Album: Vapor Trails (2002)

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• All this time we're talking and sharing our rational view
  A billion other voices are spreading other news
  All this time we're living and trying to understand
  Why a billion other choices are making their demands
  
  Talk of a Peaceable Kingdom
  Talk of a time without fear
  The ones we wish would listen
  Are never going to hear
  
  Justice against The Hanged Man
  Knight of Wands against the hour
  Swords against the kingdom
  Time against The Tower
  
  All this time we're shuffling and laying out all our cards
  While a billion other dealers are slipping past our guards
  All this time we're hoping and praying we all might learn
  While a billion other teachers are teaching them how to burn
  
  Dream of a Peaceable Kingdom
  Dream of a time without war
  The ones we wish would hear us
  Have heard it all before
  
  A wave toward the clearing sky
  A wave toward the clearing sky
  
  The Hermit against The Lovers
  Or the Devil against the Fool
  Swords against the kingdom
  The Wheel against the rules
  
  All this time we're burning like bonfires in the dark
  A billion other blazes are shooting off their sparks
  Every spark a drifting ember of desire
  To fall upon the earth and spark another fire
  
  A homeward angel on the fly
  A wave toward the clearing sky
  
  A homeward angel on the fly
  A wave toward the clearing sky
  A wave toward the clearing sky Writer/s: Alex Zivojinovich, Gary Lee Weinrib, Neil Elwood Peart
  Publisher: Anthem Entertainment
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 9

• Wiedeman from New JerseyFirst off, the song is definitely about the September 11th attacks. the "Time against the Tower" sorrowful wailing throughout, and the time of is release are dead giveaways.
  
  However the biting language in some areas suggests that Peart was mindful that this happened because of how much the west ignored the signs that something like this was about to happen:
  
  "The hermit against the lover, Or the devil against the fool?"
  
  It's the dichotomy of how the attacks were seen by the US, and the way he saw it. The Hermit stands as being Islamic extremists and the lover being the US population as it saw itself. Elsewise, The Devil is extremists and the fool is the US, as it should have seen it coming, as stated in the earlier lyric about "Shuffling and laying out all our cars, whole a billion dealers are skipping past our guards" and the later lyric regarding the decadence of the US as "Burning like bonfires in the dark".
  
  It is a brilliant use of metaphor, and probably one of the best thought out responses to the attacks in the world of writing. Written by a truly wise man.
• V. from New Orleans, LaNo one has mentioned the lyrics about the Tarot cards. There's a lovers, tower, sword, time, justice, hanged man, etc. cards. Peart is just a genius and I would not know how to start to put meaning to his incredible deep lyrics.
• Jayden from Perth, AustraliaI love the heavy riff in the bridge of Peaceable Kingdom. It's just one song you gotta crank, and really adds to the dark emotive in the song.
• Jason Vaikasas from Uni-verse, AustraliaThe Song is not a response to anything but perhaps a warning.
• Richie from Pearland, Txi love this song. It shows the bands heavy side. this song is about the world and peace.
• Jaakko from Pudasjärvi, FinlandI'm with John, the "talk about peaceable kingdom" chorus is great, the bass line fits in perfectly.
• Ray from Roseville, MiThe lines "Swords against the kingdom Time against the tower" says it all.
• John from Asheville, NcI like this song quite well. It's not a favorite from Vapor Trails but I like the dynamic at work here just the same. Love, especially, the "talk of a peaceable kingdom" chorus...segueing into the heavy riffage..."Justice against the hanged man."
• Dillon from Bismarck, NdI think this is one of the best songs to turn up just a little bit louder than the rest of the songs you listen to. I just suddenly got the idea that this song would be a good one to listen to loudly, and that's what I do every time it comes on now =-)

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