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.
Solsbury Hill
Saga Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could see the city light
Wind was blowing, time stood still
Eagle flew out of the night
He was something to observe
Came in close, I heard a voice
Standing stretching every nerve
Had to listen had no choice
I just had to trust imagination
My heart going boom boom boom
"Son," he said "Grab your things,
I've come to take you home"
To keepin' silence I resigned
My friends would think I was a nut
Turning water into wine
Open doors would soon be shut
So I went from day to day
Tho' my life was in a rut
'Till I thought of what I'd say
Which connection I should cut
I was feeling part of the scenery
I walked right out of the machinery
My heart going boom boom boom
"Hey" he said "Grab your things
I've come to take you home"
(Back home)
When illusion spin her net
I'm never where I want to be
And liberty she pirouette
When I think that I am free
Watched by empty silhouettes
Who close their eyes but still can see
No one taught them etiquette
I will show another me
Today I don't need a replacement
I'll tell them what the smile on my face meant
My heart going boom boom boom
"Hey" I said "You can keep my things,
They've come to take me home"
The lyrics to "Solsbury Hill" by Peter Gabriel tell the story of a man who experiences an epiphany while climbing Solsbury Hill. He sees the lights of the city, and a wind blowing around him while an eagle flies out of the night. Suddenly, he hears a voice that seems to come from the eagle. This voice invites him to come along where he will take him home. He knows at once that he needs to follow this voice, despite the fact that he does not believe what he is hearing.
The next verse describes how he gives up everything and drops out of society without a second thought. He leaves without telling anyone, as he knows that he will be ridiculed by those around him if they knew of his plans. The final verse has the man taking control of his life and deciding that he will go out and show people the real meaning of his life. The song is about leaving behind the things that are holding you back and choosing your own path in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Climbing up on Solsbury Hill
I climbed up to the top of Solsbury Hill.
I could see the city light
From the top of the hill, I could see the lights of the city below.
Wind was blowing, time stood still
While I was on top of the hill, the wind was blowing but everything around me felt still and quiet.
Eagle flew out of the night
Suddenly, an eagle flew out of the night sky and caught my attention.
He was something to observe
The eagle was impressive and worth watching.
Came in close, I heard a voice
The eagle came close to me, and I heard a voice.
Standing stretching every nerve
I was standing there, stretching every nerve in my body, trying to pay attention to what the voice was saying.
Had to listen had no choice
I had no other option but to listen to what the voice was saying.
I did not believe the information
I was skeptical about the information I was receiving.
I just had to trust imagination
Since I couldn't believe what I was hearing, I had to trust my own imagination.
My heart going boom boom boom
My heart was beating fast in my chest, full of anticipation and excitement.
"Son," he said "Grab your things,
I've come to take you home"
The voice instructed me to grab my things and said it was time to go home.
To keepin' silence I resigned
I kept silent about my experience on Solsbury Hill and didn't tell my friends what had happened.
My friends would think I was a nut
I didn't want my friends to think I was crazy or delusional for believing the voice on the hill.
Turning water into wine
I felt like I was capable of miracles, of doing the impossible.
Open doors would soon be shut
I knew that opportunities were fleeting and that I needed to act quickly before they were gone.
So I went from day to day
I went about my life, one day at a time, without telling anyone about what had happened to me on the hill.
Tho' my life was in a rut
Even though my life felt stagnant and unfulfilling.
Till I thought of what I'd say
Until I came up with a plan for how to explain my experience.
Which connection I should cut
I needed to figure out which relationships and connections in my life were holding me back.
I was feeling part of the scenery
I felt like I was just a background character in my own life, rather than the main protagonist.
I walked right out of the machinery
I broke free from my monotonous routine and stopped living like a robot.
My heart going boom boom boom
My heart was once again filled with excitement and anticipation, ready for a new adventure.
"Hey" he said "Grab your things
I've come to take you home"
The voice returned, once again instructing me to grab my things and go with him.
(Back home)
I was finally returning home after my adventure on Solsbury Hill.
When illusion spin her net
When I feel lost or like I'm living in a state of illusion.
I'm never where I want to be
I feel like I'm never where I'm supposed to be or where I want to be in my life.
And liberty she pirouette
Freedom and independence sometimes feel elusive and like they're just out of reach.
When I think that I am free
Even when I think I've achieved true freedom, it's often just an illusion.
Watched by empty silhouettes
I feel like I'm being watched by people who don't truly understand me or my situation and are just paying lip service to my struggles.
Who close their eyes but still can see
Even if people aren't paying attention to my problems, they can still see and understand them on some level.
No one taught them etiquette
People around me might not have been taught how to handle or react to my struggles, which can be frustrating.
I will show another me
I'll reveal a different side of myself that people might not have seen before.
Today I don't need a replacement
I don't need someone else to replace me or do what I'm doing; I'm strong enough to handle it myself.
I'll tell them what the smile on my face meant
I'll explain to people why I'm so happy and content, and what caused the change in my demeanor.
My heart going boom boom boom
My heart is beating fast again, because I'm excited to share my new self with the world.
"Hey" I said "You can keep my things,
They've come to take me home"
I tell the voice on the hill that he can keep my belongings, because I'm finally going home with him.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Peter Gabriel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dave Williams
Normally, I would discourage a cover of a song so quintessentially Gabriel-esque ... but Saga handle it quite well. By far, the best cover of this song.
Jeffrey Leatherwood
Heavier than the original, but pleasant and flattering to Saga's musical reputation. Jim and Ian Crichton are a good bass & guitar team, and Mike Sadler really shows his enthusiasm for Genesis and Peter Gabriel music. Love the dual harmony!
Tigran Haas
Great cover by one of the greatest bands ever! Will be sad to see them go, their final year ever now!
Ian Markley
Boom. Nailed it. Holy cow. Brought tears to my eyes.
Clint Crouch
I'm a Saga fan from way back...and always a Gabriel fan, and I must say Saga took an incredible song and made it better. I don't like cover songs unless the cover band adds their personal touch to it. They nailed it. Nobody can rewrite the song, but others can add to it. I have both versions, and when I here the original I want to hear Saga's version immediately after. It's the best of both worlds (Saga fans will get that)
Henrik Falkenfleth
Agree - another example is Far Corporation's version of Stairways to Heaven - a GREAT song with added new elements = good result
X Winfield
perfect John !!!! the best cover of this song ever !! greetings Juergen
Billingford Bluffer
Awesome quality John!!! Need this CD / LP! Tillmann
Tigran Haas
amazing album 2CD set made for Germany only!
Thomas B
great version.