Octavarium (song)
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| “Octavarium” | |||||
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| Song by Dream Theater | |||||
| Album | Octavarium | ||||
| Format | CD | ||||
| Recorded | 2005 | ||||
| Genre | Progressive metal | ||||
| Length | 24:00 | ||||
| Label | Atlantic Records | ||||
| Writer | James LaBrie, John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy | ||||
| Octavarium track listing | |||||
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Octavarium is a song by progressive metal band Dream Theater, from the album of the same name. It is notable as being the band's third longest song at exactly 24 minutes, behind "In the Presence of Enemies" and "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence". Both songs, however, span through various tracks on their respective albums, Systematic Chaos and Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, which makes "Octavarium" the band's longest studio track. It was featured on the live album Score.
It starts with Jordan Rudess using his Haken Continuum and his lap steel guitar, drawing references from Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", Tangerine Dream, Marty Friedman's Scenes, and Queen's "Bijou".
Contents |
[edit] Movements
[edit] I. Someone Like Him
- 0:00 - 8:47 (8:47)
- Lyrics by John Petrucci
Beginning with a lengthy Continuum / lap steel guitar solo by Rudess, this section is told from a first-person perspective. It portrays the thoughts of a person as he decides on what to do in the course of his lifetime, as well as his wish to never become an ordinary person.
He fails, however, in changing into becoming the person he wished to become, eventually becoming 'Someone like Him'. This is also in line with the 'Full Circle' theme of Octavarium: "this story ends where it begins".
It is also speculated that the lyrics refer to John Petrucci taking the place of those that inspired him.
[edit] II. Medicate (Awakening)
- 8:48 - 13:49 (5:01)
- Lyrics by James LaBrie
A person wakes up to discover a doctor sitting at his bedside. The doctor informs him that he has been in catatonic sleep for 30 years. The doctor, however, believes he was able to cure him. Suddenly, the patient is in dire need of help as he feels his conscience fading. The doctor prescribes a higher dosage of medicine, but it doesn't seem to help. Despite the doctor's failure in assisting him, the patient tells the doctor that he's not at fault, and that he shouldn't feel ashamed. Eventually, the patient slips back into unconsciousness. This is in line with the events of the movie Awakenings[citation needed].
Again, this also reflects the theme of 'Everything ends where it begins.'
[edit] III. Full Circle
- 13:50 - 16:36 (2:46)
- Lyrics by Mike Portnoy
Full Circle is Mike Portnoy's ode to progressive rock, shown in the lyrics by several underlying references to his favourite songs, bands and more. Once again a reference is made to the unifying theme of the song ('Everything ends where it begins'). The enumeration using the last syllable/word as the beginning of the next reference enhances the message that everything is linked, a common theme throughout Dream Theater's albums. (i.e. Day for Night,mare Cinema, Show).
- Isn't this where we came in? - Pink Floyd's The Wall
- Sailing on the seven seas - possible reference to Queen’s Seven Seas of Rhye
- Seize the day
- Day Tripper - Beatles
- Jack the Ripper - Morrissey
- Tim "Ripper" Owens - Vocalist of Iced Earth (ex-Judas Priest)
- Owen Wilson - actor
- Wilson Phillips - band
- Supper's Ready - Genesis
- Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - Beatles
- Diamond Dave - David Lee Roth
- Dave’s Not Here – Cheech and Chong
- Here I Come to Save the Day – Mighty Mouse
- Day for Night - Spock's Beard
- Nightmare Cinema – Dream Theater's band name when their players swap instruments
- The Cinema Show - Genesis
- Get Back - Beatles
- Handle with Care - Travelling Wilburys
- Careful With That Axe, Eugene - Pink Floyd/Steve Vai
- Gene the Dance Machine - The Gong Show / character in the film Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
- Machine Messiah - Yes
- Light My Fire - The Doors
- Gabba Gabba Hey Hey - The Ramones
- Hey Hey, My My - Neil Young
- My Generation - The Who
- Home Again - Taken from the song Time, by Pink Floyd
[edit] IV. Intervals
- 16:36 - 19:53 (3:17)
- Lyrics by Mike Portnoy
Before each stanza in the lyrics, Mike Portnoy says a scale degree. In each stanza, a song from Octavarium is referenced, and an audio clip from that song is played on the background[1].
| Root | Our deadly sins fill his mortal wrath Remove all obstacles from our path |
Fifth | Tortured insanity, a smothering hell Try to escape but to no avail |
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| The Root of All Evil | Panic Attack | |||
| Second | Asking questions, search for clues The answer's been right in front of you |
Sixth | The calls of admirers who claim they adore Drain all your lifeblood while begging for more |
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| The Answer Lies Within | Never Enough | |||
| Third | Try to break through, long to connect Fall on deaf ears with failed muted breath |
Seventh | Innocent victims of merciless crimes Fall prey to some madmen's impulsive designs |
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| These Walls | Sacrificed Sons | |||
| Fourth | Loyalty, trust, faith and desire Carries love through each darkest fire |
Octave | Step after step, we try controlling our fate When we finally start living it's become too late |
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| I Walk Beside You | Octavarium |
To finish the Octave, LaBrie repeats the line "Trapped inside this Octavarium": he is trapped in the Octavarium's full circle, which begins and ends the same.
[edit] V. Razor's Edge
- 19:52 - 23:58 (4:06)
- Lyrics by John Petrucci
This movement simply emphasizes the cyclical nature of all things, as well as the album, as it begins where it ends, using the same melody as the end to the first track. This movement also serves as the capstone for the song and the album which shares its name, being the fifth movement in the eighth song on the album. In this way, it continues the 5:8 theme.
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
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