Undaunted, he formed the quirkily-named Spock’s Beard with his brother, Alan. They recorded The Light with what money they could scrape together. Against all odds, it was a breakout success, sending shockwaves through the small genre’s community.
Over the next 10 years, Spock’s Beard released 10 critically acclaimed CDs and 2 DVDs, ascending to the top of the prog world. Neal also released 6 CDs and 3 DVDs with Transatlantic, the heralded prog supergroup comprised of the genre’s best musicians.
The proverbial wayward son, Neal had finally found the success he sought. On the outside he seemed to have it all. On the inside, however, something was missing.
Morse came to realize that for him, embracing the Christian faith was the fulfillment of his spiritual quest. His walk was at once gradual and sudden—and as with so many, completely unexpected. As he continued, his path increasingly revealed more of what his heart had sought all along. Yet he also began to find his career growing at odds with his faith. The rising spiritual tension and increasing commercial success finally came to a head with the release of Snow (2002), the group’s magnum opus...and swan song with Morse.
The extraordinary 2-CD rock opera, composed by Morse, was widely acclaimed as the group’s finest. But it was the end of the era. Neal felt God calling him out of his former musical life and into the unknown. He made the agonizing decision to leave both Spock’s Beard and Transatlantic. Despite having finally achieved the success he had long sought, Morse had to begin all over again; musically, emotionally and spiritually.
Neal then embarked upon the most ambitious musical project of his career. Entitled Testimony (2003), it chronicles his spiritual and musical journey in words and music. The 2 CD set spans over two hours as one continuous piece of music. Genre-wise, it ranges from a gospel choir to hard rock; from symphony orchestra to contemporary pop. Testimony was also Neal’s first of many albums with drummer Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater). A deftly woven musical tapestry, Testimony takes the listener on a fascinating journey as unique as the man behind it.
The ensuing world tour was captured on one unforgettable night for the 2-DVD set, Testimony Live (2004). Morse was recognized as a remarkably passionate and engaging performer by England’s Classic Rock Magazine, who included him in their “100 Greatest Frontmen of Rock” listing. The tour was awarded “Best Rock Tour” from the popular Dutch website, DPRP, besting nominees Peter Gabriel, Radiohead, RUSH and others.
Morse’s next studio album was a conceptual, progressive rock album entitled One. Mike Portnoy returned to perform on drums (in what is regarded as perhaps his finest performance), with up-and-coming bassist Randy George. They were joined by legendary guitarist Phil Keaggy. The result was a band-focused sound, harkening back to Neal’s Transatlantic work. Continuing in the tradition of Snow and Testimony, One proved epic in scope and sublime in nature.
For Morse’s third progressive rock album, he took a new approach, artistically. On Question (2005), Morse weaves a compelling storyline that owes as much to C.S. Lewis as Indiana Jones. His journey is a timeless quest—to find the biblical dwelling place of God. Joining Neal are more of prog’s brightest stars, including Mike Portnoy and Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Roine Stolt (Flower Kings, Transatlantic) and Steve Hackett (Genesis).
Bringing Question to the stage required an outstanding tour band. Fusing technical wizardry with musical nuance, a young band of unknowns proved themselves in the fire of Question’s musical rollercoaster. The audience responded with energy and passion, with the experience captured on CD. Unrestrained, raw, and magnificent, the resulting 2 CD set Question: Live (2007) was to be further unveiled on the DVD, Sola Sciptura & Beyond.
Neal's next prog epic was his most daring, stirring passions and controversy. On Sola Scriptura (2007), Morse tells a compelling and sometimes macabre tale of the darkness that inevitably falls when humankind tries to elevate itself to God. Focusing on the Church in the Middle Ages, Morse is unflinching in his description of its abuses. Neal frames the issue as just one example of faith separated from its true foundations. The album closes not with an end but a beginning—for us to consider our world, and feel called to illuminate it.
Question and Sola Scriptura were received as Neal’s best to date, and the ensuing tours were captured on film. The ensuing release, Sola Scriptura & Beyond (2008) was an extraordinary live concert 2-DVD set that brought both albums to life. Also included were generous selections from One and Testimony, a Transatlantic section, five songs from Spock’s Beard, and an hour of behind-the-scenes tour footage.
