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
Song Of A Paranoid Soldier
Eloy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
where cruel things never end
I'm coming home with a broken mind
home to my mother, she's so kind
please my mother
come on here
to help your son
I'm poor boy
anymore
take off pictures
the hideous pictures of death
please my mother come on take me home
I want to see the green leaves of summer
I want forget the years of war
and play in the sand as I did before when I was young.
In the song "Song Of A Paranoid Soldier" by Eloy, the songwriter describes the harrowing experiences of a soldier in a never-ending war. The soldier's mind is broken, and he longs for the comfort of home and his mother. The imagery created in the song is one of despair and misery, with the soldier referring to the "hideous pictures of death" that he has witnessed during his time at war. The lyrics convey a sense of sadness and desperation, with the soldier pleading with his mother to help him and take him home.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of nostalgia for happier times, with the soldier longing to "see the green leaves of summer" and play in the sand as he did when he was young. These sentiments highlight the terrible toll that war can take on a person, both physically and mentally. The song is a poignant reminder of the brutal reality of conflict and its devastating impact on those who are forced to fight.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm soldier in a land
I am a soldier stationed in a land soaked in violence
where cruel things never end
where atrocities keep piling up and the cycle of violence never ceases
I'm coming home with a broken mind
I'm returning from war with a shattered psyche
home to my mother, she's so kind
I seek refuge in the lap of my mother, who is my only solace
please my mother
I implore my mother
come on here
to come and take me away from this hellhole
to help your son
to provide succor to your distraught offspring
I'm poor boy
I am a poverty-stricken youth
I don't want to kill
I am not inclined to commit murder any more
anymore
not ever again, if possible
take off pictures
remove the gruesome depictions
the hideous pictures of death
the gruesome imagery of fatalities
please my mother come on take me home
I plead with my mother to rescue me from this traumatic situation
I want to see the green leaves of summer
I want to behold the beauty of nature again, as a symbol of peace
I want forget the years of war
I wish to erase the memories of war from my mind
and play in the sand as I did before when I was young.
and return to the carefree days of my childhood, devoid of the horrors of adult life
Contributed by Jack D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ryan Travis
my favorite song of this album!
Dennis Benzle
brilliant from the start of their career
Benjamin Blake Mitchner
INTENSE! One of their best songs and the ultimate anti war song. This comes out on the side of the soldiers who are abused by their leaders and sent into Hell not the goody goody rubbish so many anti war lyrics are. Eloy are a great band, but this disowned first album is their most rewarding.
Ryan Travis
this is my 2nd favorite 1st album, Lonesome Crow by Scorpions, but majority of the songs are A+ material!
Benjamin Blake Mitchner
Ryan Travis
Both of them are incredible albums! Lonesome Crow is purely magical.
Ryan Travis
+Benjamin Blake Mitchner My dad had me start to listen to Eloy about 4 or 5 years ago. My first and favorite album Ocean, then Ocean 2. I then listened to all the albums with Jurgen Rosenthal as the drummer and made my way to Eloy.
Benjamin Blake Mitchner
Ryan Travis
Brilliant band I agree all the way through their career,
Ryan Travis
+Benjamin Blake Mitchner Well, now I'm going from visionary, which I extremely enjoy, and trying to make my way to Silent Cries & Mighty Echoes, another good album.