The band first reached substantial commercial success with its third studio album Fight for the Rock (1986), which peaked at number 158 on the Billboard 200. Its next four albums—Hall of the Mountain King (1987), Gutter Ballet (1989), Streets: A Rock Opera (1991) and Edge of Thorns (1993)—were also successful but more critically acclaimed than Fight for the Rock. On October 17, 1993, six months after the release of Edge of Thorns, guitarist Criss Oliva was killed in a car accident. Following his death, Jon (along with producer Paul O'Neill) decided to continue Savatage in memory of his brother. The band released four more studio albums, and went through several line-up changes before going on an extended hiatus in 2002. During the years—partly even before the hiatus—members founded various new bands such as Jon Oliva's Pain, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Circle II Circle and Doctor Butcher. On August 2, 2014, Savatage announced that they were reuniting for the 2015 Wacken Open Air; despite having discussed the possibility of more shows and new music, the band went on hiatus once again. Although Savatage technically remains inactive, half of the members of the band claimed in interviews during throughout 2020 and 2021 that they have been working on new material for a possible follow-up to Poets and Madmen (2001).
Studio albums
Sirens (1983)
Power of the Night (1985)
Fight for the Rock (1986)
Hall of the Mountain King (1987)
Gutter Ballet (1989)
Streets: A Rock Opera (1991)
Edge of Thorns (1993)
Handful of Rain (1994)
Dead Winter Dead (1995)
The Wake of Magellan (1997)
Poets and Madmen (2001)
Another Way
Savatage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eighteen years and fading
Ain't a lot of time left to be a star
On an island
All alone and dying
But you won't get far
Dreams and visions
Tied into decisions
Saw you on a postcard
From the other side
Hope and glitter
Never feeling bitter
Walk upon the water
Just to be your bride
Don't tell me now
That there is nothing more
There is a how
Just like there is a door
And if there's not to be another way
You tell me why
Why
Why
Stay and follow
If the words are hollow
Gotta' go along
'Cause it's all you got
Each day earn them
Turn around and burn them
Think your fitting in
But you hope you're not
Neatly drowning
Every drink your downing
If you drink enough
You'll forget the game
Each illusion
Wrapped in absolution
Live your life in weekends
But it's not the same
Don't tell me now
That there is nothing more
There is a how
Just like there is a door
And if there's not to be another way
You tell me why
Why
Why
Why
And as he stood there cursing fate
For making life so hard
It seemed that fate had listened
For she dealt another card
For arriving in the harbour
Silhouetted against the sky
Was a ship bound for america
And her name, "maersk dubai"
And so when no one else was looking
And the ship was safely moored
He waited for his moment
Then he quickly snuck on board
Then he found himself a hiding place
Between two crates of iron ware
And as for distant america
In his mind he was already there
But what he was unaware of
As they sailed away from shore
Was that there were other stowaways
And he was one of four
And meanwhile the old sailor
Had walked right past that pier
While still conversing with the ocean
On the strengths of his idea
And as he walked he came upon
A youth he thought asleep
But the ocean said that he was not
And brushed a wave against his feet
And when the young man didn't stir
But lay quite still instead
The sailor took a closer look
And saw that he was dead
And all around the body
Was something he had never seen
Little cellophane packages
Marked "blackjack guillotine"
And so he asked the ocean
What these strange packets were
And she answered they held the heroin
That in his blood the youth had stirred
And it is certainly a sign
That things have gotten out of hand
When one can purchase ones own death
And choose it by the brand
The lyrics of Savatage's song Another Way tell the story of a person who feels like time is running out to achieve their dreams of being a star. They find themselves alone on an island, desperate for any opportunity to make it big. The lyrics touch on the themes of hope and desperation and describe the character's attempts to deal with these emotions. The chorus speaks to the idea that there must be another way to achieve success and that the character is looking for answers to why they have not yet been successful.
