Dream Theater – On the Backs of Angels

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  General Comment:Its an outcry against the liberal agenda that intensified with Obama's rise to power (and yes that is what I'm calling it) in 2008 which is when the song was released.
  If you notice the lyrics: You're blinded by your hunger
  Beware your days are numbered
  These reference how extended social security drives poor people to never work and earn a living and rely completely on the government to make ends meet
  
  And notice the lyrics:
  Tears fall from the shameless
  Shelter me, guide me to the edge of the water
  Selfless are the righteous
  Burden me, lead me like a lamb to the slaughter
  Blurring lines drawn in between
  What is right and what is wrong
  Victims on the radar string us along
  
  These reference a few things
  1. The social liberals claiming to be selfless, righteous heroes and what they're doing is a noble deed but what they're doing is leading people astray, sheltering them, but burdening them to the government as well
  2. The politicians have convinced the media that the left-wing plan is right (victims on the radar) and from the media the parents and schools have been stringed and from them the youth (string us along). Those who have been convinced lose their free will and their sense of reason (what is right and what is wrong).
  
  Personally I think Dream Theater is absolutely right and favorite this song among the band's works, along with Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence.

  Flagged MetalRoxon January 24, 2013   Link

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    Sorry this is actually about the greedy bankers who were bailed out.
    
    Social programs do not make people want to not have a job. This has been proven before.

    Flag Yoshi445on February 19, 2013  

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    I'd love to see that study (that does not exist). Welfare Reform is proof that social programs (poorly run ones, which most are due to their size) can and do have negative effects. Clinton vetoed welfare reform 2x, and only signed it (kicking and screaming) on the 3rd time due to congress having enough votes to override his block. Since welfare reform, teenage pregnancies for black females has dropped approx 75% and more black women are working than when welfare reform was rewarding women for having children out of wedlock.
    
    Additionally, those "greedy bankers" belong to both republican and democratic ranks, and not all ere "bankers." The bailouts of taxpayer monies were failures, except that the rich adminstrators became wealthier.
    
    Not gonna read the rest of the hype that was originally posted as I find Obama to be worse as a leader than Bush2, but unless facts are involved it isn't fair to bash. I could list many facts as to his failuares and outright lies, but I don't believe the song is about Obama, so why bother.

    Flag IllToast2Thaton February 19, 2013  

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    I interpreted it the exact way that MetalRox did. However, I can see how this song is interpreted both ways. I think it depends on your own political views.

    Flag mbennetton April 28, 2013  
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  My Interpretation:It's about the 2008 financial crisis in general, and the TARP bailout in particular.
  
  The "angels" are the 99% (i.e., working folks) and the "shameless" protagonists are the bankers who caused the mess by "standing on the backs of angels" and "feed[ing] off the machine"
  
  "tears fall from the shameless" is a reference to the crocodile tears of the heads of JP Morgan etc looking for federal bailout money. that's the "shelter me, guide me to the edge of the water" (i.e., get me to safe land.
  
  The selfless/righteous angels are "burdened" with the bailouts because their taxes pay for it all.
  
  ...
  
  I'm quite sure this is the main reason it was nominated for a Grammy. Wall Street is perhaps the one industry Hollywood fancies itself more noble than.

  Flag mtalinmon May 26, 2012   Link

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  My Interpretation:It's so obvious that this is about the American greed, wars to "rule the world", the people that play "behind the scenes" of the world order, "the system" and many other factors..
  
  "Standing on the backs of angels
  Destined to create
  Mounting the attack
  While heroes carry your weight"
  
  The ruling families that "play behind the scenes" in the world order(as i said earlier) who are the only real benefactors from war and who don't care about the soldiers(heroes) who die.
  
  "Riding out the wave
  Content to feed off the machine
  Bleeding us to death
  The new American dream"
  
  This is more about following a sort of a "propaganda" that's driving everyone. And about the crashing economic system that people cannot really see and are led to believe that everything is fine and you're "free", everything is cool etc.. Thus "the new American dream".
  
  The chorus seemed very metaphorical,
  
  "Tears fall from the shameless, shelter me, guide me to the edge of the water"
  
  People humbly asking for a safe place to call home..
  
  "Selfless are the righteous, burden me, lead me like a lamb to the slaughter"
  
  The same people put their trust blindly and are being lead down the hole..
  
