The full story: A wizard is trying to reach a "star" -- representing some form of power, divinity, etc, it's vague. So he enslaves these people to build him a tower to reach it. But the people aren't just slaves, look at the words. ("We believed, we believed", etc., it's the overall tone of the speaker) They're the wizard's followers to some extent. They're not just there cos they're forced to be, they really believe in his cause, at least a little. And after he fails to reach his "star" (could be cos it's a myth, because he hasn't gone far enough, I dunno) a whole sense of hopelessness takes over the tone of the song. The people have lost their direction, their faith, they don't know what to do or believe... "so where do we go?" -- with their faith shattered, they can't even come to terms with their "freedom". The whole idea is continued in " A light in the Black". These 2 have the best songwriting on the album, some of the best stuff Rainbow's ever done. Full of symbolism.
@shadowwiththeeyes The song has been called a "morality tale", and its lyrics are written from the standpoint of a "slave in Egyptian times", according to lyricist Ronnie James Dio. They relate the story of the Wizard, an astronomer who becomes "obsessed with the idea of flying" and enslaves a vast army of people to build him a tower from which he can take off and fly. The people hope for the day when their misery comes to an end, building the tower in harsh conditions ("In the heat and rain, with whips and chains; / to see him fly, so...
@shadowwiththeeyes The song has been called a "morality tale", and its lyrics are written from the standpoint of a "slave in Egyptian times", according to lyricist Ronnie James Dio. They relate the story of the Wizard, an astronomer who becomes "obsessed with the idea of flying" and enslaves a vast army of people to build him a tower from which he can take off and fly. The people hope for the day when their misery comes to an end, building the tower in harsh conditions ("In the heat and rain, with whips and chains; / to see him fly, so many died"). In the end, the wizard climbs to the top of the tower but, instead of flying, falls down and dies: "no sound as he falls instead of rising. / Time standing still, then there's blood on the sand". The next song, "A Light in the Black", continues the story of the people who have lost all purpose after the Wizard's death "until they see the Light in the Dark", according to Dio.
It's not just that.
The full story: A wizard is trying to reach a "star" -- representing some form of power, divinity, etc, it's vague. So he enslaves these people to build him a tower to reach it. But the people aren't just slaves, look at the words. ("We believed, we believed", etc., it's the overall tone of the speaker) They're the wizard's followers to some extent. They're not just there cos they're forced to be, they really believe in his cause, at least a little. And after he fails to reach his "star" (could be cos it's a myth, because he hasn't gone far enough, I dunno) a whole sense of hopelessness takes over the tone of the song. The people have lost their direction, their faith, they don't know what to do or believe... "so where do we go?" -- with their faith shattered, they can't even come to terms with their "freedom". The whole idea is continued in " A light in the Black". These 2 have the best songwriting on the album, some of the best stuff Rainbow's ever done. Full of symbolism.
@shadowwiththeeyes The song has been called a "morality tale", and its lyrics are written from the standpoint of a "slave in Egyptian times", according to lyricist Ronnie James Dio. They relate the story of the Wizard, an astronomer who becomes "obsessed with the idea of flying" and enslaves a vast army of people to build him a tower from which he can take off and fly. The people hope for the day when their misery comes to an end, building the tower in harsh conditions ("In the heat and rain, with whips and chains; / to see him fly, so...
@shadowwiththeeyes The song has been called a "morality tale", and its lyrics are written from the standpoint of a "slave in Egyptian times", according to lyricist Ronnie James Dio. They relate the story of the Wizard, an astronomer who becomes "obsessed with the idea of flying" and enslaves a vast army of people to build him a tower from which he can take off and fly. The people hope for the day when their misery comes to an end, building the tower in harsh conditions ("In the heat and rain, with whips and chains; / to see him fly, so many died"). In the end, the wizard climbs to the top of the tower but, instead of flying, falls down and dies: "no sound as he falls instead of rising. / Time standing still, then there's blood on the sand". The next song, "A Light in the Black", continues the story of the people who have lost all purpose after the Wizard's death "until they see the Light in the Dark", according to Dio.