Moments In Time
Alarm Lyrics

I was born of nineteen fifty nine
The singer was born in that year

That'll be the day rock'n'roll died
A reference to the song 'That'll Be the Day' by Buddy Holly, who died in a plane crash, commonly referred to as the day rock'n'roll died

Far away on a dark and stormy night
A description of the singer's birth

Brought into the new decade
The artist was born in the year the new decade (the 60s) began

The sixties and her pearly gates
The 60s are personified as a woman, with 'pearly gates' referring to the era's widespread cultural changes

A hard rain fell and the times forever changed
A reference to Bob Dylan's song 'A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall', which describes personal and societal change during difficult times

In the back of a car with the wind in our hair
A description of a memory of being in a car with someone, a carefree moment

Speeding down the road going anywhere
A description of the carefree attitude during the memory

Was it true we were really going nowhere?
A reflection on the aimlessness of that memory and the uncertainty of life

Sixty eight rang like a ricochet
A reference to the violence and social unrest of 1968

The world arose to a nightmare day
A description of the dire state of the world during that time

Some people found their voice and a world to change
Despite the darkness, those times produced social activists and empowered voices for change

One small step for man was one giant leap for mankind
A reference to the moon landing, which was a significant moment in human history

How I wish that we could walk that way tonight
The singer nostalgically wishes they could relive that moment

On a Woodstock field in the heat of the night
A reference to the famous music festival, which was a gathering of like-minded people during a time of change

Rock'n'roll music defined the times
Music was a defining characteristic of that era

The sound of generations collide
The different musical genres and generations that converged at Woodstock

These moments in time
The various experiences and memories the singer has allude to specific moments in time

(These moments in time)
Reiterating that the song is about specific memories

Live on forever in my mind
The memories are immortalized in the artist's mind

Even though we've said goodbye
Despite the passing of time and changes in circumstances, the memories still hold significance

And the seventies king of rock'n'roll
Elvis Presley, who was known as the 'king of rock'n'roll', belonged to the 70s era

In Gracelands lost his throne
Elvis died, representing the end of an era

There won't be any comebacks tomorrow
The end of an era symbolizes the impossibility of returning to the past

No Elvis, Beatles or the Rolling Stones
These musicians, who have all passed away or disbanded, represent a particular era that is no longer present

Why they were taken away? God only knows
Questioning the death/disbandment of the above musicians

We formed a band we were haunted by their ghosts
The singer and their band were influenced by those musicians, but can never truly replicate their legacy

I remember it now like it was yesterday
The artist fondly remembers the time when they formed their band and were influenced by those musicians

Playing those guitars at a frantic pace
The enthusiasm and energy of forming a band

Somewhere we got lost along the way
Despite the enthusiasm, the singer's band lost their way

Through the London streets in a taxi cab
A memory of being in a taxi cab in London

A radio played an epitaph
The radio played a song that symbolized the end of an era

Imagine, the dream is over
A reference to John Lennon's song 'Imagine', which calls for a better world, but acknowledging that it's unrealistic

Oh I've been silent way too long
The artist has kept these memories and reflections inside for too long

You never thought I knew what was going on
Others underestimated the singer's understanding of the significant events of their time

You probably think that you are in this song
The song is not specifically about anyone else, despite the possible overlap of memories/experiences

The tragedies behind the dreams
Acknowledging the difficulties and tragedies that accompanied the era's optimism

Belie the truth and the honesty
Despite the tragedies, the singer values the truth and honesty of that time

I have seen the dirt and the glory
The singer has personally experienced both the positive and negative aspects of that era