overture
Kitty Carlisle 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 above lyrics are from the Overture of the musical "Gone With the Wind" by Kitty Carlisle. The Overture sets the scene for the rest of the musical and provides a glimpse into the final night of Ludwig Von Beethoven's life. The lyrics describe the largest lightning storm in the history of Vienna and how Beethoven is slumped over his piano in a disheveled room. The just-completed manuscript for his tenth symphony sits on the piano, and Beethoven is certain that it is his greatest work.
The lyrics also delve into the ancient beliefs that associate lightning and thunderstorms with the end of life. The mention of the Sphinx rising out of the sand and Athena and Apollo's dreams represents the belief that divine intervention is at play during such a storm. The lyrics hint that the storm was a sign that Beethoven's life was coming to an end, and the gods were involved.
As the storm rages on, Fate, and her deformed son Twist, accompanied by numerous spirits and ghosts from Beethoven's past, emerge from the shadows to inform Beethoven of what he already suspected, that this was to be his last night on earth. The ominous presence of Fate and Twist further emphasizes the finality of the situation, and the spirits and ghosts from Beethoven's past represent his memories and accomplishments.
Overall, the Overture sets the foundation for the musical and provides insight into the struggles, achievements, and memories of Beethoven's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Since the time when ra and isis
From the beginning of civilization, when gods ruled the earth.
Raised the sphinx out of the sand
When ancient Egyptians created a monument to their gods.
And apollo dreamed athena
When Greek gods inspired humanity to create beauty and wisdom.
And men began to understand
When humans first pursued knowledge and wisdom.
That when darkness folds on darkness
When one problem leads to another.
In the restless tides of night
In the uncertainty and turbulence of the dark times.
And lightning raises shadows
When external events bring our fears and doubts to light.
And for moments gives them life
When those fears and doubts take hold of our minds and hearts.
It's been said by those who ponder
Wise people have long recognized this truth.
That it surely is a sign
That this is a symbol of what is to come.
That a life touched by the stars
A life that has created great works of art or thought.
Is now running out of time
Is approaching its end.
And that somewhere in that darkness
That in the midst of this uncertainty and fear,
In the heart of that great storm
In the midst of a powerful, life-changing event,
The world returns a soul
The universe takes back the creative energy that gave birth to genius.
That the gods caused to be born
That was a gift from divine forces of creativity and inspiration.
And this was such a storm
And Beethoven was experiencing such a moment.
The kind one rarely sees in life
A rare moment of great intensity and importance.
For in a room now filled with shadows
In a metaphorical place of darkness and doubt.
The great Beethoven was spending
Beethoven was living out
His last night
His final moments of life.
From the shadows a beautiful spirit, fate,
Fate, personified as a beautiful spirit, emerges from the darkness.
And her deformed dwarf son, twist,
And her son, Twist, who represents the unpredictable nature of fate.
Emerge to inform Beethoven of what he has already deeply suspected,
They appear to confirm what Beethoven has already felt in his heart.
That this is to be his last night on earth.
That he is about to die.
They are accompanied by numerous spirits and ghosts from his past.
Beethoven is visited by memories and ghosts of his life, clarifying his legacy and the moments that defined his artistic and personal life.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIMMY HOROWITZ, ROBIN MILLER, LEO ROST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind