Overture
Johnny Green And His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The city of Vienna is experiencing the largest lightning storm in its long history.
Within a large disheveled room,
Ludwig Von Beethoven is slumped over his piano
And on the piano sits the just completed manuscript for his tenth symphony.
It is his final, and he is certain, his greatest work.]
Since the time when ra and isis
And apollo dreamed athena
And men began to understand
That when darkness folds on darkness
In the restless tides of night
And lightning raises shadows
And for moments gives them life
It's been said by those who ponder
That it surely is a sign
That a life touched by the stars
Is now running out of time
And that somewhere in that darkness
In the heart of that great storm
The world returns a soul
That the gods caused to be born
And this was such a storm
The kind one rarely sees in life
For in a room now filled with shadows
The great Beethoven was spending
His last night
[From the shadows a beautiful spirit, fate,
And her deformed dwarf son, twist,
Emerge to inform Beethoven of what he has already deeply suspected,
That this is to be his last night on earth.
They are accompanied by numerous spirits and ghosts from his past.]
The lyrics of Johnny Green And His Orchestra's song "Overture" paint the picture of a stormy night in Vienna in 1827. The city is experiencing the largest lightning storm in its history, and in a large, disheveled room, Ludwig Von Beethoven is slumped over his piano. The just completed manuscript for his tenth symphony sits on the piano, and Beethoven is certain that it is his final work, and his greatest.
The lyrics continue with a reference to ancient mythology, suggesting that the storm is a sign that a life touched by the stars is running out of time. The storm is also described as the kind that is rarely seen in life, and in this room, filled with shadows, the great Beethoven spends his last night. From the shadows emerge fate, a beautiful spirit, and her deformed dwarf son, twist, who inform Beethoven that this is to be his last night on earth. They are accompanied by numerous spirits and ghosts from his past.
The lyrics of "Overture" paint a vivid picture of a stormy night in Vienna and the final hours of one of the world's greatest composers. The reference to ancient mythology adds a mystical quality to the song, emphasizing the idea that Beethoven's life was touched by something greater than himself. The song is both melancholic and beautiful, capturing the sense of loss and finality that comes with the end of a great life.
Line by Line Meaning
On a late night in the spring of 1827
During the night in the spring of 1827
The city of Vienna is experiencing the largest lightning storm in its long history.
Vienna is witnessing the biggest lightning storm ever occurred in its history.
Within a large disheveled room,
Inside a messy and spacious room
Ludwig Von Beethoven is slumped over his piano
Beethoven was sitting at his piano, looking exhausted.
And on the piano sits the just completed manuscript for his tenth symphony.
The manuscript for Beethoven's tenth symphony is sitting on the piano freshly written.
It is his final, and he is certain, his greatest work.
Beethoven is entirely convinced that the tenth symphony is his last and best work.
And this was such a storm
The thunderstorm that night was remarkable
The kind one rarely sees in life
It's a type of storm that hardly anybody comes across in their life.
For in a room now filled with shadows
The place was dimly lit, and the shadows were in abundance.
The great Beethoven was spending
The celebrated composer, Beethoven, was spending his time there.
His last night
It was his last night alive.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIMMY HOROWITZ, ROBIN MILLER, LEO ROST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind