To record the album, the band played live dates from November 9-21 1983 with the Westwood One Mobile Facility. Two of the dates, November 14 and 15 at San Jose, CA were videotaped by MTV. This footage was aired at least once but never released on official videotapes or DVDs. A full concert was also aired on the radio as a Westwood One Broadcast. Original tracks that didn’t make the HSAS “Through The Fire” album include, Tough Enough, Through The Eyes Of Love, Hope and Fear, Since You Came, and What Will Never Be.
Sammy Hagar and Neal Schon were later bandmates in Planet Us. Schon has also played with Hagar as a solo artist. Schon and Michael Shrieve have also both played in Santana.
Valley of The Kings
HSAS Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ten thousand years of sweat, blood and hand
Stones piled so high, a mausoleum scene
We'll reach the sky to the Valley of the Kings
Goodbye Felik, I'll see you soon
We shall rejoice, toot anch a mun
All spirits gone, just empty tombs
The opening lines of the song "Valley of the Kings" by HSAS paint a vivid image of the ancient history that surrounds this region. The "white desert sand" of the Nile creates an eerie sensation, as if the very fabric of time has been stretched thin in the presence of the impressive structures that have survived thousands of years. The lyrics speak of the thousands of years of hard labor that has been poured into the construction of the pyramids, an unimaginable feat that remains as a testament to the strength and perseverance of the human spirit.
The chorus of the song, "We'll reach the sky to the Valley of the Kings," speaks of a sense of awe and reverence for the spirits of the pharaohs entombed in the great pyramids. The Valley of the Kings is a place where the departed kings and their families were laid to rest, and the lyrics suggest that the only way to understand the magnitude of this incredible site is to see it with one's own eyes. The second verse highlights the optimism of the pharaohs and their belief in an afterlife; despite being reduced to "empty tombs" and "empty rooms," their spirits have moved on to a higher realm.
Line by Line Meaning
Across the Nile, white desert sand
We're crossing the Nile and entering the white desert, where the scorching sun and endless sands form an arid wasteland.
Ten thousand years of sweat, blood and hand
For more than 10,000 years, countless workers have toiled under the blazing sun, spilled their blood, and put their hands to work constructing buildings and tombs in this treacherous place.
Stones piled so high, a mausoleum scene
The extensive stone mounds seem like a scene from a huge mausoleum, memorializing those that have passed on and the laborers that built it.
We'll reach the sky to the Valley of the Kings
We're going to ascend to the pinnacle of the Valley of the Kings, where the tombs of dead pharaohs and other royalty still stand as a testament to their wealth and power.
Goodbye Felik, I'll see you soon
We're saying goodbye to Felik, perhaps a local guide, who we'll see again soon as we continue our journey.
We shall rejoice, toot anch a mun
As we reach our destination and see the grandeur of the tombs and monuments, we'll be overcome with a sense of joy, expressed in the ancient Egyptian language with the phrase 'toot anch a mun.'
All spirits gone, just empty tombs
Although the pharaohs and royal family members buried here have long passed on, their spirits are thought by some to still reside in these tombs. However, all that remains is empty space.
Long dark halls lead to empty rooms, yeah
The entrances are deep and obscure, and the long dim corridors and chambers they lead to are now void of bodies and treasures, leaving only an eerie emptiness.
Contributed by Riley M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@YoBroMan
It's drop D.
I was actually familiar G-505 because it was one of the first MIDI guitars of the early 80s. It can go a lot of cool "80s" stuff, but tracking was a problem. Look at demo's on YouTube and you'll see.
Neal used the 505 to "fill out" his sound, to give it a bigger, fuller sound by layering sounds over the guitar sound.
For Animation and Valley of the Kings/Giza, Neal tuned to drop D (might as well throw My Home Town in there too). It's actually that simple. If you watch, you can see what he's doing at 2:58 for the verses; open E to open D...in drop D tuning. Not to mention he's playing the riff on the 7th fret, which, in this case is D lydian (the sharp 4th at the 9th fret of the B string). You can see that at 1:36.
If that's not enough, then the bridge section seals the deal. At 2:19, during the first bridge section (we'll call it a bridge section), he's playing straight bar chords A to G, except with the drop D, the A has a G in the bass and the G has an F in the bass.
Tune your guitar to Drop D and play those chords, it will sound the same.
@psychlyst
thumbs up if you wanna see these guys reunite!
@watsonfiveohthree
I bought this album when it came out, I was 10 years old - I heard Animation, Valley of the Kings, and Giza...I was blown away. To this day, these songs are among my all-time favorites and will be to the day I die.
@hot2warm
I never heard a song from them, but I remember a write up in a music mag at the time they came out, Several years later, I saw it in a cut-out bin. I bought it and was only disappointed that I didn't get it years earlier when it first came out.
@williamporter545
Watson Fiveohthree I wad at this concert
@dalewetzel773
I always loved Top of the rock and whiter shade of pale. Bought this “album “ when it came out and played the hell out of it👍🏼🎸
@soulfulterrain3143
Neal getting those sweet tones from that Roland synth guitar. That Kenny A. Bass thundering, M. Shrieves epic drum work, and Sammy's vocals are perfection with this band. The perfect rock-n-roll band. period.
@davidhenrylake2047
That kid was in Santana. I knew I recognised him
@LBCOOLB
Neal Freaking Schon, the most under rated shredder of all time. Awesome upload!
@dajandosmith4509
I remember watching this live on MTV! ❤❤❤
@garycoates4987
Schon playing the Roland G-505 guitar synthesizer and killing it