Constant Motion
Dream Theater Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Controlling my thoughts, obsessing me
Void of any uncertainty
Throughout my very soul
Lost illusions of my control
Resisting all hope of letting go
Racing impulse of dark desire
I try to shut it down
It leaves me in the dust
No matter what I've found
I can never get enough
Frantic actions of insanity
Impulsive laced profanity
Long for elusive serenity
Way out of my control
[Chorus:]
Traveling through both space and time
(Out of body, out of mind)
Out of control, my wheels in constant motion
Spinning round and round it goes
(I can't let up, I can't let go)
Can't stop this flame from burning
Forever more, into the night, blistering
Focus here, focus there
Cannot see the light
(Falling down through the night)
Sprawling everywhere
Searching left, searching right
(Panic setting in, I can no longer fight)
When will this end?
Accelerate, dislocate
(Set to crash and burn, haven't got time to waste)
Not planning to return
Aggravate, agitate
(When will I ever learn?)
There's no way out of here
Nowhere to turn
Obsessive yearning
Compulsive burning
Still never learning
Insane random thoughts of neat disorder
Scattered wasteland surrounding me
Tattered memories of what used to be
Apocalyptic mind debris
Until we meet again
(Uh)
[Chorus]
Traveling through both space and time
(Out of body, out of mind)
Out of control, my wheels in constant motion
Spinning round and round it goes
(I can't let up, I can't let go)
Can't stop this flame from burning
Can't stop the wheels from turning
[Chorus]
The opening lines of this song describe a state of mind that is hyper-focused but also out of control. The singer feels as though their thoughts are being controlled by a powerful force that they cannot resist. This force is devoid of any uncertainty, which suggests that it is all-encompassing and not subject to any degree of doubt or hesitation. It has taken root in the singer’s soul and has left them with no illusions of control.
Despite this lack of control, the singer is resisting any hope of letting go. They are driven by a powerful, dark desire that compels them to behave in ways that are both frantic and insane. They are searching for something that they cannot find, and this search has driven them to the brink of their sanity. The chorus emphasizes the extent to which the singer feels out of control: they are traveling through both space and time, and their wheels are in constant motion. They feel as though they are spinning out of control, unable to stop or even slow down.
The second half of the song continues in the same vein, describing the singer’s sense of disorientation and confusion. They are searching left and right but cannot see the light. They are set to crash and burn and feel as though there is nowhere to turn. The song ends on a somewhat ominous note, with the singer referencing the scattered wasteland surrounding them and tattered memories of what used to be. The final line, “Until we meet again,” suggests that this is not the end of the story but merely a pause before the cycle begins anew.
Line by Line Meaning
Tunnel vision at blinding speed
I am moving towards my goal with great speed and focus, while ignoring everything else in my surroundings.
Controlling my thoughts, obsessing me
My own mind is completely consumed by the pursuit of my goal.
Void of any uncertainty
I am absolutely confident that I can achieve my goal.
Throughout my very soul
My desire to achieve my goal is ingrained deeply in my entire being.
Lost illusions of my control
I realize that I may not have as much control over the situation as I thought.
Resisting all hope of letting go
Despite recognizing that I may not be in complete control, I refuse to give up trying.
Racing impulse of dark desire
My intense and almost uncontrollable desire is pushing me forwards.
Drives me through the night
My pursuit of my goal is relentless and continues without pause.
I try to shut it down
Sometimes I want to stop and take a break, but I can't.
It leaves me in the dust
My pursuit is relentless and unforgiving, often leaving me tired and drained.
No matter what I've found
Despite my efforts, nothing can satisfy my insatiable desire to achieve my goal.
I can never get enough
My desire for my goal is limitless and can never be fully satisfied.
Frantic actions of insanity
My desperation to achieve my goal occasionally drives me to madness.
Impulsive laced profanity
At times, I lose control and become vulgar, acting out of only desire and emotion.
Long for elusive serenity
Despite my drive, I long for the peace of mind that comes with finally achieving my goal.
Way out of my control
Despite my best efforts, the situation has grown beyond my grasp.
Traveling through both space and time
My relentless pursuit of my goal has taken me through various experiences and periods.
(Out of body, out of mind)
Sometimes, I become so focused on my goal that I lose touch with reality and basic human connections.
Out of control, my wheels in constant motion
I have lost control of the situation, and my relentless pursuit continues unabated.
Spinning round and round it goes
I am trapped in a cycle of constant pursuit and desire.
