Former members include Derek Webb (guitar, vocals; left the band in 2003 to pursue a solo career), Aaron Tate (songwriting duties), Aric Nitzberg (bass guitar), and Randy Holsapple (hammond organ).
Recently Derek Webb rejoined the band.
Masquerade
Caedmon's Call Lyrics
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Underneath the canvas clouds
The blackness after midnight
Swallowed everything around
But just up ahead on the open horizon
We caught the faintest glow
And as we drew near
In the center of the city
Comes the illusion of the day
When everything looks pretty
It's easy to think you've found the way
But it's all just a big masquerade
It was thirty-six months earlier
On that same old lonesome road
And that same old darkness lingered
Just before the lightning show
And the thunder cracked down
And His lightning conquered everything around
The dark had to flee
Now the light of the little town
Was as dark as the night compared to His light
In the center of the city
Comes the illusion of the day
When everything looks pretty
It's easy to think you've found the way
But it's all just a big masquerade
In “Masquerade,” Caedmon’s Call sings about the false sense of security that can come from living in a city. The song begins with a description of a drive down an open freeway at night. The darkness is all-consuming, but in the distance, a faint light appears, and as the car gets closer, the darkness begins to fade away. This symbolizes the hope that can be found even in the darkest times. However, the song then shifts to the center of the city, where everything looks pretty and the illusion of the day makes it easy to think that one has found the way. But in reality, it’s all just a big masquerade, a false front that hides the truth.
The lyrics suggest that this is not just a city thing, but something that can be true about life in general. Just like the darkness of the freeway is swallowed up by the light in the distance, the darkness in our lives and the lies we believe can also be conquered by the light of Christ. The lightning storm referenced in the song is likely a metaphor for a spiritual awakening or a moment of clarity, that can help us see the truth behind the masquerade. Ultimately, the song is a call to recognize the lies we often believe and to seek out the truth that can set us free.
Line by Line Meaning
On an open stretch of freeway
On a wide and deserted road
Underneath the canvas clouds
Beneath the sky, filled with a blanket of clouds
The blackness after midnight
The darkness that engulfs everything after midnight
Swallowed everything around
Completely engulfed the surroundings in darkness
But just up ahead on the open horizon
But on the far away visible horizon
We caught the faintest glow
We noticed a feeble light
And as we drew near it seemed so clear
As we moved closer, it became evident
That the dark would have to go
That the darkness would have to dissipate
In the center of the city
Amidst the hubbub of city life
Comes the illusion of the day
Appears the delusion of daylight
When everything looks pretty
When everything seems beautiful
It's easy to think you've found the way
It's effortless to think you have discovered the path
But it's all just a big masquerade
It's all nothing but a grand pretense
It was thirty-six months earlier
It happened three years before
On that same old lonesome road
On that same desolate road
And that same old darkness lingered
And the same darkness persisted
Just before the lightning show
Precisely before the lightning and thunderstorm unfolded
And the thunder cracked down
And the thunder boomed
And His lightning conquered everything around
And the lightning illuminated the darkness and overpowered everything
The dark had to flee
The darkness had to retreat
Now the light of the little town
Now the illumination in the small town
Was as dark as the night compared to His light
Appeared dull in contrast to His radiance
Contributed by Ruby V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.