I think that this song is about the realization of life and death as viewed from the grand universe. The absolute inferior human life is really our most valuable and priceless expereince...but compared to the reality of the universe it is a paradox. "Time will kiss the world goodbye" and "a dying scream makes no sound" points out how insignificant we are. The setting sun "falling down" on him references the realization that the sun (as part of the universe) will outlive our dreams and make in lost in oblivion (connects to the "dying dream"). The other important line is that he mentions that everything is falling down "on all that I've ever known". This is a line from Hamlet in the grave digger scene where Hamlet ponders the fact that our ambition, lives, dreams, etc will be lost and forgotten to bones in the ground. He also says that all that he knows is everything he knows...meaning that his knowledge is his downfall and he can never progress to anything greater than his mortal world. In the chorus he metnions this with the reference to God and how he still is worthless and will eventually be lost in time.
Out of all the lines...I think "Catch the wheel that breaks the butterfly" does refer to the quote of Alexander Pope's Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot(the wheel was a torture device and he said be mentioning that it is overkill to use the wheel on something as helpless and small as a butterfly) It sets the tone for the song...he is saying to catch the torture wheel of death on something so insignificant like a butterfly (and he refers to himself/humanity as the butterfly). The "wheel" I believe could be the attempt that everyone one tries to imagine and fabricate in their lives to reach a state or postion that will outlast a mortal and insignificant life...or it could be the fate of the world. Regardless, our conscience and world will fall down on us...
I think that this song is about the realization of life and death as viewed from the grand universe. The absolute inferior human life is really our most valuable and priceless expereince...but compared to the reality of the universe it is a paradox. "Time will kiss the world goodbye" and "a dying scream makes no sound" points out how insignificant we are. The setting sun "falling down" on him references the realization that the sun (as part of the universe) will outlive our dreams and make in lost in oblivion (connects to the "dying dream"). The other important line is that he mentions that everything is falling down "on all that I've ever known". This is a line from Hamlet in the grave digger scene where Hamlet ponders the fact that our ambition, lives, dreams, etc will be lost and forgotten to bones in the ground. He also says that all that he knows is everything he knows...meaning that his knowledge is his downfall and he can never progress to anything greater than his mortal world. In the chorus he metnions this with the reference to God and how he still is worthless and will eventually be lost in time.
Out of all the lines...I think "Catch the wheel that breaks the butterfly" does refer to the quote of Alexander Pope's Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot(the wheel was a torture device and he said be mentioning that it is overkill to use the wheel on something as helpless and small as a butterfly) It sets the tone for the song...he is saying to catch the torture wheel of death on something so insignificant like a butterfly (and he refers to himself/humanity as the butterfly). The "wheel" I believe could be the attempt that everyone one tries to imagine and fabricate in their lives to reach a state or postion that will outlast a mortal and insignificant life...or it could be the fate of the world. Regardless, our conscience and world will fall down on us...
That's really, really good
That's really, really good