Founded in 1969 by guitarist Frank Bornemann, the band has endured several line-up changes, with Bornemann being the only consistent member of the group. In the 1980s, after a series of major splits (like in 1984 although reformed in 1988) in the group, Bornemann pursued a more commercial direction. Despite attracting a large following, the band never gained popularity in the United States.
However, in later years, former members of the band re-joined, and in 1998 fans delighted in hearing Ocean 2, a return to the classic symphonic progressive genre that the band was so well known for. A sequel to the 1977's original, it is commonly thought among fans that it successfully recaptures the spirit of the band, and is a worthy follow-up to the much beloved classic.
Of the band's numerous records, fans generally consider Inside, Floating, Dawn, Ocean, Silent Cries & Mighty Echoes, Planets and Ocean 2 to be the superior albums.
Despite their nationality, the band is not generally considered krautrock due to their sound which has much more in common with English progressive groups such as Pink Floyd and Yes.
In 2009 after a decade of hiatus Frank Bornemann released a DVD celebrating their 40th anniversary and a new album called Visionairy.
In the following period he worked on a concept double album about the life of the Maid of Orleans, Jeanne d'Arc. The album The Vision, the Sword and the Pyre, Pt. 1 was released in 2017, followed by The Vision, the Sword and the Pyre, Pt. 2 in 2019.
Current Line-up:
Frank Bornemann
Klaus-Peter Matziol
Hannes Arkona
Hannes Folberth
Bodo Schopf
03. pilot to paradise
Eloy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're in possession of the golden key!
Enormous ignorance surrounds the liar,
But our spirit could really tell us prodigy!
Will-O-the-wisps, so countless by our side,
Try to make us stumble wanderin' and glide!
Pilot to paradise - open your eyes!
Pilot to paradise - make us wise!
Now it dwells inside of your inner secrecy!
To discover the guardian of harmony
We gotta immerse into our inner sea!
It animates us, makes us wonder and act
And it only depends on us - as a natural fact:
Whether it is far as the farthest star,
Or whether it is near, so clean and so clear!
So, let's look for the pilot,
Leading through our night!
At the tunnel's end - I am sure -
We'll discover
The light!
And I know there's someone to hold us tide!
Man's damned to fight, only love
And truth will bring us the light!
Pilot to paradise - open our eyes!
Pilot to paradise - finally make us wise!
The song "Pilot to Paradise" by Eloy talks about self-discovery, finding inner harmony, and the notion of a higher power or "pilot" that can lead us on our journey towards enlightenment. The lyrics suggest that we all have a "twinkling fire" or a light within us that is the key to our inner universe. The song also alludes to the story of Adam and Eve, where Adam swallowed the key that now resides within our inner being. To discover this guardian of harmony, we need to dive deep into our inner self and allow ourselves to wonder and act.
The song is telling us that we are surrounded by countless distractions that can make us stumble and lose our way. These distractions are like the will-o-the-wisps that can lead us astray. However, if we open our eyes and look for the pilot that can lead us through the darkness, we can find the light at the end of the tunnel. The song suggests that the pilot is not someone else, but our inner being, and once we discover it, we can finally attain wisdom.
Overall, the message of the song is to trust our instinct, follow our inner light, and allow ourselves to be guided towards the paradise within.
Line by Line Meaning
We contain a light - It's a twinkling fire,
We possess an inner light that shines and flickers like a fire.
We're in possession of the golden key!
We hold the key to enlightenment and access to paradise.
Enormous ignorance surrounds the liar,
Those who deceive are often surrounded by great ignorance and falsehood.
But our spirit could really tell us prodigy!
We have the ability to identify those with great talent and potential through our intuition.
Will-O-the-wisps, so countless by our side,
We are constantly surrounded by distracting, misleading forces.
Try to make us stumble wanderin' and glide!
These forces attempt to lead us astray from our true path.
Pilot to paradise - open your eyes!
We need guidance to find our way to paradise and must keep our eyes open for it.
Pilot to paradise - make us wise!
We need wisdom to fully understand and achieve paradise.
Milleniums ago, Adam swallowed the key,
The key to paradise has been known since ancient times, with the story of Adam being the first person to obtain it.
Now it dwells inside of your inner secrecy!
The key to paradise is inside of us and can only be unlocked through self-discovery and exploration of our inner selves.
To discover the guardian of harmony
To find harmony, we must identify those who can guide us towards it.
We gotta immerse into our inner sea!
To fully understand ourselves and find harmony, we must dive deep into our inner selves.
It animates us, makes us wonder and act
Our inner light and self-discovery motivates us to explore and discover.
And it only depends on us - as a natural fact:
Our ability to find and unlock our inner selves and discover paradise is solely reliant on our own efforts and actions.
Whether it is far as the farthest star,
The distance to finding paradise and inner peace can be great, like the farthest star in the sky.
Or whether it is near, so clean and so clear!
But it can also be close by and easily attainable, if we look for it.
So, let's look for the pilot,
We need to locate the guide who will point us towards paradise and harmony.
Leading through our night!
This guide will lead us through the darkness and confusion to the light and clarity of paradise.
At the tunnel's end - I am sure -
I am confident that at the end of our journey, paradise and ultimate enlightenment awaits us.
We'll discover the light!
We will finally find and experience the inner light and peace we have been seeking.
And I know there's someone to hold us tide!
We can find comfort and support in our guide as we navigate our way towards enlightenment and paradise.
Man's damned to fight, only love
Humanity is cursed with endless struggle, but we can overcome it through love and compassion for others.
And truth will bring us the light!
Being truthful with ourselves and others is the key to unlocking our inner light and experiencing true enlightenment.
Pilot to paradise - open our eyes!
We need guidance to find our way to paradise and must keep our eyes open for it.
Pilot to paradise - finally make us wise!
We need wisdom to fully understand and achieve paradise.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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