The opening lines from the song are a direct lift from the book Atlas Shrugged by noted author Ayn Rand. The first phrase, "There was no time for pain, no energy for anger. Sightlessness of hatred slips away." is paraphrase from the exact quote "He had no time for pain, no energy for anger. Within a few weeks, it was over; the blinding stabs of hatred ceased and did not return." (p.211 of the Centennial Edition) The next phrase in the song, "Walking through winter streets alone, he stops and takes a breath, with confidence and self-control," is similar to the next few sentences in the book. Dream Theater is known for using movie sound clips in their songs to make a point. However, this inclusion was actually in the lyrics with no reference given to Rand or the book itself. The song itself does not seem to hold any other parallels to Atlas Shrugged and it is unknown what significance this inclusion has.
Like many epic progressive rock songs, Learning to Live has a somewhat unusual structure. Starting at 4:45, James LaBrie stops singing, allowing the instrumentation to continue. At approximately 6:58, he begins singing wordlessly, building up to a very high note that coincides with the song's main climax. This note is one of the highest notes sung in any Dream Theater song ever written, being the F# under soprano C, or F#5. The only higher note to date on a Dream Theater studio version of a song to date is the G5 towards the end of "Octavarium". Higher notes can be heard on multiple live versions of songs, though, including notes as high as A5 in the band's cover of "The Number of the Beast" and certain versions of "Lines in the Sand". The F#, though, is so high that LaBrie used to occasionally have trouble singing it live, during the period of time in which his voice was damaged, and would instead sing a C#5. The song's climax is followed by a guitar solo by John Petrucci. At approximately 8:10, the main riff from the song "Wait for Sleep", the previous track off the album, can be heard, and again at 8:53. The instrumentation continues until 9:35, when LaBrie joins in for the song's monumental conclusion.
Learning to Live
Dream Theater Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No energy for anger
The sightlessness of hatred slips away
Walking through winter streets alone
He stops and takes a breath
With confidence and self-control
I look at the world and see no understanding
I'm begging you from the bottom of my heart
To show me understanding
I need to live life
Like some people never will
So find me kindness
Find me beauty
Find me truth
When temptation brings me to my knees
And I lay here drained of strength
Show me kindness
Show me beauty
Show me truth
The way your heart sounds
Makes all the difference
It's what decides if you'll endure the pain that we all feel
The way your heart beats
Makes all the difference
In learning to live
Here before me is my soul
I'm learning to live
I won't give up till I've no more to give
No more to give
Listening to the city
Whispering its violence
I set out watching from above
The 90's bring new questions
New solutions to be found
I fell in love to be let down
Once again we dance in the crowd
At times a step away
From a common fear that's all spread out
It won't listen to what you say
Once you're touched you stand alone
To face the bitter fight
Once I reached for love
And now I reach for life
Another chance to lift my life
Free the sensation in my heart
To ride the wings of dreams
Into changing horizons
It brings inner peace within my mind
As I'm lifted from where I spilt my life
I hear an innocent voice
I hear kindness, beauty and truth
The way your heart sounds
Makes all the difference
It's what decides if you'll endure the pain that we all feel
The way your heart beats
Makes all the difference
In learning to live
Spread before you is your soul
So forever hold the dreams within our hearts
Through nature's inflexible grace
I'm learning to live
The song "Learning to Live" by Dream Theater tackles the theme of inner struggles and self-discovery in the journey of life. The opening lines "There was no time for pain, no energy for anger, the sightlessness of hatred slips away" imply that the singer has come to terms with the negative emotions that have been plaguing him/her for a long time. He/she has decided to take control over his/her life and move on to a better and fulfilling future. The lines "I look at the world and see no understanding, I'm waiting to find some sense of strength, I'm begging you from the bottom of my heart to show me understanding" conveys the sense of helplessness and uncertainty that one may feel in their quest for meaning and purpose. The singer is yearning for someone to guide and show them the way to "find kindness, beauty, and truth" in the midst of the chaos that surrounds us.
The chorus of the song highlights the importance of the heart as the center of our emotions and actions. "The way your heart sounds makes all the difference, it's what decides if you'll endure the pain that we all feel, the way your heart beats makes all the difference in learning to live". The heart here symbolizes the essence of living and how it is essential to listen to our hearts to experience happiness and fulfillment in life. The line "Here before me is my soul, I'm learning to live, I won't give up till I've no more to give," signifies the singer's determination to unlock their full potential to achieve a meaningful life.
