Legends
Doug Olsen Lyrics
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As it rose upon its fiery tail to space
And once upon a time a man that we sent out
Plundered in a strange and alien place
And as I watched them walk upon the moon
I remembered Icarus who flew to close to the sun
And the rockets flew no longer to the moon
And once upon a time, We swore that we'd return
But it doesn't look like we'll be back there soon
And as the moon shines down on the shattered launching ground
I remembered Apollo who drove the chariot of the sun
And I wonder of the legends they will tell
A thousand years from now
Doug Olsen's song "Legends" touches on the theme of human ingenuity and exploration, and its inevitable decline. The song opens with a reference to the Saturn V rocket, which could be heard roaring as it lifted off into space. The rocket is emblematic of the breathtaking technological feats achieved during the space race. The lyric "And once upon a time a man that we sent out / Plundered in a strange and alien place" refers to the first moon landing in 1969. The word "plundered" here conveys not only the sense of exploration, but also the idea of conquest and triumph.
The second verse shows the somber reality of the moon landing, with the lyric "they tore the gantries down / And the rockets flew no longer to the moon." The verb "tore" casts the dismantling of the Apollo program and its infrastructure in a violent, destructive light. The promise of returning to the moon is implied, but the sentiment is dampened with the line "But it doesn't look like we'll be back there soon."
The chorus brings it all together, with the lyric "And as the moon shines down on the shattered launching ground / I remembered Apollo who drove the chariot of the sun." The image of the Moon and the remnants of our efforts to reach it form a melancholic post-script to our once great achievement. The reference to Apollo is another Greek mythology allusion, mirroring the main theme of human hubris and the inevitable downfall that follows it. The final lyric, "And I wonder of the legends they will tell / A thousand years from now" reflects on the legacy of human achievement and the stories that will be told of our technological prowess.
Line by Line Meaning
Once upon a time, you could hear the Saterns roar
In the past, sounds of the Saturn rockets taking off could be heard
As it rose upon its fiery tail to space
The Saturn rockets rose into space with flames in its trail
And once upon a time a man that we sent out
On another occasion, a human was sent to a foreign and unknown place
Plundered in a strange and alien place
This person explored and took from a place never visited by humans before
And as I watched them walk upon the moon
As they were seen walking on the surface of the moon
I remembered Icarus who flew too close to the sun
This experience reminded the singer of a Greek myth of a person who experienced hubris when attempting to fly too high
Once upon a time, they tore the gantries down
The gantries (launching pads) were destroyed in the past
And the rockets flew no longer to the moon
No rockets flew to the moon anymore
And once upon a time, We swore that we'd return
There was a promise to come back to the moon
But it doesn't look like we'll be back there soon
Currently, it seems that this promise may not be fulfilled any time soon
And as the moon shines down on the shattered launching ground
The moon's light is cast upon the ruined launching site
I remembered Apollo who drove the chariot of the sun
The artist remembers the Greek god Apollo who was believed to drive the sun across the sky
And I wonder of the legends they will tell
The singer is curious about the stories that will be told in the future
A thousand years from now
Referring to a time far in the future
Contributed by David B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@paxnerdvana8287
This song gives me the chills every time.
@Yarkoonian
This actually makes me really sad
@bryantdodd7474
Update WERE GOING BACK
@musical130
It seemed like no one even wanted to for years upon years...
@stekra3159
SLS will fly us ther
@GrigoriZhukov
tears fall for what should have been...
@anarchyandempires5452
Do not cry for what could have been instead of cry tears of joy for what will be, we are going back to Luna and this time we're staying there.
Soon the shining metal of the 12 starships will paint the void in brilliant light as they escort humanities hope to Luna, as they escort starship lunar and and with it humanitie's first stellar colony.
The future of our grandfather's wishes is now ours to accomplish, the starships are almost ready, the people are brave, strong and ever ready , and our will for the stars is now unbreakable.
@Siriussky22
@anarchyandempires5421 Do you mind if I put what you've wrote into a filk song? I've written two filk songs so far
@GrigoriZhukov
@@Siriussky22 go ahead.
@Siriussky22
@@anarchyandempires5452 Do you mind if I put what you've wrote into a filk song?