  
  I tried to be as objective as possible, sorry if anything was offensive to anyone.
  Hope you enjoy it
  
  Cheers!

  Flag JayZeekayon December 08, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:Just saw the clip again. The reason why the gears start spinning backwards could be a war and all its disaster.

  Flag Chapamanon October 31, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:I think the gears represent "the machine" that keeps all this bad stuff happening. On the sequence of its appearances, the gears spin faster and faster until something happens (an economical crisis, perhaps.. Just like that one from 1929, when everything was "running too fast") and the gears start spinning backwards. Thats is the moment when the buildings begin to collapse. My interpretation of the skyscrapers is that they represent the place where people "feed the machine" (I think that means to be inside the system), where everything seems normal inside of it (note that the lights are static and there is no movement inside the windows). However, the situation outside the buildings is the worst. Sorry for my bad english, I'm still studying it.

  Flag Chapamanon October 31, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:After watching the music video I can confidently say this song is about greed, American greed. Through the video the recurring themes are skyscrapers, money, and the white house. Skyscrapers in my opinion represent the corporations and being the most common of the themes I think they beleive they are the major source of greed in this country. During the video they raise from the grounds through gears in the earth. In the last stages of the video the building turn to what I thaught was a tombstone which represents the death of businesses or maybe even the death of America as they crumble down and pictures of ancient ruins are shown, some of them Roman. Perhaps this is Dream Theater saying that America will one day topple under its own greed much like the Roman Empire had. It could also be taken as the death of business and instead of the death of America, a new beginning and new ground to rebuild upon. This is just what I gathered from the song, and without an officially released meaning it is all just speculation.

  Flag JoeSteelon October 20, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:Ok, It is about Atlas Shrugged. Standing "On the Back of Angels" means to be standing on the backs of the highest possible, the men and women who produce. The songs is wonderful but the line "Selfless are the righteous" doesn't fit. That line contradicts the entire philosophy DT puts forth in their entire discography, unless they are intending it to be a sarcastic line. Thoughts?

  Flag Journeyman7on September 21, 2011   Link

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    That is the same line that through me off. I am just going to assume that line is used under heavy sarcasm.

    Flag JoeSteelon October 20, 2011  

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    It's definitely sarcastic
    

    Flag troyofyorton October 20, 2011  

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    you see in this verse he speaks from The Shameless.

    Flag neostormon October 29, 2011  

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    I disagree.
    
    I think they are using both words literally. The righteous are selfless, and will be burdened by there own nature, by doing the right thing even at the expense of their life. Since I heard the song I've been trying to figure out what is morally right that would lead them "like a lamb to the slaughter." That is my thought however, it makes sense to me.
    
    
    "Tears fall from the shameless" makes perfect sense on the other hand. The shameless continue to ask for everything they need or want without shame. "Shelter me, guide me to the edge of the water."

    Flag Dyodaon December 23, 2011  

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    Now that I think of it, maybe the righteous are content with America's judgement. They could be patriots that are not blind. They know they are heading towards disaster but still support the country anyway. Now that I think about it the 'selfless righteous' and the 'crying shameless' are just two different types of Americans.
    
    Anybody else have any ideas. I would love to find out what exactly this means. I just can't accept that its just simple a sarcastic lyric.

    Flag Dyodaon December 23, 2011  
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  General Comment:Oh wow! Dream Theater is on a rise again! The intro is such a good prelude to what will not only be this song, but the album as a whole. James Labrie clearly added a little effect to make his voice sound cooler but he succeeded! I feel like the solo wasn't completly unnecessary as some can be and the music was just great. This one song hasn't exactly topped BC&SL but it could come close. It's another 8 minute single like A Rite of Passage. The one specific thing they have outdone themselves on is the incredible cover! Best yet.
  
  There's my yadayada, now here's my meaning input. It's critical of America and their ruthless attempts to eliminate illegal immigrants.

  Flag corerulezon July 05, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:Raise The Knife?

  Flag damnation1928on July 05, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:i get the same feel that its definitly political, but i almost think its about the people living on welfare who really dont need to, and how theyre content to feed off of the government system, and be led like lambs to the slaughter.

  Flag supermunchoron June 30, 2011   Link

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