Saga is
1) A progre… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists named "Saga".
Saga is
1) A progressive rock quintet, formed in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Bassist-keyboardist Jim Crichton and Welsh-born vocalist Michael Sadler have been the principal songwriters for Saga. Originally known as The Pockets, Saga formed in 1977 from the nucleus of Canadian rock band Fludd. In June 1978, they released their self-titled debut album. Their 1979 follow-up album Images at Twilight gave them their first charting single in Canada with the song "It's Time" peaking at #84 in the Canadian Charts. Saga's next album, Silent Knight was released in 1980 and in 1981, the band's 4th album Worlds Apart was released. Following on the success of Worlds Apart, the band won the 1982 Juno Award for "Most Promising Group of the Year.
A 5th album Heads or Tales was released in late 1983 and became another success. Their 6th album Behaviour was released in 1985, and included the singles: "Listen to Your Heart" and "What Do I Know" (#57 Canada). In 1986, Steve Negus and Jim Gilmour left the band over management concerns. Saga continued to record and tour, with Michael Sadler and the Crichton brothers augmented by session musicians. Their 1987 release Wildest Dreams enjoyed better distribution under new label, Atlantic Records, but it failed to match expectations in America. For 1989's The Beginner's Guide to Throwing Shapes, Saga refocused on their earlier European popularity which marked a return to their earlier progressive style.
In 1993, Steve Negus and Jim Gilmour returned to Saga. The band's next album, The Security of Illusion, was well received by Saga fans in Canada and Europe. The 1994 followup, Steel Umbrellas, was considered uneven when compared to their previous release, perhaps due the material originally being produced for the short-lived television series Cobra. In 1995, Jim Crichton composed and produced the majority of Saga's next album, the conceptual Generation 13. Saga's next release, Pleasure and the Pain was released on the eve of their 26th anniversary tour in 1997. The album failed to maintain the interest created by the previous release. On the same anniversary tour the album Phase 1 was released. Their 1998 tour was captured on the next album, Detours, a double-live album released worldwide.
Saga's next three albums, 1999's Full Circle, 2001's House of Cards and Marathon released in 2003 have been all been popular with the band's longtime and loyal fanbase. House of Cards, in particular enjoyed renewed interest. Saga released a new studio album, Network, in the fall of 2004. Their next album, Trust, was released in 2006, featuring Brian Doerner as their new drummer.
Despite the band's fluctuating musical styles and limited commercial success, their fans have remained extremely loyal over the decades. Their musical style was defined by Ian Crichton's staccato guitar riffs, often in harmony with a synthesizer, and complex keyboard arrangements, frequently featuring three players.
The band's multi-song cycle "The Chapters" spanned their first four albums and were continued on later releases beginning in 1999. Songs from the cycle have been performed in concert throughout their career.
On January 16, 2007, it was announced by InsideOut, the band's current record label, that lead singer Michael Sadler would be leaving Saga for personal reasons at the end of 2007. "10,000 Days" was released on November 6, 2007 in conjunction with their planned European tour. As of 15 April 2008, Saga announced that Rob Moratti of Toronto, former singer of Final Frontier, has become their new lead vocalist. In 2009 the release of Saga's first cd with Rob Moratti. This CD is titled The Human Condition and was released in the spring 2009. The band also was touring in both Europe and Canada. On January 28, 2011, an official statement was made announcing Michael Sadler's return as the lead singer of Saga.
2) A Swedish white nationalist singer-songwriter, with racist tendencies. She started as the vocalist for Symphony of Sorrow, but become widely known for her tribute CDs to Ian Stuart and Skrewdriver. More recently she has begun to produce original material as part of her solo career.
In a 2005 Discovery Times production she was described as a performer that “targets the mainstream by softening her image, while still maintaining her racist ideology.” She has been described as the “Swedish Madonna of the far right.” In the Discovery interview Saga said, “What makes me different is I think that I’m a lot more mainstream looking in that I’m very much toned down compared to the other [nationalist singers]. It’s not in your clothes. It’s not in the way you dress. It’s not in your appearance. It’s what’s in your heart. It’s a lot easier for the mainstream public to see themselves in me” she went on to say “most people do have the same beliefs that I do. It’s a bad thing to be labeled a racist these days, and it’s such a bad thing that people [would] rather shut up than express what they feel.”
Saga was featured on the front cover of the Fall 2000 edition of Resistance Magazine, a production of the now defunct Resistance Records. Shaun Walker wrote the following at the website for the National Alliance, a pro white advocacy group in the US: “… just having her in front of the camera helps our Cause. But, she also is quite good at interviews. She comes across as the girl-next-door, who also understands the dynamics of racial conflict.”
3) a Swedish 70’s band.
4) a Dutch progressive rock band. They released one album, entitled To Whom It Concerns, in 1977.
5) a Japanese band best known by the opening and ending of the TV show based on the Viewtiful Joe videogame
6) a Portuguese Progressive/Symphonic Rock from the 1970’s. Their best-known work is the 1976 album Homo Sapiens. After the demise of the band, the members followed very diversified careers in different types of music.
