard first, so when I finally heard Bridges in The Sky for the first time, I was a little put off by it.. But it stopped bothering me.

Man.. First, Dream Theater uses an album cover with a uni cycling clown that is a stock image used for a circus flyer, then I find out they used a sample that was also used in another song that came out before (And, who knows.. Maybe more), then I find out they re-used all of their charts from Images and Words? Talk about copy-cats!!





I'm only kidding...  I don't care, I love this song, and the entire album!!

That's the risk you run when you use stock images or samples. I've not heard the other songs the sample was used on so it doesn't bother me on ADTOE, certainly not like the "Dr Davies, telephone please" bit in the intro to Crue's Dr Feelgood.
It's successful at conjuring up a mood so that's all it needs to do I suppose.

[hefdaddy42]

Well as I read somewhere else, the lyrics seem to be pretty native American, the insert in the booklet features a native american dream catcher next to the lyrics as well. The two chantings (that is the grunting and then the choir chanting) happen one after another. First the chanting, then the choir, then the chanting again, and then the riff hits. The two seem almost in dialogue. It wouldn't be too far-fetched then to connect some dots and say that maybe we have some spiritual conflict affecting our speaker...actually that's actually what the lyrics suggest, a soul that needs "reuniting".

Maybe the idea we have is two different spiritual jumping points bridging together in one man who is spiritual afflicted.
"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" - John 1:29. As mentioned the choir is chanting the latin for "lamb of god" most obviously referencing Christ juxtaposed against the guttural chants which we can argue represent nature.

So we have our supposedly Native American speaker looking toward the sun, wind, and "messenger of truth" to lead him out of whatever metaphysical and spiritual funk he is in. It's rather odd this way how he switches from the natural to the idol (messenger/shaman). "to the power of the earth im calling" and then "Shaman take my hand".

Likewise earlier in the song "I will not grow in the light/Until I pass through the darkest caverns of my heart" Sounds a lot like "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear not evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4. The latter half seems to be what the speaker is looking for, the shaman/messenger/natural spirit that will comfort him in his dark moments and bring balance to his life.









....Or maybe he is a Jedi, I DONT KNOW, leave me a alone...

This is, by far, the absolute best post of pure speculation that has ever been posted on any incarnation of of this forum. 

[Sketchy]

If he is a jedi, they'd better not remaster and "digitally enhance" it by putting Anakin's ghost in or adding a "no" to the instrumental section.

[Dcrupi]

Well as I read somewhere else, the lyrics seem to be pretty native American, the insert in the booklet features a native american dream catcher next to the lyrics as well. The two chantings (that is the grunting and then the choir chanting) happen one after another. First the chanting, then the choir, then the chanting again, and then the riff hits. The two seem almost in dialogue. It wouldn't be too far-fetched then to connect some dots and say that maybe we have some spiritual conflict affecting our speaker...actually that's actually what the lyrics suggest, a soul that needs "reuniting".

Maybe the idea we have is two different spiritual jumping points bridging together in one man who is spiritual afflicted.
"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" - John 1:29. As mentioned the choir is chanting the latin for "lamb of god" most obviously referencing Christ juxtaposed against the guttural chants which we can argue represent nature.

So we have our supposedly Native American speaker looking toward the sun, wind, and "messenger of truth" to lead him out of whatever metaphysical and spiritual funk he is in. It's rather odd this way how he switches from the natural to the idol (messenger/shaman). "to the power of the earth im calling" and then "Shaman take my hand".

Likewise earlier in the song "I will not grow in the light/Until I pass through the darkest caverns of my heart" Sounds a lot like "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear not evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4. The latter half seems to be what the speaker is looking for, the shaman/messenger/natural spirit that will comfort him in his dark moments and bring balance to his life.

Brilliant post, and I think this is spot-on.

There is no way that they chose the Agnus Dei accidentally--John Petrucci wrote the lyrics and is a confessed practicing Catholic.  At every Catholic mass, the Agnus Dei is sung before communion...there is no way he could have gone without realizing this.  I am certain it was a very conscious decision on his part, and JustinSire's explanation seems a very likely one.  Great speculation!

[Adami]

I got a crazy idea. Maybe they just thought it sounded cool.

[johncal]

Well as I read somewhere else, the lyrics seem to be pretty native American, the insert in the booklet features a native american dream catcher next to the lyrics as well. The two chantings (that is the grunting and then the choir chanting) happen one after another. First the chanting, then the choir, then the chanting again, and then the riff hits. The two seem almost in dialogue. It wouldn't be too far-fetched then to connect some dots and say that maybe we have some spiritual conflict affecting our speaker...actually that's actually what the lyrics suggest, a soul that needs "reuniting".

Maybe the idea we have is two different spiritual jumping points bridging together in one man who is spiritual afflicted.
"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" - John 1:29. As mentioned the choir is chanting the latin for "lamb of god" most obviously referencing Christ juxtaposed against the guttural chants which we can argue represent nature.