Less than three months later, Neal completed Lifeline (2008), his next studio album. Unlike his other releases, Lifeline wasn't a concept album. Free from this constraint, Neal stretched out in all directions. He revisited early Spock’s Beard, Snow, Transatlantic, his solo releases, and launched into new territory. Joining him once again were Mike Portnoy and Randy George. It was the album that fans of Neal and progressive rock the world over had waited for. Press coverage of the album reached from some of Europe's biggest mainstream music publications, to Rolling Stone in Mexico.
Twelve years after The Light, Neal continues to blaze new creative trails. In 2009, he shines brighter than ever in the next remarkable chapter in Neal's musical journey.
The Creation
Neal Morse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Long before these brave new modern times
The first madman received the breath of life
He and woman walked this wonderland
Talking daily with the great I am
It had begun....
Fellowship divine
All creation came
We lived to praise his name
And we walked his way
In the cool of the day
All was made was one big everything
The Father gave the son life's golden ring
And all was rosy in their company
All creation in full diversity
Was only one...
Chorus
In the evening breezes they went walking towards the sun
God and his creations had a time when they were one
And they lived together and no other will was done
II- In a Perfect Light
Hand and hand and face to face they tarried
Living in one universal mind
In his garden home (day or night)
Man was not alone (in a perfect light)
Like Clark Kent to Superman he's leaping
The pres, the V.I.P. of the grand design
Sin was never known (day or night)
In their garden home (in a perfect light)
And he let him name the things that are
And asked his opinion
Just like the agent to the star
He gave him dominion
And he was made into two
And he gave them a job to do
And they were to care for every part
And love was the union
III- Where Are You?
And at the designated time
At the usual venue
He went calling in the night
Children where are you?
Children where are you?
Why?
Why are you hiding?
You were ashamed
You fled my eyes
I gave you life
And all that I wanted
Was just one thing
But you chose a lie
IV- Reaching from the Heart
We were of one mind
Once upon a time
But we turned away
We've got to find a way
To get back again
To where it all began
We were torn apart
Now we're reaching from the heart
Make us one we pray
In the cool of the day
We can walk his way.....
The lyrics of "The Creation" by Neal Morse are divided into four parts, each with a different style and tone. The first part, "One Mind," describes the time before sin entered the world and man had perfect fellowship with God. The lyrics paint a picture of the first man and woman walking and talking daily with God, enjoying the wonders of creation in perfect harmony. The second part, "In a Perfect Light," elaborates on this theme, describing the perfection of the Garden of Eden before sin corrupted the world. In this section, the lyrics describe how man had dominion over creation, and there was no sin or darkness to be found.
The third part, "Where Are You?" marks the turning point of the song, with the lyrics asking the question "why are you hiding?" This section represents Adam and Eve's fall from grace, where they were ashamed and tried to hide from God. The song pivots from describing the perfect world of the past to the broken and imperfect world of the present. Finally, the fourth part, "Reaching from the Heart," represents a plea to return to the days of old, where man was of one mind with God. The lyrics describe how man must find a way to get back to the perfect world, moving away from sin and toward God once again.
Overall, "The Creation" is a song about the story of mankind, from creation to the present day, and the message is clear: we must strive to return to the pure and perfect world of the past, where man walked with God in the Garden of Eden.
Line by Line Meaning
Long before these brave new modern times
Way back in the beginning, before the world developed as we know it today
The first madman received the breath of life
Before anything else, the first man was created and given life
He and woman walked this wonderland
The man and woman were created and explored the world they were given
Talking daily with the great I am
They spoke and had communication with their Creator every day
It had begun....
This marked the beginning of all creation
We were of one mind
At the start of creation, we were all united and shared one common goal
Fellowship divine
Our unity was heavenly and blessed by the Divine
All creation came
Everything that is formed came into existence
We lived to praise his name
Our main purpose of life was to worship and honor our Creator
And we walked his way
Our lifestyle was a reflection of the ways of the Divine
In the cool of the day
During times of refreshing and restfulness
All was made was one big everything
Everything was connected and interdependent to create a single, larger entity
The Father gave the son life's golden ring
The Father bestowed His ultimate love and authority on His Son
And all was rosy in their company
The Father and the Son enjoyed perfect companionship
All creation in full diversity
Despite their differences, all parts of creation complemented one another
Was only one...
