The band features guitarists John Berry and Jon Noble, bassist James Evans, drummer Gary Holtzman, and frontman Chaz Bond. The groups first major release was in 2000 with their self titled album Jacobs Dream which was released on Metal Blade Records. The bands original vocalist David Taylor left after the second album Theater of War due to family commitments. Taylor was then replaced by ex-Biogenesis vocalist Chaz Bond who first appeared on the 2005 album Drama of the Ages. The sound of the band could be described as that of Iron Maiden or Judas Priest with slightly more progressive tendencies, similar to that of Queensrÿche or Fates Warning, but heavier.
Keeper Of The Crown
Jacobs Dream Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mixed with blood
Keep an ancient tale
Of the tower
And the secret
Of a mother's prayer
Men once fought
For the right divine
In days of old
When blood was spilled
To seize the kingdom
The victor to the throne
The vanquished to the tower
One to lose his head
And one to wear the crown
Once a king notorious
Regarded man not God
Cruel and wicked in his ways
The sword his only love
Spilling blood
And spilling tears
Till all despised his name
Paving foreign lands
With tombs
Of his bravest men
Grieving wives and mothers cried
May heaven intercede
Stop the senseless sacrifice
Of their children
In the guise of glory
The nobles waged a war
They feigned to sail against a rival
On another shore
Once beyond the sight of land
The king would meet his fate
When conquered by the kingdom of
The master of the depths
In the shadow
Of the castle
Silence seized the land
On bended knee
One and all
Revered the judgement
Surely providence divine
Has revealed his hand
May his mercy ever reign
Over the hearts of man
Holy be the throne
The glory and the power
Our sovereign regale
The keeper of the crown
The victor to the throne
Till the final hour
In heaven and on earth below
Let thy will be done
Thy will be done
From the rising unto
The setting of the sun
Thy kingdom come
To God be the glory
Forever and evermore
The lyrics of Jacob's Dream's song "Keeper of the Crown" paint a vivid picture of the history of a kingdom, with its wars, kings, and prayers for peace. The first stanza uses imagery of stone and mortar mixed with blood to emphasize the historical significance of the place, and how it holds the secrets of the kingdom's past. The tower holds the secret of a mother's prayer, which implies that even in a time of war, there is still hope for peace.
The second stanza delves further into the history of the kingdom and its past kings. In the days of old, men would fight for the right to divine power and the throne. The victor would wear the crown, and the vanquished would be sent to the tower, possibly to be executed. One king was particularly cruel and wicked, and his reign was marked by the shedding of much blood and tears. He loved his sword above all else, and his reign caused much suffering among his people. His eventual downfall was at the hands of enemies, and even though he was defeated, he left a trail of grief and mourning in his wake.
The chorus emphasizes the sacredness of the throne and the power it holds. It declares that the victor to the throne will, until the final hour, reign over the hearts of man, and all will obey their rule. Regardless of who holds the throne, the will of God will always be done, and the glory of the kingdom lies in its unity and obedience to divine will.
Overall, the song's lyrics paint a picture of a kingdom struggling through wars and violence, and seeking peace and justice through divine mercy and guidance.
Line by Line Meaning
Stone and mortar
The foundation of the castle that holds a story
Mixed with blood
Stained with the lives of those who fought for it
Keep an ancient tale
Preserve a legend for future generations
Of the tower
About a structure used to imprison the defeated
And the secret
A hidden knowledge known only by a certain few
Of a mother's prayer
A plea for the safety and well-being of her child
For the throne
For the power to rule over a kingdom
Men once fought
People waged war in the past
For the right divine
To obtain a God-given authority
In days of old
In a time long ago
When blood was spilled
When violence and death occurred
To seize the kingdom
To gain control of a land and its people
The victor to the throne
The one who won the battle became the ruler
The vanquished to the tower
Those who lost were imprisoned
One to lose his head
Some executed those who failed in their quest for power
And one to wear the crown
The winner would become the leader of the kingdom
Once a king notorious
A ruler once infamous for his terrible behavior
Regarded man not God
Did not see the importance of religion and spirituality
Cruel and wicked in his ways
Harmful and malicious in his actions and behavior
The sword his only love
Violence and warfare became his passion
Spilling blood
Causing death and injury
And spilling tears
Causing grief and sadness
Till all despised his name
Until he became hated by all
Paving foreign lands
Conquering other countries and regions
With tombs
Filling foreign soil with the graves of soldiers
Of his bravest men
Of the most courageous warriors under his command
Grieving wives and mothers cried
The females who lost loved ones mourned their deaths
May heaven intercede
Praying for divine intervention
Stop the senseless sacrifice
Prevent the pointless killing and dying
Of their children
Of the sons and daughters who perished in battle
In the guise of glory
Pretending that war was for a noble cause
The nobles waged a war
The upper class members fought a conflict
They feigned to sail against a rival
They pretended to travel overseas to fight an enemy
On another shore
On distant land
Once beyond the sight of land
After sailing far enough to no longer see any shore
The king would meet his fate
The ruler would face his destiny
When conquered by the kingdom of
When defeated by another forces
The master of the depths
The ruler of the seas
In the shadow
Nearby the castle
Of the castle
Of the royal place of residence
Silence seized the land
The defeat caused the country to become speechless and still
On bended knee
Kneeling before a higher power in humility or respect
One and all
Everyone, collectively
Revered the judgement
Respected the decision of a higher authority
Surely providence divine
Truly the guidance of a sacred being
Has revealed his hand
Has shown its will or intention
May his mercy ever reign
May compassion and kindness always prevail
Over the hearts of man
In the emotions and thoughts of all people
Holy be the throne
The royal seat is sacred and respected
The glory and the power
The honor and authority
Our sovereign regale
Our ruler's splendid and impressive attributes
The keeper of the crown
The guardian of the symbol of power
Till the final hour
Until the end of the dominant reign
In heaven and on earth below
In both the spiritual and physical realms
Let thy will be done
Allow your purpose to be fulfilled
Thy will be done
Your intention must be realized
From the rising unto
From the beginning of each day
The setting of the sun
Until the end of each day
Thy kingdom come
Your realm must be established
To God be the glory
All honor goes to the deity
Forever and evermore
Eternally
Contributed by Ryan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.