Recently I re-discovered music.
“How did you lose it?” you ask.
I‘m not so sure. Eighteen years ago I was going to the gym every day and Operation Mindcrime, the Queensryche mind-blowing concept album was my companion. I suppose getting married and having a baby, raising her, teaching, becoming ill and more ill from an undiagnosed hereditary health problem slowed me down a bit. Then in slowing down, I stopped going to the gym so often. In stopping daily gym-ing, music kinda went away from me.
Fast forward eighteen years – marriage chugging along, baby not so young, health problem diagnosed, found a new best rocker friend who gives me back my music. So I get back to the gym, find Queensryche again and VOILA! I’ve missed so much! The band has split and are currently in stasis, but in stasis there are two bands that are touring, and there three, count ’em three new albums!
So being me (hard to be anyone else – and trust me, I know), I have now spent many hours listening to, working out to, driving to, and getting to know the lyrics. I also have an opinion on the lyrics… and I have to see the lyrics as I’m listening to the music, and the internet is actually really unreliable about these things (it’s a new album, and many people are pissed off about the whole breaking up the band thing, etc)… so I’m posting them here. Well, the lyrics for one of the albums – Frequency Unknown. I choose this album for my first blog, because I’m going to see the Geoff Tate version of the band.
(Did I mention that there are two versions of Queensryche touring right now? No? Well there are. There is a judge who gave both Geoff Tate and the rest of the band individual rights to use the name until November 2013, when he will hear the case to decide who owns the name. So we have the Queensryche with Geoff Tate and many amazing musicians he is friends with touring with the Operation Mindcrime 25 year Anniversary tour, and the rest of the band with a new singer touring… not sure what, but perhaps the new Queensryche 2013 album – it’s good – I’ll write about it one day). I am conflicted about this. Love Geoff Tate – love the band – glad Chris DeGarmo got out long ago when he was unhappy and doesn’t have to go through the legal icky stuff).
Quick review of the album Frequency Unknown – I like it. The lyrics are a bit more raw than when the original band was together – the music almost as tight. It’s got some meat there – something to think about – the words have meaning and power behind them. I’ll be adding individual song reviews that go into more depth soon (’cause I’m me, and that’s just what I do).
1. Cold
There’s gotta be more than this
Cause what you’re sayin’ don’t make sense
The fire in your eyes
Has gone out again
And the only thing I want
In the middle of disarray
Are words that can make you stay
Something that shakes you
Would you wait here
Would you turn away
We’ve been at this too long
I don’t know what went wrong
Would you stay here
If I begged you to
Is there something I can do
You’re so cold
It’s not a game that can be won
It’s not a fight that’s ever done
When it cuts you deep within
You want, you want it more
At that moment
When you’re broken
And you struggle and sacrifice
Suddenly you feel it
That’s when you know
That’s when you know
This feels right
Would you wait here
Would you turn away
If I hadn’t left you alone
You’d be standing here
Standing here
Would you stay here
If I begged you to
Oh what more can I do
You’re so cold
Would you wait here
Would you turn away
If you walked right out the door
I won’t beg you anymore
Would you stay here
With me now
There’s no more room for doubt
You’re so damn cold
You’re so cold
It’s a good time to move along
You want something more than this
More than this
Do you even know how
You’re so damn cold
You’re so cold
You’re so damn cold
2. Dare
Butane and gasoline
Light it up and take it to extreme
When you hit, it never slows me down
I don’t give a fuck, about the pressure throwin’ round
Won’t take it anymore
Won’t take it anymore
You dance around your intent
If you take me out of context
I’ll put you down, take you out
What do you got?
What do you got to show?
You can’t look me in the eye, that’s how I know
[Chorus]
You wouldn’t dare
You wouldn’t dare
You wouldn’t dare hurt me
‘Cause you just might get hurt yourself
Positively guaranteed
There’s no one there when you bleed
Scrape away what little is left.
Gotta get your hands dirty.
Not a chance
All this time that I let you slide
I’m just waitin’ for the day
I’ve got nothing but time
You wouldn’t dare
You wouldn’t dare
You wouldn’t dare cross me
Or you might end up on that cross yourself
Uh, you just might get hurt
Yea, you might get hurt yourself
Gotta get your hands dirty
Gotta get your hands
Gotta get your hands dirty
Gotta get, Gotta get your hands dirty
To live in fear with every breath
I hope it’s worth it
I hope it’s worth the threat.
You think you’re different but you’re the same
Don’t stand there with your folded arms
And look for someone else to blame.
You wouldn’t dare
You wouldn’t dare
You wouldn’t dare hurt me
‘Cause you just might get hurt yourself.
You wouldn’t dare
You wouldn’t dare
You wouldn’t dare hurt me
‘Cause you just might get hurt yourself.
Hurt yourself
Hurt yourself,
Yeah, hurt yourself
You wouldn’t dare.
3. Give It To You
She gonna grace the place you bring
Don’t you love the way you sing?
Love the way she sang to me
You getting mafia dues, and the rent too
You’ve been living large in my heart
I get… I get back to you
What you gonna do when it all falls apart?
Yeah, yeah
I’d give it to you but you’d take it too far
Yeah, you know
I wanna give it to you
But you’d probably break my heart
When I’m there you look right through me
Don’t be surprised when lightning strikes you dead
Oh, yesterday I tried to tell you again
I whispered in your ear, how do you like me so far?
Oh, how do you like me so far?
So far
All these busy strangers
Empty houses
Nothing left, no fire burning here
No, no, no fire burning here
I give it to you but you take it too far
Nothing burning here
I wanna give it to you
But you’d probably break my heart
When I’m down you look right through me
Don’t be surprised when lightning strikes you dead
You dead, you dead
Remember yesterday when I whispered in your ear
And I said – how do you like me so far?
How do you like me so far? So far
How do you like me so far? So far
How do you like me so far? So far
So…
Don’t be surprised when lightning strikes
Don’t be surprised when lightning strikes
Don’t be surprised when lightning strikes
Don’t be surprised when lightning strikes
You look right through me
You’re dead, you’re dead
Remember yesterday when I whispered in your ear
Don’t be surprised when lightning strikes you dead
You dead, you dead
Remember yesterday when I whispered in your ear
And I said – how do you like me so far?
How do you like me so far? So far
How do you like me so far? So far
How do you like me so far?
4. Slave
At the top of the world
In the packs of glass
Decisions made for everyone
And they’re built to last
At the bottom landing list
Everything you want
And you can’t move either way
And they know it.
You’re a slave to the light
Yeah you’re a slave to the light
It doesn’t matter what you say
Imagine what they’d do
Turn your back, they’re coming for you
You’re a slave dragging your chain
Slave, you’ve come pretty far.
Slave, you thought you were a superstar
But you’re just a slave.
They own you.
(Young and rich)
(Young and rich)
(Young and rich)
(Young and rich)
(Young and rich)
(Young and rich)
Thought you had them
In the palm of your hand
Even though you’ve become master
What your master’s plan
They’ve got you tied up
Yeah, they got you bound up
You’re left for dead
Nothing like a bitch for the bushman to fuck
Looks like you’re out of luck
Slave to the light
Slave to the light
I got a bet, I saw everything
Give it all away
I’d rather live with nothing than be a, be a…
Slave, dragging your chain
Slave, you’ve come pretty far.
Slave, you thought you were a superstar
But you’re just a slave
You’re a slave
Nothing but a slave
You’re a slave
Nothing but a slave
you thought you were a superstar
Slave, dragging your chain
Slave, look out for you’ll fall
Slave, you thought you were a superstar
But you’re just… you’re just
A slave, dragging your chain
Slave, you’ve come pretty far
Slave, you thought you were a superstar
But you’re just a slave
5. In The Hands Of God
This is the day
Familiar voice on the phone
Are you ready? Yes
Don’t give a damn,
Consequences of the plan
Are you ready? Yes
Ready, are you?
I’ve thought of every, everything possible
I’ve thought of every way out of this, every way out
Won’t you tell them the truth when they find me?
Won’t you tell them it’s in the hands… the hands of God?
Mired in
Night vision switched on
And I’m ready
Ready, are you ready?
My God will know me
Convinced of my righteousness
My God will know by my actions
This was necessary
Won’t you tell them the truth when they find me?
Tell them… tell them it’s in the hands… the hands of God.
I’m the one that they want
When you see what I’ve done,
Won’t you tell them it’s in the hands, it’s in the hands of God?
I’ll stop at nothing
The blood, the blood, the blood, the blood
The blood is on your…
You’ll speak of what I’ve done
The blood is on your…
The blood, the blood, the blood, the blood
No one’s innocent
They call me a madman
The blood, the blood, the blood, the blood
Your hands… it’s on your hands
No one’s innocent
No one’s innocent
Innocent
Won’t you tell them the truth when they find me?
I’m the one, the one they want.
It’s in the hands… the hands of God
Burn in the fire, I’m the one, the one they want.
It’s in the hands of God… the hands of God
Are you ready?
Are you ready?
Are you ready?
Are you?
6. Running Backwards
Last time I looked you weren’t feeling too good about love
Said “I’ve had it up to here, really had enough,
Been a rough go.”
When I asked “What happened next?” You said
“This won’t do,” you said “Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah”
Old, memories gather pain
Screaming through the back door, running
If you could, you’d nail him to the wall
Keep running, keep running backwards
Running backwards
Running backwards
Running backwards
Running backwards
Had you on your on your back before you knew what was wrong
Face down in the dirt, innocence gone.