Despite the many parts and pieces, everything ultimately formed one cohesive whole
In the evening breezes they went walking towards the sun
In perfect unity and harmony, God and His creation spent time together
God and his creations had a time when they were one
There was once a period when all things created and the Creator worked together in the same direction
And they lived together and no other will was done
Perfect harmony led to a happy and peaceful way of life
Hand and hand and face to face they tarried
God walked alongside His creation and they were in close proximity with each other
Living in one universal mind
All beings had a shared and interconnected existence
In his garden home (day or night)
A haven of peace and beauty that provided comfort during both day and night
Man was not alone (in a perfect light)
There was always an aura of peace and goodness surrounding humanity
Like Clark Kent to Superman he's leaping
The Son manifested Himself in human form and leaped into action
The pres, the V.I.P. of the grand design
Jesus was the architect of creation and controlled all aspects of it
Sin was never known (day or night)
There was no presence of decay or wrongdoing
And he let him name the things that are
God allowed humanity to have a hand in naming all things in existence
And asked his opinion
God sought the input of humanity on various matters and decisions
Just like the agent to the star
God delegated certain responsibilities to humanity in a manner similar to a Hollywood agent supporting a movie star
He gave him dominion
God put humanity in charge of taking care of creation
And he was made into two
Humanity was divided into subsets that had a defined identity
And he gave them a job to do
Humanity was given a set of tasks and objectives to fulfill
And they were to care for every part
Every aspect of creation was vital and had to be treated with respect
And love was the union
Love was the driving force and undercurrent of all actions and interactions
And at the designated time
God communicated regularly with humanity in a variety of ways
At the usual venue
Communication with humanity was done frequently in a customary environment
He went calling in the night
God addressed the waywardness of humanity by seeking them out, even in their darkest moments
Children where are you?
God did not want humanity to be afraid and encouraged them to come forward
Why?
God was curious and wanted to know what was preventing humanity from having closer ties with Him
Why are you hiding?
Humans had become afraid and insecure, leading them to hide from God
You were ashamed
Humans' guilt and embarrassment about their actions prevented them from reaching out to God
You fled my eyes
Humans ran away from the presence of God, rather than embracing it
I gave you life
God created humanity and bestowed upon them the gift of life
And all that I wanted
God's expectations and wishes for humanity were simple and uncomplicated
Was just one thing
Humans were only supposed to follow one rule - obey God and his commands
But you chose a lie
Humanity deviated from the truth and took a path that wasn't meant for them
We turned away
Humanity let itself be swayed by negative influences and drifted from its intended path of righteousness
We've got to find a way
There was still work that needed to be done to regain God's trust and faith
To get back again
Efforts had to be put in overcoming the hurdles and obstacles blocking the way back to God
To where it all began
A return to the starting point was the goal of humanity
We were torn apart
The once united community of humans had become disjointed and fragmented
Now we're reaching from the heart
The movement towards reconciliation with God was driven by the heart and not the mind
Make us one we pray
The goal was to create a unity that didn't rely on the physical but existed in the spiritual realm
We can walk his way...
By following the teachings and philosophy of God, we can restore the bonds that connect us all as one
Contributed by Sophie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
neftali Partida
Increíble que este canal tenga 9 años, y esta musica este traducida. Gracias
Pocos aprecian a Neal Morse.
Este señor en una leyenda en USA
Kevin Gomez
One of the greatest songs ever written
Lou Aguado
Such a great album. I wish Neal had it available on Pandora or Spotify. Thanks for sharing 👍
esauhernandez7
GRACIAS TENIA EN MENTE TRABAJAR EN ESTA CANCION PERO YA TE ME ADELANTASTE BUEN TRABAJO DIOS TE BENDIGA!!!!!!!!! SALUDOS DESDE EL SALVADOR :D
Alsino Baeza
Que baterista toca en este tema?
Barto Ros
Mike Portnoy
Winning My Favorite Game
2:55!
Neal Morse en Español