7) a Mexican Progressive/Hard Rock band. Their 2006 debut album El Camino a Titán was released under the independent Mexican label GravisRecords.
8) A Lithuanian jazz quartet consisting of Andrė Pabarčiūtė - vocal, piano, Liudas Mockūnas - reeds, Vytis Nivinskas - bass, Marijus Aleksa - percussion. They've released an album by the same name.
9) Irish grime producer currently living in London, released his debut EP Crescent via fellow London producer Visionist's Lost Codes label.
10) A hip hop artist from Brooklyn, New York.
House of Cards
Saga Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know how it feels
You smoke the best cigars
And drive the fastest cars
You always get your way
Beluga caviar
You thank your lucky stars
You don't make idle threats
Collecting on all your debts
You only play to win
You've got the Gucci shoes
But make too many moves
Look at the shape you're in
Like a house of cards in a hurricane, you go
[Chorus:]
Down, down, down, down
'Till you bottom out
Now you know how it feels
When you hit the ground
You go, down, down, down, down
'Till you bottom out
Now you know how it feels
Your house of cards is falling down
You're down with heads of state
Eat off a silver plate
But only if it shines
You've got them running scared
You strip the market bare
Then watch it take a dive
You left the girl at home
You bought the silicone
Then took her on parade
But now your life's a mess
It took the IRS
To blow it all away
Like a house of cards in a hurricane, you went
[Chorus:]
The lyrics to Saga's "House of Cards" paints a picture of a person who seems to have it all - the best cigars, the fastest cars, and living the high life in a place like San Tropez. However, there is an underlying sense of emptiness and desperation that permeates the song. The person being referred to in the song uses their power to manipulate others and always get what they want at any cost. They have no qualms about making idle threats or manipulating the stock market for their own gain. The chorus then takes a turn, as the person's house of cards comes crashing down due to their destructive behavior, leaving them feeling the same sense of emptiness as those they used to manipulate.
The metaphor of a house of cards in a hurricane is particularly poignant in the song, as it perfectly captures the fragility of the person's seemingly perfect life. The image of a house of cards being blown away in a hurricane shows how devastating their fall was, and leaves the listener with the sense that the person's fall from grace was inevitable, given their destructive behavior.
Overall, "House of Cards" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of seeking power and wealth at any cost. While the person in the song may have seemed invincible at first, their eventual downfall reminds us that no one is immune to the consequences of their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Down, down, down, down
Feeling helpless and sinking lower and lower, with no escape in sight
You know how it feels
Understanding the consequences of one's actions and the pain that follows
You smoke the best cigars
Indulging in luxurious and expensive vices
And drive the fastest cars
Showing off undeniable wealth and power through material possessions
You always get your way
Expecting to have control over every situation and always getting what you want
Beluga caviar
Enjoying rare and costly delicacies
You thank your lucky stars
Feeling grateful for the wealth and success that has come your way
You live in San Tropez
Residing in an exclusive, high-end location known for its glamour and luxury
You don't make idle threats
Making serious promises and following through on them
Collecting on all your debts
Ensuring others pay up what they owe you
You only play to win
Engaging in competition with the sole goal of coming out on top
You've got the Gucci shoes
Wearing designer clothing as a symbol of status
But make too many moves
Overstepping boundaries and taking risks that lead to mistakes and downfall
Look at the shape you're in
Realizing the extent of the damage caused by reckless behavior
Like a house of cards in a hurricane, you go
Falling apart quickly and easily under extreme pressure and destructive circumstances
Chorus: Down, down, down, down
Continuing to fall deeper into trouble and despair
'Till you bottom out
Reaching the lowest point possible, with no hope of a quick recovery
Now you know how it feels
Experiencing firsthand the pain that was once inflicted on others
When you hit the ground
Feeling the full force of the devastation caused by one's actions
Your house of cards is falling down
Watching helplessly as everything you built crumbles to the ground
You're down with heads of state
Associating with powerful and influential figures
Eat off a silver plate
Dining on fine silverware and enjoying the extravagance of high society
But only if it shines
Preferring only the best and most polished versions of everything
You've got them running scared
Instilling fear in others with your undeniable power and influence
You strip the market bare
Manipulating markets and hoarding resources, leaving others with nothing
Then watch it take a dive
Delighting in the destruction you have caused and watching others suffer as a result
You left the girl at home
Neglecting important relationships and prioritizing personal gain over others' needs
You bought the silicone
Purchasing enhancements and altering one's appearance for superficial gain
Then took her on parade
Showing off one's trophy partner in public as a status symbol
But now your life's a mess
Realizing the emptiness and chaos resulting from a life of self-centeredness and disregard for others
It took the IRS
Facing consequences from governmental authorities for illegal or unethical actions
To blow it all away
Losing everything and receiving punishment for wrongdoings
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN STEVENSON CRICHTON, JAMES DICKSON CRICHTON, MICHAEL ANTHONY SADLER, JAMES GERAD GILMOUR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mark
on Intermission
Perhaps their most beautiful yet haunting song ever. The layers of etheric and spiritual sounds are just too gorgeous to resist. It verges on being the most perfecty and beautifully arranged song in the history of all songs.