(I can't let up, I can't let go)
No matter how much I may want to, I cannot stop my relentless pursuit of my goal.
Can't stop this flame from burning
My desire to achieve my goal is like a flame that cannot be extinguished.
Forever more, into the night, blistering
I am committed to relentlessly pursuing my goal for as long as it takes, even if it means losing sleep or burning myself out.
Focus here, focus there
My pursuit of my goal requires a high level of focus and attention to detail.
Cannot see the light
Despite my focus, at times the goal may feel impossibly far away.
(Falling down through the night)
When I lose my sense of direction or focus, I feel like I am spiraling out of control.
Sprawling everywhere
My pursuit takes me in many different directions, often making me feel aimless and disoriented.
Searching left, searching right
Despite my focus, sometimes I have to search for my goal in new and unexpected ways.
(Panic setting in, I can no longer fight)
When things start to feel hopeless, I may feel overwhelmed by despair and panic.
When will this end?
I may feel like I am trapped in the cycle forever and wonder when it will all be over.
Accelerate, dislocate
Sometimes, in order to achieve my goal, I need to push myself beyond my limits and take risks.
(Set to crash and burn, haven't got time to waste)
Despite the risks, I feel like I have no choice but to keep pushing myself, even if it means risking failure.
Not planning to return
Once I have started pursuing my goal, I am fully committed and will not turn back.
Aggravate, agitate
My pursuit can sometimes make things worse, as I may inadvertently create problems or stress for myself.
(When will I ever learn?)
Despite constantly encountering new obstacles and setbacks, I never seem to learn from my mistakes.
There's no way out of here
Sometimes, it feels like I am trapped and there is no escape from my relentless pursuit.
Nowhere to turn
No matter what obstacles I may encounter, I cannot let go of my goal and must continue pressing forward.
Obsessive yearning
My relentless pursuit of my goal is driven by an almost obsessive desire.
Compulsive burning
I am driven by an inner fire that compels me to keep moving forward towards my goal.
Still never learning
Despite my many trials and failures, I continue to be driven by my intense desire.
Insane random thoughts of neat disorder
My thoughts can become chaotic and disordered as I am consumed by my goal.
Scattered wasteland surrounding me
My pursuit has led me to a bleak and barren landscape where progress is slow and uncertain.
Tattered memories of what used to be
My single-minded pursuit prevents me from appreciating things that I used to cherish.
Apocalyptic mind debris
My pursuit can often leave my mind feeling like a desolate wasteland.
Until we meet again
This journey may be trying, but I am resolved to keep going until I reach my goal.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN MYUNG, JOHN PETRUCCI, JOHN RO MYUNG, JORDAN RUDESS, JORDAN CHARLES RUDESS, KEVIN JAMES LABRIE, KEVIN JAMES LA BRIE, MICHAEL PORTNOY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Red
All the members of this band are ultra talented
Giygas
@Bruno Greco stop
irmasil3
Ι love Dream Theatre, every single album is amazing, full of music. BUT, there is a little piece of me that wants to see them getting massively bored and just create a straightforward Thrash album....just saying, they would kick ass........
Sir SpookyBones
HeadBangers Theater
Daniel Chugg
@Sir SpookyBones Thrash Theater
gr8guitarplayer
Tagging onto your idea, I'd like to see them purposely write one song each in the style of some of their main influences. Like, literally, try to almost rip them off. Put a Pink Floyd song on it, one like Rush, something straight-ahead and heavy, like Metallica, and even branch way out into the more tech/effects stuff, and do something along the lines of a Muse song, and cap it off with an epic prog song, that has several movements, with each one pulling from Dream Theater's own styles, and put it all into that song. Of course in doing so, it'd probably be 40 minutes long, just by itself! Here's hoping whatever it is, it's as good as SC, because for me, other than a few songs (Breaking All Illusions & On The Backs of Angels), this was their last album that I really liked.
BeanMan
no how about a progged out thrash album!!!
Infidel
Progressive thrash metal, now that's something I'd buy from Dream Theater
Anthony Albanese
These are music wizards, it's like the band Rush, but on Acid. Masters of clean precision. Every musician in this band is wow , perfection. The dedication, they're one of the only bands that can be super technical and melodic , one of the hardest things to do in music
lilcody69
People who dislike any video of dream theater are only mad b/c John Petrucci played so fast that the temperature of the sun got so hot that it killed their families