1) Formed by guitarist Brick Williams, Hourglass is a Progressive Metal group from Utah, USA. The band's first effort was the hard-to-come-by "This Lonely Time and Place," followed up by the much more polished "The Journey Into" in 2002 and 2004's "Subconscious." The band released the double album "Oblivious to the Obvious" on February 19, 2009.
54 months is a long time to work on an album. But that is exactly how long it took Hourglass to finish their new double album "Oblivious to the Obvious." Four and a half years of writing, recording, mixing, mastering and the result is 139 minutes worth of music. Even though it is a lot of music, it is only 10 songs. Hourglass has never worried too much about the length of their songs, and epic songs have always been a part of what the band does. "Oblivious to the Obvious" is no exception. The album has a little of everything, from heavy metal riffs and screaming vocals, to laid back piano and acoustic passages, and some very tasteful groove sections. Vocal harmonies are scattered throughout the album as are many guitar, keyboard, and even bass solos. There is something for everyone on "Oblivious to the Obvious."
The band has gone through numerous personnel changes with Williams as the sole constant. Current drummer John Dunston replaced Zachary Taylor for "The Journey Into." Founding keyboardist Eric Robertson and current keyboardist Jerry Stenquist have traded seats twice, with Robertson playing on "This Lonely Time and Place" and "Subconscious," and Stenquist playing on "The Journey Into" and "Oblivious to the Obvious."
Bassist Jon Berrett played on the first two albums, then Clark Woolstenhulme played on "Subconscious," and the bass chair is currently held by one-time Hourglass vocalist Eric Blood for "Oblivious to the Obvious."
A different vocalist has performed on each album, with Jon Shumway on "This Lonely Time and Place," Chad Neth on "The Journey Into," Cody Walker on "Subconscious," and Michael Turner for "Oblivious to the Obvious."
Hourglass takes strong influences from Dream Theater, Fates Warning, Rush, and many other prog metal, prog rock, and classic rock outfits. The band enjoys a local following in the greater Salt Lake City area, and has significant fan bases in Europe and Scandinavia. All their albums have been independently released and financed by the band or individual band members.
2) 90's emo band. Their discography includes a seven inch on Immigrant Sun and a split with New Day Rising on Moo Cow .
3) Hip-Hop producer based out of Los Angeles, California.
Pawn II
Hourglass Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is that what I am?
I have nothing left inside
And you don't give a damn
You keep me in check with a look
My move is stalled
The game reads like an open book
Tell me how you can say that you love me
When the only thing you love is control
Tell me how I can stay when you hurt me
When the things that you say take their toll
I need to see the end of you
Controlling me and haunting me
I want to see what I can do
Away from here, away from you
I need to make my last move
Get out of here and see it through
I'll be free without your noose
And not a pawn for you to use
I'm waiting patiently
For a chance to get out of this trap
When the hold that you have
Loosens its grip from my life
I've hesitated far too long
And I'm afraid to be alone
I'm afraid that when I break away
I'll be lost without a home
Tell me how you can say that you love me
When the only thing you love is control
Tell me how I can play when you beat me
When the moves that you make strip my soul
I need to see the end of you
Controlling me and haunting me
I want to see what I can do
Away from here, away from you
I need to make my last move
Get out of here and see it through
I'll be free without your noose
And not a pawn for you to use
I'm going down that lonely road
I have to get out on my own
I hope the place that my path ends
Is a place that I've never been
In my life I've made mistakes
And now I'm drowning in their wake
Checkmate doesn't mean I'm through
Only that I'm through with you
The sting of your words still burns me
The scar of emotion is too deep to heal
Your move has become failed strategy
As the prison that you built burns down
I need to see the end of you
Controlling me and haunting me
I want to see what I can do
Away from here, away from you
I need to make my last move
Get out of here and see it through
I'll be free without your noose
And not a pawn for you to use
The lyrics to "Pawn II" by Hourglass are a powerful reflection on a toxic relationship where one person is controlling the other. The singer feels like they are nothing more than a pawn to the other person, being manipulated and used at will. The chorus repeats the questions of how the other person can claim to love them when all they love is control, and how the singer can stay in such a situation when it hurts them so much. The imagery of a chess game is used throughout, with the singer feeling trapped and unable to escape the other person's hold.
However, the singer also acknowledges their own fear of being alone and their hesitancy to break away. They know that they need to make their last move and escape from the other person's grasp, but they are uncertain about what comes next. The final verses express a determination to break free, even if it means going down a lonely road and facing the consequences of past mistakes. The final lines are a powerful assertion of the singer's newfound independence: "I'll be free without your noose / And not a pawn for you to use."