That was the day you said the same thing: “This won’t do.”
You said “Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah”
You’ll never get away from feeling that it’s your fault,
You’re the one to blame. If you could, you’d
Take a blaze onto his balls
Keep running, keep running backwards
Running backwards
Running backwards
Running backwards
Running backwards
Running backwards
Running backwards
Old memories gather pain,
Screaming through the back door
The back door
If you could, you’d nail him to the wall
Keep running, keep running backwards
You’ll never get away
From feeling that it’s your fault, it’s your fault
If you could you’d nail him to the wall
Keep running, Keep running
Keep running backwards
7. Life Without You
You couldn’t take any more
I heard the lock click
You closed the door
Like a rat in a trap of my design
Then they played our song,
don’t play that song again on the radio
The chances that we take,
The promises we break
There’s no life without you
Life without you, life without you
What’s there left to say?
When words get in the way
There’s no life without you
Life without you, life without you
Revolution was in the air
It was everywhere
On the streets, on your lips
It’s hard to believe
Believe it’s over
I believe
I thought “This is all I want.”
But I was so young
I wanted so much more
The choices that we make
The promises we break
There’s no life without you
Life without you, life without you
The challenge that we face
Actions without grace
There’s no life without you
Life without you, life without you
The chances that we take
Life without you
They’re playing our song again
And it plays over and over.
In my mind I’m reminded of life without you.
There’s no life without you
Life without you, life without you
What’s there left to say?
What’s there left to say?
Life without you, life without you
What’s there left?
8. Everything
I just wanna bring you back somehow.
We can begin with a brand new start
We had something good for so long.
I was looking for signs
When I saw myself fall
I looked in your eyes
And I saw evil.
We could have everything and more
Anything that we can imagine
If we lean that way
I know it could happen
I never meant to break your heart
I never meant to pull my rubble with it
I want to trust that our love is real
I want to believe in this good sin
Let’s start over now
I don’t want to wait
The future is ours
It’s never too late
We could have everything
We could have everything
We could have everything
We could have everything
If you believe…
Dreams do come true
We could have everything and more
Everything that life has in store
Won’t you come back to me?
I know it can happen
We could have everything
Anything that we can imagine
Just lean that way
You know anything can happen
We could have everything and more
Everything that life has in store
I swear I’ll find a way
I’ll find a way
We could have everything
We could have everything
We could have everything
We could have everything
9. Fallen
I’ve seen the look in your eye
And there’s no… no easy answers
You gave it all you had
But there’s so… so many questions
Questions, questions
Through this insane desire
Through this unbearable lie
Lies and empty promises
All this just fades. Fade to grey
Yes, I know
Fade to grey
That you’re falling, falling
I believe you could say anything
Anything, you’d say anything
When you’re fallen, fallen…
What’s buried inside must speak
An innocent victim
The echoes of your past
Will someday grow silent
The hardship you have won’t last
Through this insane desire
Through this unbearable lie
Close your eyes and look inside
All this will fade
Fade to grey
Yes, I know
That you’re fallen, fallen
I believe you could say anything
You’d do anything, you’d say anything
When you’re fallen, fallen…
Fade to grey
I believe you could say anything
Anything, you’d say anything
When you’re fallen
When you’re fallen, fallen
When you’re fallen, fallen
When you’re fallen, fallen
10. The Weight of the World
I’ve known love but I lay here empty
My eyes are closed but I find no rest
I clutch the phone like a jealous lover
I feel the weight of the world upon my chest
The sirens wail and my heart is raging
My clothes are soaked, can’t catch my breath
Voices that hang on for a little longer
I feel the weight of the world
I feel the weight of the world
This story might be close to over
But then… then again every story ends
Don’t show me the light
‘Cause I’m not ready to go
I’ve got so much more to say
So much more to do
You’re alive
I’m alive
You’re alive
I… I’m alive
I… I’m alive
I feel the weight of the world
I feel the weight… weight of the world
If life is our message
Will they remember
Weight of the world
When I’m gone
When I’m gone
What was the message?
World
World
Decide
When I’m gone
It goes on without me
Weight of the world
When I’m gone
It goes without me
Weight of the world
When I’m gone
When I’m gone
What will they remember?
What will they think? What will they…?
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Remember
Weight of the world
Weight of the world
Weight of the world
Weight of the world
Weight of the world
Weight of the world
Weight of the world
11. I Don’t Believe in Love
I awoke on impact
Under surveillance from the camera eye
Searching high and low
The criminal mind found at the scene of the crime
Handcuffed and blind, I didn’t do it
She said she loved me
I guess I never knew
But do we ever, ever really know?
