The Flaming Lips – In the Morning of the Magicians

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  General Comment:i don't know..wayne coyne himself even said that it wasn't a concept album. i think that may be projected on to the band by its listeners. i feel this song is more an existential exploration of self. at least to me. just like any good song, it'll probably never mean the same thing to any listener than what it meant to its writer.

  Flag evaporateon April 14, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:i like to think the first lyric is "in the morning of the wake" which gives meaning to why he struggling with the concept of love and hate. He lost someone very dear to him and all the love they shared cant bring them back. He is lost in despair as even his hate for why the universe let this happened proves futile. In the end he submits to his cosmic insignificance which sets up the conflict in the remaining songs where he tries to recover from this hit to his ego, but instead of returning to his previous ways he comes to an understanding with the fragility and ephemeralness of human life shown primarily in Do You Realize??

  Flagged dcabone91on September 10, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:This song comes from the perspective Yoshimi after fighting a losing battle with the robots. The robots are soulless creatures who have become conscious and are killing the humans. Yoshimi is questioning the meaning of love, and if it is any different than hate, and what is the meaning of everything. I love this song because it is the turning point of the album where the listener realizes that the real battle is within, and is about finding love in an empty universe. (Listen to the entire album in entirety, interesting concept and beautiful story)

  Flag nicholas551on July 09, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:Beautiful song!
  
  I think it's about someone realizing the scope of the universe and what part love and other human experiences play in the grand scheme of things. Mainly I think it's about realizing how small we really are.
  
  Interestingly, in concert Coyne said many people speculated that the song was questioning the existence of love but he continued to say that the song is about love being real. It was actually really moving to hear him say "of course love is real" right before playing this song.

  Flag BonnieBlueeeon April 24, 2010   Link

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  My Interpretation:Amazing song. I think its about being aware of the forces in life that are greater than you, or at least ones you cant control. Like hes recognizing a love in his life may not work and he realizes sometimes it wasnt just meant to be. The line "I had to surrender/The universe will have its way /Too powerful to master" really sticks with me. He's just sort of accepted, albeit reluctantly, that what he wants just may not be in the cards. Sad.

  Flag bt88on February 10, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:i think this song is about the general mindset of someone who no longer understands love and is just ready to accept whatever life throws at them. beautiful song.
  

  Flag phi11235on September 11, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:I don't see anything sad at all about this song, as it has a fairly recurring theme explored most strongly in 'Do You Realize??' and 'All We Have Is Now' as well as the rest of the album.
  
  Life is short, death is inevitable, and love and hate are inconsequential in the grand scope of things. So stop worrying about it and get the most enjoyment out of life you depressed bastards.

  Flag hadakangon July 01, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:I believe this song is more or less the dying thoughts of Sympathy 3000-21. He has been mortally wounded by the girl he had developed emotion and is pondering the complexity of his newly discovered human emotion and of life itself ("...what is love and what is hate?/ the calculations error") .
  
  He surrenders these thoughts at the presence of a bright light, ("As the dawn began to break/ I had to surrender") which is an allusion to the bright light/light at the end of the tunnel that so many people see in near-death experiences. This line seems to also suggest Sympathy's transcendence into Heaven, which would be plausible since he had acquired that which makes man "divine" and separate from all other beings.
  
  Any way you look at it, this is one of the deepest and most beautiful songs The Lips have ever composed. Wayne's writing reminds me of Salinger and Vonnegut in the respect that his writing is earnest and simplistic but at the same time conveying an idea that is incredibly thought-provoking and deep... love these guys so much, and can't wait to pick up their movie tomorrow!
  

  Flag Knelleron November 11, 2008   Link

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    Whoops, should've proof-read this.. some minor adjustments:
    
    I believe this song is more or less the dying thoughts of Sympathy 3000-21. He has been mortally wounded by the girl he had developed emotions for and is pondering the complexity of his newly discovered human emotion and of life itself ("...what is love and what is hate?/ the calculations error") .
    
    He surrenders these thoughts at the presence of a bright light, ("As the dawn began to break/ I had to surrender") which is an allusion to the bright light/light at the end of the tunnel that so many people see in near-death experiences. This line seems to also suggest Sympathy's transcendence into Heaven, which would be plausible since he had acquired that which makes man "divine" and separate from all other beings.
    
    Any way you look at it, this is one of the deepest and most beautiful songs The Lips have ever composed. Wayne's writing reminds me of Salinger and Vonnegut in the respect that his lyrics are earnest and simplistic but at the same time conveying an idea that is incredibly thought-provoking and deep... I love these guys so much, and can't wait to pick up their movie tomorrow!
    

    Flag Knelleron November 11, 2008  
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  General Comment:Well, maybe the whole album is about falling in love... but at least the first half.

  Flag cordeLLccon July 30, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:I think this song, as well as the entire album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, is about falling in love. Loving someone without being loved back is addressed in this song and Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell. In the Morning of the Magicians, the narrator loves so much but feels that this love only causes him hurt-- which, in turn, causes him to resent the one he loves. Hence the line "what is love and what is hate? the calculations error"
  He then questions whether or not loving someone is just a waste. I think the entire robot reference in the album refers to the rather emotionally cold state of society. If you've ever heard mainstream rap you know what I am talking about. I believe the entire robot theme is speaking of breaking away from the norm of society perhaps(think matrix).
  But since this song follows Fight Test, Sympathy 3000-21/ One More Sad Robot and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt.1 and 2, the narrator feels he has done what he can and "as the dawn began to break, I had to surrender. the universe will have its way, too powerful to master"

  Flag cordeLLccon July 26, 2008   Link

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