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)
Sirens
Savatage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They heard the voices sing
Through the storm
The island's closing in
They'd heard tales
Of lives lost at sea
Deserted beach just beyond their reach
You're approaching the island of the
Sirens
Sirens
Hungry for man tonight
Sirens
Sirens
Claiming the sailors' lives
Nine men made it to a shore
A night of terror
Lies neatly in store
Who are those women?
Are they real?
Is this just a crazy dream?
You're approaching the island of the
Sirens
Sirens
Hungry for flesh tonight
Sirens
Sirens
Claiming the sailors' lives
Terror happens quickly
Remains till the sailor are gone
They vanished in the night
Sirens singing their song
Whoa, till they're gone
All right
The lyrics of "Sirens" by Savatage tell a story of a group of sailors who hear the seductive voices of the Sirens, mystical creatures from Greek mythology who would lure sailors to their deaths with their enchanting songs. Despite hearing the tales of previous sailors who had been lost at sea due to the Sirens, the sailors are drawn to the deserted beach of an island on which the Sirens reside. As they approach the island, they are filled with fear of the unknown and begin to question if the women they see are real or just a figment of their imagination.
Nine of the sailors make it to shore, but they soon discover that they are not alone on the island. The Sirens are hungry for flesh tonight and are claiming the sailors' lives one by one. The sailors' sense of terror quickly takes over, and they realize that they may never make it off the island alive. The song ends on a somber note, as the Sirens continue to sing their deadly song and the sailor's fate is left unknown.
Overall, "Sirens" is a cautionary tale about the perils of succumbing to temptation, particularly when it comes to the infamous Sirens of Greek mythology. The lyrics are evocative and haunting, painting a vivid picture of a desperate struggle for survival against an unknown and dangerous force.
Line by Line Meaning
On the sea
Traveling across the ocean
They heard the voices sing
Hearing alluring melodies through the waves
Through the storm
Despite terrible weather
The island's closing in
Approaching an ominous landmass
They'd heard tales
Warnings of dangers in these waters
Of lives lost at sea
The tragic fate of many sailors before them
Deserted beach just beyond their reach
The hope of sanctuary out of reach
You're approaching the island of the
Drawing closer to the fabled and feared destination
Sirens
Mythological creatures that lure people to their deaths
Sirens
Their call echoing through the night
Hungry for man tonight
Eager to consume human lives
Sirens
The all-consuming monsters
Sirens
Bringing doom to those in their grasp
Claiming the sailors' lives
Taking away the crew without mercy
Nine men made it to a shore
A small group barely surviving the encounter
A night of terror
Haunted by the horrors they witness
Lies neatly in store
More danger awaits them
Who are those women?
The seductresses with death in their grasp
Are they real?
The surreal nature of the current situation
Is this just a crazy dream?
The disbelief and confusion in the survivors' minds
Terror happens quickly
The speed at which their situation deteriorates
Remains till the sailor are gone
The lasting fear and trauma even after the sailors' demise
They vanished in the night
The sudden disappearance of the unlucky crew
Sirens singing their song
The never-ending call of their deadly voices
Whoa, till they're gone
Their reign of terror ending only with the absence of prey
All right
The song's abrupt conclusion
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CRISS OLIVA, JOHN OLIVA, JOHN N. OLIVA, PAUL O'NEILL, PAUL F. O'NEILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@BarryTheBeef
On the sea
They heard the voices sing
Through the storm
The island's closing in
They'd heard tales
Of lives lost at sea
Deserted beach just beyond their reach
You're approaching the island of the
Sirens
Sirens
Hungry for man tonight
Sirens
Sirens
Claiming the sailors' lives
Nine men made it to a shore
A night of terror
Lies neatly in store
Who are those women?
Are they real?
Is this just a crazy dream?
You're approaching the island of the
Sirens
Sirens
Hungry for flesh tonight
Sirens
Sirens
Claiming the sailors' lives
Terror happens quickly
Remains till the sailor are gone
They vanished in the night
Sirens singing their song
Whoa--till they're gone...
ALL RIGHT!!
@quietplace85
Love this song....
On the sea
They heard the voices sing
Through the storm
The island's closing in
They'd heard tales
Of lives lost at sea
Deserted beach just beyond their reach
You're approaching the island of the
Sirens
Sirens
Hungry for man tonight
Sirens
Sirens
Claiming the sailors' lives
Nine men made it to a shore
A night of terror
Lies neatly in store
Who are those women?
Are they real?
Is this just a crazy dream?
You're approaching the island of the
Sirens
Sirens
Hungry for flesh tonight
Sirens
Sirens
Claiming the sailors' lives
Terror happens quickly
Remains till the sailor are gone
They vanished in the night
Sirens singing their song
Whoa, till they're gone
All right
@DeadLake69
One of the lost gems of Heavy Metal. Should be in everyones library.
@josephkunath4173
It's in mine. Love this stuff
@rickschweitzer9845
Of course
@nickyslicky
Then it would not be as epic if everyone had it. People ruin shit
@mrmahavishnu
Truth!
@gerardlevangie9060
They were so underrated, I love how sinister and wicked their sound was.
@andrettski8686
I had a talk with an employee of 1 of my fave rec stores about Savatage. We both said how they had such a unique sound. Like you said "sinister and wicked" You can fell it down deep inside because the drums and bass are so well done, not just Criss and Jon.
@NS1.
Got to give credit to Morrisound Studio for mixing a kickass album. The tone of this guitar is fan-fucking-tastic. RIP to Criss. He's not talked about enough when it comes to the guitar greats of the 80's (and early 90's). His guitar playing skills were/are out of this world. The riffs are extremely ear catching and his solos are damn near perfect, every one.
@fabriciocezar1683
🇧🇷🤘
@angelofdeath9619
1983 was one of the best years for metal