Overall, the song "Learning to Live" by Dream Theater expresses the struggles that come with finding one's purpose in life and how important it is to listen to one's heart while trying to navigate through the complexities of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
There was no time for pain
No moment to experience or dwell on hurtful feelings and emotions.
No energy for anger
Lack of strength or mental capacity to feel or express any form of hostility or resentment.
The sightlessness of hatred slips away
The blindness caused by malice disappears gradually.
Walking through winter streets alone
Going through hard times by oneself.
He stops and takes a breath
Pausing and gathering courage to continue facing challenges.
With confidence and self-control
Having trust in oneself and being able to manage one's actions and emotions.
I look at the world and see no understanding
Observing the world and recognizing a lack of compassion and empathy.
I'm waiting to find some sense of strength
Longing to acquire some form of resilience, determination or fortitude.
I'm begging you from the bottom of my heart
Pleading earnestly and desperately.
To show me understanding
To demonstrate empathy or comprehension.
I need to live life
I should cherish and embrace existence.
Like some people never will
With the intensity, passion or appreciation that some may never experience.
So find me kindness
Help me discover compassion or benevolence.
Find me beauty
Help me uncover aesthetic or emotional appeal.
Find me truth
Help me discover what is factual, real or genuine.
When temptation brings me to my knees
When a strong desire or lure almost compels me to yield or surrender.
And I lay here drained of strength
And I cannot summon any more resources or energy.
Show me kindness
Demonstrate compassion or benevolence towards me.
Show me beauty
Demonstrate aesthetic or emotional appeal to me.
Show me truth
Demonstrate what is factual, real or genuine to me.
The way your heart sounds
The way your heart feels or expresses itself.
Makes all the difference
Is what distinguishes or determines success or failure.
It's what decides if you'll endure the pain that we all feel
It determines whether you will withstand the suffering that is common to all humanity.
The way your heart beats
The rhythm or intensity with which your heart feels or expresses itself.
In learning to live
In acquiring the skills, knowledge or attitude to make the most of existence.
Here before me is my soul
Here in front of me is my deepest essence or spirit.
I'm learning to live
I'm adapting to existence, evolving or growing as a person.
I won't give up till I've no more to give
I won't surrender my efforts or aspirations until I have nothing else to offer.
Listening to the city
Hearing the sounds and feeling the vibe of the urban environment.
Whispering its violence
Communicating in a muted tone the aggression or brutality that takes place within the city.
I set out watching from above
I begin my quest, my campaign or my investigation, observing from a higher position.
The 90's bring new questions
The decade of the 90s is characterized by fresh inquiries or doubts.
New solutions to be found
Novel remedies or answers are to be discovered or created.
I fell in love to be let down
I experienced the emotion of love, but it ended in disappointment or disillusionment.
Once again we dance in the crowd
Once more we move and socialize within a group of people.
At times a step away
Occasionally a narrowly missed distance.
From a common fear that's all spread out
From a shared apprehension that permeates everything.
It won't listen to what you say
It won't heed or conform to verbal instructions, advice or entreaties.
Once you're touched you stand alone
Once you are affected or influenced, you are cast aside and face the situation by yourself.
To face the bitter fight
To confront the arduous battle or challenge.
Once I reached for love
Once I tried to attain affection or fondness.
And now I reach for life
And now I aspire to enjoy and value being alive.
Another chance to lift my life
Another opportunity to raise, elevate or enhance my existence.
Free the sensation in my heart
Liberate the emotions or feelings in my deepest essence.
To ride the wings of dreams
To soar and drift with the visions or aspirations that we cherish.
Into changing horizons
Toward different or transformed perspectives, possibilities or futures.
It brings inner peace within my mind
It generates tranquility and harmony in my thoughts and emotions.
As I'm lifted from where I spilt my life
As I'm elevated from the place where I wasted or missed opportunities or time.
I hear an innocent voice
I listen to a natural, pure or genuine expression.
I hear kindness, beauty and truth
I understand and perceive benevolence, attractiveness and sincerity.
Spread before you is your soul
What is presented to you is your deepest essence or spirit.
So forever hold the dreams within our hearts
So retain and cherish the aspirations that we cherish in our deepest essence.
Through nature's inflexible grace
Through the beauty, order or balance that nature provides and that cannot be changed or bent.
I'm learning to live
I'm adapting to existence, evolving or growing as a person.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN MYUNG, JOHN PETRUCCI, JOHN RO MYUNG, KEVIN F. MOORE, KEVIN JAMES LABRIE, KEVIN JAMES LA BRIE, MICHAEL PORTNOY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind