I have to admit it; I'm not a big fan of Dream Theater. However, there is a song played by them that surprisingly contains Shakespearean topics and that I totally enjoy. That song is Pull me under. First of all, apart from being one of the bands anthems, it is liked by many non fans of the band as a consequence of the topic of the song. It is said that the lyrics are based on Hamlet’s point of view about his revenge; however, Kevin Moore (the member of the band who wrote the song) has said repeatedly that the lyrics are based on the Shakespearean topic of revenge in general terms rather than on Hamlet specifically. Even though I know that he was the one who wrote the song, after reading Hamlet the lyrics make total sense. And of course, the song ends with “Oh that this too, too solid flesh would melt."
This are the lyrics of the song,and of course, if you want to listen to the ong, click here.
Enjoy.
"Pull Me Under"
Lost in the sky
Clouds roll by
and I roll with them
Arrows fly
Seas increase
and then fall again
This world is spinning around me
This world is spinning without me
Every day send future to past
Every breath leaves me one less
to my last
Watch the sparrow falling
Gives new meaning to it all
If not today nor yet tomorrow
then some other day
I'll take seven lives for one
And then my only father's son
As sure as I did ever love him
I am not afraid
This world is spinning around me
The whole world keeps
spinning around me
All life is future to past
Every breath leaves me one less
to my last
Pull me under Pull me under
Pull me under I'm not afraid
All that I feel is honor and spite
All I can do is set it right
Dust fills my eyes
Clouds roll by
and I roll with them
Centuries cry
Orders fly
and I fall again
This world is spinning inside me
The whole world is
spinning inside of me
Every day sends future to past
Every step brings me closer
to my last
Pull me under Pull me under
Pull me under I'm not afraid
Living my life too much in
the sun
Only until your will is done
Oh that this too
Too solid flesh would melt
(Click here for the reference.)
All that I feel is honor and spite
All I can do is set it right
Dust fills my eyes
Clouds roll by
and I roll with them
Centuries cry
Orders fly
and I fall again
This world is spinning inside me
The whole world is
spinning inside of me
Every day sends future to past
Every step brings me closer
to my last
Pull me under Pull me under
Pull me under I'm not afraid
Living my life too much in
the sun
Only until your will is done
Oh that this too
Too solid flesh would melt
(Click here for the reference.)
I would like to point out that the writer of this song is in denial since it is obviously about the revenge that Hamlet wants.
ResponderEliminarand another thing completely different is that "vengeance is better served cold"
I think that it was quite obvious that it refers to Hamlet's point of view.Otherwise, no one would have thought about it... I mean, a song can tell a story about anything ... but why to deny that it talks about Hamlet, the song even have a quote xD
ResponderEliminarHi Christina, I am a huge fan of DT and I really love this song. As you said,"Pull me under" is one of their most famous songs. I have to say that Kevin Moore, former keyboardist of the band and the one who wrote the lyrics of this song, said in an interview that the lyrics were written from Prince Hamlet's perspective. In that sense, it has many references to Shakespeare’s Hamlet and the theme of death that is found in the play.
ResponderEliminarApart from that you mention “Oh that this too, too solid flesh would melt," that is from Hamlet’s soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 2 (line129), another reference can be found in one of the lines on the verse after the chorus, where it says says “I'll take seven lives for one” which is a reference to the deaths in the play that result from Hamlet’s actions (Ophelia, Polonius, Gertrude, Claudius, Laertes, Rosencratz, Guildstein) and his own death in return for looking his revenge.
When you told me about the lyrics of this song, everything made sense! The song is almost as long as the extended version of Kenneth Branagh's movie. Ok, let's be serious, I found amazing the way in which a song like this can represent Hamlet's perspective, as Miguel said, because the lyrics are not obvious and simple, they represent perfectly how Hamlet felt.
ResponderEliminar