She said she’d meet me on the other side
But I knew right then, I’d never find her
I don’t believe in love
I never have, I never will
I don’t believe in love
It’s never worth the pain that you feel
No more nightmares, I’ve seen them all
From the day I was born, they’ve haunted my every move
Every open hand’s there to push and shove
No time for love it doesn’t matter
She made a difference
I guess she had a way
Of making every night seem bright as day
Now I walk in shadows, never see the light
She must have lied ’cause she never said goodbye
I don’t believe in love
I never have, I never will
I don’t believe in love
I’ll just pretend she never was real
I don’t believe in love
I need to forget her face, I see it still
I don’t believe in love
It’s never worth the pain that you feel
No chance for contact
There’s no raison d’etre
My only hope is one day I’ll forget
The pain of knowing what can never be
With or without love it’s all the same to me
I don’t believe in love
I never have, I never will
I don’t believe in love
I’ll just pretend she never was real
I don’t believe in love
I need to forget her face, I see it still
I don’t believe in love
It’s never worth the pain that you feel
12. Empire
Last night the word came down, ten dead in Chinatown.
Innocent, their only crime was being in the wrong place, at the wrong time
Too bad, people say what’s wrong with the kids today
I’ll tell you right now they’ve got nothing to lose
They’re building EMPIRE!
Johnny used to work after school
at the cinema show.
Gotta hustle if he wants an education
Yeah, he’s got a long way to go.
Now he’s out on the street all day
selling Crack to the people who pay.
Got an AK-47 for his best friend
business the American way.
Eastside meets Westside downtown.
No time, the walls fall down
Can’t you feel it coming? EMPIRE! Can’t you hear it calling?
Black man, trapped again. holds his chains in his hand.
Brother killing brother for the profit of another,
Game point, nobody wins. Decline, right on time.
What happened to the dream sublime?
Tear it all down, we’ll put it up again. Another EMPIRE?
Eastside meets Westside downtown.
No time, no line, the walls fall down.
Can’t you feel it coming? EMPIRE!
Can’t you hear it coming EMPIRE!
Can’t someone here stop it…??!!
13. Jet City Woman
Every time I leave
You say you won’t be there.
And you’re always there.
Every time I cry your name at night,
you pull close and say it’s alright.
I look in your eyes, just like the rain.
Washing me, rain wash over me.
Touching your face, I feel the heat
of your heartbeat echo in my head like a scream.
What you do to me!
Waited so long I can’t wait another day without you.
Jet City Woman.
It’s a long way, home to my
Jet City Woman.
I see her face everywhere, can’t get her out of my mind.
Whenever I’m alone I’m thinking,
there’s a part missing from my life.
Wonder where I’d be without your love
holding me together now I’m
watching the time tick, tick away.
Face grows longer every day.
Fortunes are lost on the women I’ve seen
but without you I can’t breathe!
You’re the air to me!
Waited so long, I’m all alone thinking about you.
Jet City Woman.
Got to find my way home to her.
Jet City Woman.
I see her face everywhere I look!
Jet City Woman.
Just a thousand miles and I’ll be there
Jet City Woman, to make the clouds go away.
Time for some blue sky!
Waited so long now the plane’s delayed
and hour, reminds me of all our days apart.
Hold on, just a little longer.
Jet City Woman.
Wonder where I’d be, you’re the air to me.
Jet City Woman.
Eyes like the rain, rain down on me.
Jet City Woman.
No more nights alone I’m almost home now.
Jet City Woman.
Close my eyes, I’m there in my Jet City.
14. Silent Lucidity
Hush now, don’t you cry
Wipe away the teardrop from your eye
You’re lying safe in bed
It was all a bad dream
Spinning in your head
Your mind tricked you to feel the pain
Of someone close to you leaving the game of life
So here it is, another chance
Wide awake you face the day
Your dream is over… or has it just begun?
There’s a place I like to hide
A doorway that I run through in the night
Relax child, you were there
But only didn’t realize and you were scared
It’s a place where you will learn
To face your fears, retrace the years
And ride the whims of your mind
Commanding in another world
Suddenly you hear and see
This magic new dimension
I- will be watching over you
I- am gonna help you see it through
I- will protect you in the night
I- am smiling next to you, in Silent Lucidity
-spoken during solo-
[Visualize your dream]
[Record it in the present tense]
[Put it into a permanent form]
[If you persist in your efforts]
[You can achieve dream control]
[Dream control]
[I’ll do better than that]
[Dream control]
[Dream control]
[Dream control]
[Dream control]
[Help me]
If you open your mind for me
You won’t rely on open eyes to see
The walls you built within
Come tumbling down, and a new world will begin
Living twice at once you learn
You’re safe from pain in the dream domain
A soul set free to fly
A round trip journey in your head
Master of illusion, can you realize
Your dream’s alive, you can be the guide but…
I- will be watching over you
I- am gonna help to see it through
I- will protect you in the night
I- am smiling next to you….