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.
Third Way
Jacobs Dream Lyrics
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A scheme to rule the masses
A rotting corpse in royal gown
Hail the throne majestic
A cancer eating at the heart of blood bought liberty
No aggressor could prevail she's falling from within
Equality for all
The ruling elite exempt themselves
From the cruel reality
Sacrificing for the goal of global unity
Atone the sins of capitalist and racist sovereignty
[Chorus:]
The third way
Is the reign of idiocy
One by one
Freedoms stripped away
The third way
The offspring of our apathy
Down we go
Into the vortex of tyranny
Bleed our inspiration
Conform at any cost
The individual must give way to new identity
Regulate, confiscate
Blind diversity
Breed the worker drones to serve in numb complacency
[Repeat Chorus]
The lyrics to Jacob's Dream's song "Third Way" speak of a dystopian society where manipulation, fabrication, and schemes are used to rule over the masses. The ruling elite, depicted in the lyrics as a rotting corpse in royal gown, hail their throne as majestic while exploiting the people they govern. The song suggests a cancer eating at the heart of blood-bought liberty, where even socialist utopias fail to offer equality for all. The ruling elite exempts themselves from the cruel reality they impose on others in the name of achieving global unity. In their blind pursuit of this goal, the individual must give way to a new identity, and freedoms are stripped away. Ultimately, the song warns of the offspring of our apathy, the third way, which leads us into a vortex of tyranny.
Line by Line Meaning
Manipulate and fabricate
To manipulate and deceive people by fabricating false schemes to gain power
A scheme to rule the masses
A plan to control and govern the general public to serve the interests of the rulers
A rotting corpse in royal gown
The leaders with all their luxurious lifestyles and opulence, are morally and spiritually dead inside
Hail the throne majestic
The act of exalting and worshiping the powerful but corrupt ruling class
A cancer eating at the heart of blood bought liberty
A malignancy that is slowly eroding the principles of freedom for which many have sacrificed their lives
No aggressor could prevail she's falling from within
Despite the strength and protection from external threats, the system is decaying because of its own faults and corruption
A socialist utopia
A society structured around socialist principles that aims for a perfect state of human relations
Equality for all
Treating everyone consistently and fairly, irrespective of their social status or profession
The ruling elite exempt themselves
The political leaders are excused from the terrible and harsh living conditions of the working class
From the cruel reality
They protect themselves from the harsh and brutal living realities faced by the rest of the people
Sacrificing for the goal of global unity
Giving up one's own interests and happiness to attain global solidarity among various nations
Atone the sins of capitalist and racist sovereignty
Making amends for the wrongs done by capitalist and racist regimes in the past
The third way
A mode of governance that is different from the conventional left-wing and right-wing approaches
Is the reign of idiocy
Is characterized by foolishness, absurdity, and lack of rationality in decision-making
One by one
Gradually and systematically
Freedoms stripped away
Individual liberties and rights being taken away in a gradual and covert manner
The offspring of our apathy
The third way of governance is a direct result of people's indifference and lack of involvement in political affairs
Down we go
Society's slide towards chaos and disarray
Into the vortex of tyranny
The eventual descent into a form of oppressive governance, marked by strict regulations and limited freedoms
Bleed our inspiration
Destructive tendencies and corruption that suffocates the spark of individual creativity and ingenuity
Conform at any cost
Being willing to sacrifice one's creativity and personal beliefs to conform to the expectations of society
The individual must give way to new identity
The need for individuals to relinquish their unique identities to conform to the collective identity promoted by society
Regulate, confiscate
To impose strict rules and taxes to control or restrict the flow of resources and information
Blind diversity
Embracing diversity and difference blindly, without considering the larger historical and cultural context
Breed the worker drones to serve in numb complacency
Creating a society of mindless drones, whose only function is to serve and obey their superiors without question
Repeat Chorus
The chorus reinforces the idea that the third way of governance is oppressive and leads to a loss of basic freedoms and rights.
Contributed by Evan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.