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
Paralysed Civilization
Eloy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A piercing cold inside
Obscures the astral light
Expanding alienation
A fatal transformation
Minds caught in space and time
Await the final sign
A fading age is left behind
Dawning
Feel the heartbeat of creation
Dawning
Signals of predestination
Warning
Civilization in decay
The children of the future led astray
Expelled from paradise
A wasted sacrifice
Tears turning into ice
Perverted evolution
Senseless revolution
Scared by uncertainty
Blind to reality
Lost in infinity
Eerie moonlight shadows in the night
Dawning
Feel the heartbeat of creation
Dawning
Signals of predestination
Warning
Civilization in decay
The children of the future led astray
Ancient trails in the sand
Gone with the winds of eternity
No beginning, no end
All cycles end in infinity
Let your intuition's fire burn
Trust your guide inside
Surpass the stairway of no return
Towards the dawn of light
It's the time
It's the time
Beware the final sign
It's the time
Awake your senses
It's the time
Approach the turn of time
It's the time
Don't fear the changes
It's the time
Ride on the wings of light
It's the time
Escape the darkness
Time
Heed to your voice inside
Time, time
Defeat the madness
Time, time, time, time, time, time
Lone age of vanity
Mindless insanity
Hail to technology
A spectral fascination
Aimless navigation
No motion in the air
A silent scream somewhere
Vibrations everywhere
Oscillations of despair
Warning
Stirring fears of termination
Warning
Paralysed civilization
Dawning
Step into a new millennium
The never ending challenge of mankind
In the song Paralysed Civilization, Eloy is telling a story of a society that has lost its way. The first stanza paints a picture of a community that is suffering from a deep sense of isolation and disconnection from the world around them. The second stanza moves on to describe a civilization that is living in a dream world, where they are blinded by false visions and unable to see reality. As the chorus begins, Eloy speaks of a new dawn, one where people should "feel the heartbeat of creation" and be aware of the "signals of predestination."
The third stanza speaks of a civilization that has been expelled from paradise and is now lost in a world of uncertainty. They are going through perverted evolution and senseless revolution. The fourth stanza speaks of the eerie moonlight shadows that surround them at night, a world that seems to be endless and without purpose.
The song then turns to an uplifting message - that there is still hope. Eloy is telling us to listen to our intuition, to trust our inner guide and to move towards the dawn of light. It is time to awaken our senses, approach the turn of time and ride on the wings of light. The song ends on a final note of caution, urging us to defeat the madness and stir the fears of termination that are paralyzing our civilization.
Line by Line Meaning
Salvation out of sight
The possibility of being saved or rescued is nowhere to be found.
A piercing cold inside
A deep and intense feeling of coldness is felt within the singer.
Obscures the astral light
The singer's emotional distress is preventing them from accessing spiritual enlightenment.
Expanding alienation
The artist's sense of isolation and disconnection from the world is growing stronger.
A fatal transformation
A change is happening that will be disastrous or deadly.
Minds caught in space and time
People are trapped in their own perceptions of reality.
Await the final sign
People are waiting for a clear indication that something important is about to happen.
Deceptive visions shine
Illusions that mislead people are abundant.
A fading age is left behind
The era that people were previously familiar with is slowly disappearing.
Dawning
The emergence of something new and significant is happening.
Feel the heartbeat of creation
Take notice of the processes and rhythms of the natural world.
Signals of predestination
Indicators of a future that has already been predetermined.
Warning
An alert of impending danger or trouble.
Civilization in decay
The current state of society is deteriorating and falling apart.
The children of the future led astray
The younger generation is being misguided and misled.
Expelled from paradise
Being reprimanded and expelled from a perfect or ideal situation.
A wasted sacrifice
Someone or something of value was sacrificed without any benefit.
Tears turning into ice
Crying so much that tears feel icy and cold.
Perverted evolution
The natural process of change has been corrupted.
Senseless revolution
A revolution that lacks purpose or just cause.
Scared by uncertainty
Feeling fear or anxiety towards the unknown.
Blind to reality
Unaware or ignoring the truth of a situation.
Lost in infinity
Being forever lost and wandering through an infinite realm.
Eerie moonlight shadows in the night
Unnerving and mysterious shadows cast by the moon on a dark night.
Ancient trails in the sand
Long-lasting pathways etched into the sand.
Gone with the winds of eternity
Vanished forever with the passage of time.
No beginning, no end
A cycle that has neither a starting nor stopping point.
All cycles end in infinity
All recurring events will continue indefinitely.
Let your intuition's fire burn
Listen to and be guided by your intuition.
Trust your guide inside
Have faith in the voice or feeling inside that leads you.
Surpass the stairway of no return
Overcome the obstacles that seem impossible to surpass.
Towards the dawn of light
Head towards the beginning of a new and positive phase.
It's the time
This is the moment when it matters most.
Beware the final sign
Be cautious of the indication that something is coming to an end.
Awake your senses
Become alert and receptive to the world.
Approach the turn of time
The time to change direction and create a new path is approaching.
Don't fear the changes
Do not be afraid of changes, as they are necessary for progress.
Ride on the wings of light
Be propelled forward by the positive and illuminating forces of the universe.
Escape the darkness
Break free from the negative and bleak aspects of life.
Time
An acknowledgement of the passage of time.
Heed to your voice inside
Listen closely to the inner voice within oneself.
Defeat the madness
Overcome the senseless or irrational actions and beliefs one may possess.
Lone age of vanity
A time of self-centeredness and self-adulation.
Mindless insanity
Insanity that makes no sense or rationale.
Hail to technology
Admiration or respect given to the advancements and influence of technology.
A spectral fascination
An intense and abnormal interest in supernatural or ghostly things.
Aimless navigation
Traveling or working towards a goal without a clear sense of direction or purpose.
No motion in the air
A feeling of something being stuck and unchanging.
A silent scream somewhere
A scream that is not heard but still exists.
Vibrations everywhere
A sense that something significant is in the air.
Oscillations of despair
A fluctuation in emotions that is predominately negative.
Warning
An alert of impending danger or trouble.
Stirring fears of termination
Causing a rising worry or dread that something is coming to an end.
Paralysed civilization
Society that is unable to move forward or make progress.
Step into a new millennium
Moving forward into a new and better era.
The never ending challenge of mankind
The ongoing and eternal test that humanity faces.
Contributed by Xavier A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MrThoss1
That riff at 2:45 is so fucking amazing !!
Jhones Willian
Listen to The Mirror, from Spooky Tooth
Dennis Benzle
a very well constructed album add a little genius a touch of Floyd sensibility lovely work
Daniel Cegalla
Porra, esses caras são sensacionais!
Edgar Marchetti
Wonderful song!
Vosoogh Zardoshtian
Edgar Marchetti . yes its a very good album.
Ryan Travis
my favorite of this album, wish it were on Spotify & Google Play.
Ryan Travis
For sure
Procerus
@Ryan Travis but holy cow this stuff is underrated
Ryan Travis
Yeah I saw that thank you