Really glad someone started an appreciation thread for this song, as it is certainly the dark horse of the album and deserves alot of credit.
When I first listened to this song, I must admit I was only listening out for the brilliant bagpipe section.
Now, I am a folk music fan and a folk musician too and so any folky or acoustic references in songs (even by a band like DT, who incidentally are my favourite band) are a major plus.
As an aside, I do perform The Silent Man and The Spirit Carries On. Would love to sing Beneath The Surface at some point - but I digress!
On subsequent listens the brilliance of the entire track came to the fore and it is rising up the song rankings all the time for me.
JR's piano intro is gorgeously sentimental. It reminds me of a cross between the main theme from Love Story and the main theme from The Deer Hunter - Cavatina by John Williams - if just by the mood.
Then the acoustic guitar comes in with a great Procol Harum-esque organ to begin the Evangeline theme before the heavier section kicks in with a heart-grabbing melody (one of the best on the album). This section reminds me a little of Space Dye Vest too.
When the pipes do then appear they do not disappoint and Eric Rigler's contribution, though brief, is an important one and certainly one that stands out. It was especially nice that they weren't just employed as backing to a load of other instruments and voices and that they were given a proper solo with minimal backing. Sometimes less is more and this was a classic case of why that philosophy works.
Before you can catch your breath this song leads into A New Beginning......say no more!