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.
Scratching The Surface
Saga Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know, they've seen you come and go (Oh)
You're well on your way but never leaving the chair
Playing scenes on TV screens
Watching widely to glimpse the full view
While the hours have their hands all over you
You say that you see me, well I see you too
I look behind, what do you find, all but an empty room
You've traveled far and so far you have nothing to say
Scratching the surface
You better come up for air
A new experience to get you there
Scratching the surface
You better come up for air
Strapped to the media, a machine to fear
You're onto something then it slips right away
It's in your hand, follow through right in front of you
You say that you hear me, well I hear you too
My secret is no secret, outside of the tube
So you won't tell me, what you've done up to now
You're watching me, I'm watching you decide (Oh)
Scratching the surface, you can't get away
You tried so hard, and so far you have nothing to say
Scratching the surface
You better come up for air
A new experience to get you there
Scratching the surface
You better come up for air
Strapped to the media, a machine to fear
Scratching the surface
You better come up for air
A new experience to get you there
Scratching the surface
You better come up for air
Strapped to the media, a machine to fear
Scratching the surface
Scratching the surface
Scratching the surface
In Saga’s song “Scratching The Surface”, the lyrics speak to the idea of being stuck in a state of stagnation and complacency, where one is constantly “scratching the surface” but never really making progress or reaching their full potential. The song opens with the singer lamenting his lack of knowledge about where his subject has been, suggesting a distance or lack of communication between them. The subject is described as being “well on your way but never leaving the chair”, indicating a lack of action or motivation. The second verse suggests that the subject is constantly consuming media, watching scenes on TV screens and “watching widely to glimpse the full view”, but ultimately, they are still stuck in the same place. The chorus repeats the line “scratching the surface” as a sort of warning, suggesting that the subject needs to come up for air and seek out new experiences if they want to make any real progress.
The lyrics also speak to the idea of being trapped or controlled by the media, with the line “strapped to the media, a machine to fear” indicating a fear and inability to break free from the constant stream of information and images. The final verse suggests that the singer has some sort of secret or insight that the subject is not aware of, further emphasizing the distance and lack of communication between them.
Overall, “Scratching The Surface” is a cautionary tale about the dangers of complacency and the importance of seeking out new experiences in order to truly grow and evolve as a person.
Line by Line Meaning
So you won't tell me, where you've been up to now
You are not willing to share any details about where you have been.
I don't know, they've seen you come and go (Oh)
People have seen you around, but it's hard to tell where you're going.
You're well on your way but never leaving the chair
You seem to be going places, but you're not really going anywhere.
Playing scenes on TV screens
You are watching life unfold on a screen rather than experiencing it yourself.
Watching widely to glimpse the full view
You are looking intently to find meaning in the world.
While the hours have their hands all over you
Time is passing you by without you taking any real action.
You say that you see me, well I see you too
You claim to have insight into my life, but I also have insight into yours.
I look behind, what do you find, all but an empty room
When you look back at your life, there is nothing of substance that you have accomplished.
Scratching the surface and you can't get away
You are only superficially engaging with life and cannot escape from that state.
You've traveled far and so far you have nothing to say
You have had many experiences, but none have really impacted or changed you.
You better come up for air
You need to take a break and experience the world for what it truly is.
A new experience to get you there
You need something different to help you break out of your superficial life.
Strapped to the media, a machine to fear
You are beholden to the media and technology, which can be overwhelming and all-consuming.
You're onto something then it slips right away
You occasionally find real meaning in life, but it always seems to slip away.
It's in your hand, follow through right in front of you
The solutions to your problems are often right in front of you, but you don't see them.
My secret is no secret, outside of the tube
I am fully experiencing life outside of technology and media.
You tried so hard, and so far you have nothing to say
Despite your efforts, you have not been able to find anything of substance to talk about in your life.
Scratching the surface
You are not fully engaging with life and its experiences.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES CRICHTON, JAMES GILMOUR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michele Boswell
Absolutely stellar guitar work, on this piece... This guy's TONE... just screamingly magnificent. Played to perfection.
Josef Friedrich
truely as I feel, played a masterpiece in perfection
John RAMBO
@ralph eckhardt Same as you !!!
ralph eckhardt
yes, it is, i feel with you
Robgoren
Saga could never have imagined how relevant this song would be in the age of social media addiction.
John Chorny
@BeaujolaisDay darned if it isn't
John Chorny
...and then some!
BeaujolaisDay
So true
Lion3000
Or did they❓
kidzact2
What an incredible band!! Love their music!!