Overall, "Pawn II" is a song about the struggle to break free from a controlling relationship and find one's own way in the world. It touches on themes of fear, loneliness, and the need for independence, and uses powerful imagery and emotions to convey its message.
Line by Line Meaning
You treat me like a pawn
You constantly use and manipulate me for your own gain, without regard for my well-being or feelings.
Is that what I am?
Am I just a pawn in your game, with no control or agency over my own life?
I have nothing left inside
Your constant emotional abuse has left me feeling empty, helpless, and drained.
And you don't give a damn
You have no empathy or concern for me as a person, seeing me only as a means to an end.
You keep me in check with a look
Your intimidating presence and controlling behavior make me feel constantly on edge and fearful.
My move is stalled
Your manipulation and oppression have left me feeling powerless, unable to make meaningful choices or move forward in my life.
The game reads like an open book
Your intentions and tactics are transparent and predictable, leaving me feeling trapped and exposed.
I've been positioned to fall
You have set me up for failure, using me as a sacrificial pawn to advance your own agenda at any cost.
Tell me how you can say that you love me
Despite your abuse and control, you claim to love me, which is confusing and contradictory.
When the only thing you love is control
Your love is not genuine, but rather an expression of your desire to dominate and wield power over me.
Tell me how I can stay when you hurt me
Despite your mistreatment and pain that you inflict on me, I struggle to break free of your hold and choose a different path.
When the things that you say take their toll
Your constant emotional abuse and manipulation have taken a toll on my mental and emotional well-being.
I need to see the end of you
I am determined to free myself from your control and manipulation, and move on with my life.
Controlling me and haunting me
Your presence in my life has been suffocating and oppressive, causing me to feel trapped and haunted by your influence.
I want to see what I can do
I want to break free from your hold and discover my own potential and power as an independent person.
Away from here, away from you
I need to distance myself from you and your toxic influence to begin the healing process and reclaim my life.
I need to make my last move
I need to take action to free myself from your control, and make the final move to break away.
Get out of here and see it through
I must leave this toxic environment and commit fully to my own growth and healing.
I'll be free without your noose
Once I break free from your control and manipulation, I will be unfettered and able to live my life on my own terms.
And not a pawn for you to use
I will no longer be a tool for you to manipulate and control for your own gain.
I'm waiting patiently
I am biding my time, waiting for the opportunity to break free and claim my own life.
For a chance to get out of this trap
I feel trapped by your control and manipulation, and want to escape this suffocating environment.
When the hold that you have
Your hold on me is almost complete, but I am still fighting to break free.
Loosens its grip from my life
As I distance myself from your control, I feel your grip on me slowly starting to weaken.
I've hesitated far too long
I have allowed your control and manipulation to continue for far too long, and must take action soon.
And I'm afraid to be alone
I fear that without you, I cannot survive or thrive on my own.
I'm afraid that when I break away
I am scared that once I escape your grasp, I will be lost and directionless.
I'll be lost without a home
Without you, I feel like I have no sense of identity or belonging in the world.
Tell me how I can play when you beat me
Despite your abuse and control, you expect me to keep playing your game and submitting to your domination.
When the moves that you make strip my soul
Your tactics and manipulation are stripping me of my sense of self and my will to live.
I'm going down that lonely road
Breaking free of your control and manipulation is a lonely and difficult road, but I am determined to take it.
I have to get out on my own
I realize that I must make this journey alone, without your toxic influence.
I hope the place that my path ends
I am hopeful that once I break free, my journey will lead me to a place of peace, healing, and growth.
Is a place that I've never been
I am excited at the prospect of discovering new parts of myself and the world that I have never encountered before.
In my life I've made mistakes
I acknowledge that I am not perfect, and have made mistakes in my life, but I am committed to learning from them and moving forward.
And now I'm drowning in their wake
The consequences of my mistakes are weighing heavily on me, and I feel overwhelmed and suffocated by them.
Checkmate doesn't mean I'm through
Even though you may think you have won and have me under your control, I am not defeated yet.
Only that I'm through with you
The only thing that checkmate signifies is my desire to break free from your control and manipulation, and reclaim my life.
The sting of your words still burns me
Your emotional abuse and manipulation continue to hurt me, even after I have left your grasp.
The scar of emotion is too deep to heal
Your abuse has left a lasting mark on me, and the healing process will be long and difficult.
Your move has become failed strategy
Your once-effective tactics and manipulation no longer work on me, and I am no longer under your control.
As the prison that you built burns down
The toxic environment and manipulation that you created is now crumbling, and I am breaking free from your grasp.
Contributed by Logan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.