So we have our supposedly Native American speaker looking toward the sun, wind, and "messenger of truth" to lead him out of whatever metaphysical and spiritual funk he is in. It's rather odd this way how he switches from the natural to the idol (messenger/shaman). "to the power of the earth im calling" and then "Shaman take my hand".

Likewise earlier in the song "I will not grow in the light/Until I pass through the darkest caverns of my heart" Sounds a lot like "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear not evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4. The latter half seems to be what the speaker is looking for, the shaman/messenger/natural spirit that will comfort him in his dark moments and bring balance to his life.









....Or maybe he is a Jedi, I DONT KNOW, leave me alone...

This is, by far, the absolute best post of pure speculation that has ever been posted on any incarnation of of this forum. 

I think somebody's smoking peyote and it's not the shaman.....

[JustinSire]

....Or maybe he is a Jedi, I DONT KNOW, leave me a alone...

This is, by far, the absolute best post of pure speculation that has ever been posted on any incarnation of of this forum. 

Thank you, I think so too. Maybe the Shaman is Vader, and the speaker is Luke.

[Mbarak]

1. The entire choir section is from one of JR's sample sets, like the shaman drone voice

I was wondering why they did not credit any choir or..shaman in the booklet. This untangles my dilemma.

[BlobVanDam]

1. The entire choir section is from one of JR's sample sets, like the shaman drone voice

I was wondering why they did not credit any choir or..shaman in the booklet. This untangles my dilemma.

Damn. Now I'm imagining some badass studio footage of Petrucci sneaking up behind a shaman, and smuggling him into a potato sack, dragging him into the studio, then speaking to the shaman in his native bear tongue, as the only common form of communication between the band and the shaman. They then come to a mutual understanding and respect, bound by their connection to nature, and the shaman thanks the band by droning a deep and mysterious note into the strange black rock on a pole in a small booth.

They part ways, and the shaman can now be found at the top of the highest peak, cranking The Shaman's Trance while getting high and dancing around a fire with his tribe.

[Laich21DT]

Cool, I alwways thought they were words but couldn't make out what was being said. If this is true it would be awesome. If not however and the choir is just there for effect, it's awesome too. Number 1 Dream Theater intro of all times.

I don't know if I would go quite that far yet, but it is quite awesome, no doubt.

[Dcrupi]

I got a crazy idea. Maybe they just thought it sounded cool.

Then they wouldn't have chosen an Agnus Dei setting.  It would have just been choral sounds on an "Ah" vowel or something.  I guarantee the association was deliberate, especially if John Petrucci wrote the lyrics and the music for that song.  WHY they chose that is certainly up for debate...but there's no way it was done because it just "sounded cool."

[Adami]

Alright. Still gonna vote that it sounds cool. Not every single thing a musician does has a deliberate message, sometimes it just sounds cool.

[JasonScandopolous]

My initial interpretation, from the first listen and solidified on a second listen, was that the song was explicitly about someone in a shamanistic culture dying and going to heaven or whatever, but that the roman catholic choir was a way to broaden the song into religion in general, rather than shamanism.

[JasonScandopolous]

And the chorus is definitely saying "(something starting with "ah") dei", with agnus dei being the only possible latin phrase I've ever heard relating to religion.  This is lamb of god, as noted above.

[AngelBack]

Well as I read somewhere else, the lyrics seem to be pretty native American, the insert in the booklet features a native american dream catcher next to the lyrics as well. The two chantings (that is the grunting and then the choir chanting) happen one after another. First the chanting, then the choir, then the chanting again, and then the riff hits. The two seem almost in dialogue. It wouldn't be too far-fetched then to connect some dots and say that maybe we have some spiritual conflict affecting our speaker...actually that's actually what the lyrics suggest, a soul that needs "reuniting".

Maybe the idea we have is two different spiritual jumping points bridging together in one man who is spiritual afflicted.
"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" - John 1:29. As mentioned the choir is chanting the latin for "lamb of god" most obviously referencing Christ juxtaposed against the guttural chants which we can argue represent nature.

So we have our supposedly Native American speaker looking toward the sun, wind, and "messenger of truth" to lead him out of whatever metaphysical and spiritual funk he is in. It's rather odd this way how he switches from the natural to the idol (messenger/shaman). "to the power of the earth im calling" and then "Shaman take my hand".

Likewise earlier in the song "I will not grow in the light/Until I pass through the darkest caverns of my heart" Sounds a lot like "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear not evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4. The latter half seems to be what the speaker is looking for, the shaman/messenger/natural spirit that will comfort him in his dark moments and bring balance to his life.









....Or maybe he is a Jedi, I DONT KNOW, leave me a alone...

This is, by far, the absolute best post of pure speculation that has ever been posted on any incarnation of of this forum. 

I'm speechless, the level of intellgence and insight on this forum is staggering.