The second verse speaks about the character's attempts to fit in and drown out their emotions through drinking and living life on the weekends. The final verse tells of a sailor who is also dealing with his own issues, but has a chance encounter with a young man who has died from a heroin overdose. The sailor learns that the young man had purchased his own death in the form of packages marked "blackjack guillotine." The reference to the heroin epidemic is used to demonstrate that people are making dangerous choices in hopes of finding an escape from their problems.
Overall, the lyrics of Another Way touch on themes of hope, desperation, and the search for a way out. The song highlights the dangers of relying on substances to deal with difficult emotions and emphasizes the need to find alternative paths to success.
Line by Line Meaning
Times were changing
The world is constantly evolving, and things are changing quickly.
Eighteen years and fading
Despite still being young, time is running out quickly for the individual to achieve their dreams.
Ain't a lot of time left to be a star
The individual is aware that they have limited time left to achieve their dreams of fame and success.
On an island
The individual is feeling isolated and alone, both physically and emotionally.
All alone and dying
The individual feels like they are slowly losing themselves and are alone in their struggles.
Walk upon the water
But you won't get far
The individual is trying to accomplish something that seems impossible, and their efforts are futile.
Dreams and visions
Tied into decisions
The individual is making important decisions based on their hopes and dreams, as they are tightly intertwined.
Saw you on a postcard
From the other side
The individual has a distant memory of someone or something that they once cared about, but it is now out of reach.
Hope and glitter
Never feeling bitter
Despite the individual's struggles, they remain optimistic and refuse to become cynical or resentful.
Walk upon the water
Just to be your bride
The individual is willing to do anything, even the impossible, to achieve what they desire.
Don't tell me now
That there is nothing more
There is a how
Just like there is a door
And if there's not to be another way
You tell me why
Why
Why
The individual refuses to accept that there is no way to achieve their dreams and challenges anyone who says otherwise to provide a valid explanation.
Stay and follow
If the words are hollow
Gotta' go along
'Cause it's all you got
The individual may be following something or someone blindly, even if they know it's not genuine or fulfilling, because it's all they have in life.
Each day earn them
Turn around and burn them
Think your fitting in
But you hope you're not
The individual feels like they are going through the motions of life, trying to fit in and please others, but they secretly hope that they are not actually blending in.
Neatly drowning
Every drink your downing
If you drink enough
You'll forget the game
The individual is self-medicating with alcohol or drugs to numb their pain and forget their struggles, though they know it's not a permanent solution.
Each illusion
Wrapped in absolution
Live your life in weekends
But it's not the same
The individual is trapped in a cycle of temporary escapes and illusions, thinking they are being absolved of their problems, but in reality, their escapism only lasts for a short time before returning to the harsh reality of life.
And as he stood there cursing fate
For making life so hard
It seemed that fate had listened
For she dealt another card
The individual is supposed to experience a setback or tragedy that only further reinforces their belief that life is inherently against them.
And meanwhile the old sailor
Had walked right past that pier
While still conversing with the ocean
On the strengths of his idea
The old sailor is having a conversation with the ocean, which symbolizes his wisdom and experience, while the individual is struggling to figure out their place in life.
And as he walked he came upon
A youth he thought asleep
But the ocean said that he was not
And brushed a wave against his feet
And when the young man didn't stir
But lay quite still instead
The sailor took a closer look
And saw that he was dead
The old sailor encounters a dead young man and realizes that life can be shorter than you expect and that no one can outrun death, no matter their age or dreams.
And all around the body
Was something he had never seen
Little cellophane packages
Marked "blackjack guillotine"
The old sailor discovers evidence of drug use in the form of small packages labeled 'blackjack guillotine', further emphasizing the dangers of escapism and addictive tendencies.
And so he asked the ocean
What these strange packets were
And she answered they held the heroin
That in his blood the youth had stirred
The sailor enquired with the ocean regarding the packets and heroin within them, leading to the realization that addictions can be deadly.
And it is certainly a sign
That things have gotten out of hand
When one can purchase ones own death
And choose it by the brand
This line emphasises that one's addiction can be so consuming that they ultimately choose their own death while being swayed by the brand of the drug they are taking.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN OLIVA, PAUL O'NEILL, AL PITRELLI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind