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)
When the Crowds Are Gone
Savatage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Memories can only last so long
Like faded photographs, forgotten songs
And the things I never knew
When the skin is thin, the heart shows through
Please believe me what I tell you is true
Where's the light, turn then on again
Another note for my requiem
A memory to carry on
The story's over when the crowds are gone
All my friends have been crucified
They made life a long suicide true
Guess we never figured out the rules
But I'm still alive and my fingers feel
I'm gonna play on till the final reel's through
And read the credits from a different view
Where's the lights, turn them on again
One more night to believe and then
Another note for my requiem
A memory to carry on
The story's over when the crowds are gone
When the crowds are gone
And I'm all alone
Playing a final song
Now that the lights are gone
Turn them on again
One more time for me my friend
Turn them on again
I never wanted to know
Never wanted to see
I wasted my time till time wasted me
Never wanted to go
Always wanted to stay
Cause the person I am are the parts that I play
So I play and I plan
And hope and I scheme
To the lure of a night
Filled with unfinished dreams
And I'm holding on tight
To a world gone astray
As they charge me for years
I can no longer pay
And the lights
Turn them off my friend
And the ghosts
Well just let them in
Cause in the dark
It's easier to see
"When The Crowds Are Gone" is a melancholic rock song by American heavy metal band, Savatage. The lyrics express the melancholic feeling of a musician after a performance: reminiscing on the past, feeling lonely and empty after the fans have left, and time has gone by.
The opening line, "I don't know where the years have gone, memories can only last so long," develops the theme of fading memories, just like old photographs and forgotten songs. The singer expresses how life can leave one feeling empty and incomplete. The lyrics imply that the singer lives only for the fans and the music he plays; he has nothing else. The loneliness is palpable when he sings, ‘when the crowds are gone, and I'm all alone, playing the final song.’ He has no one to turn to, nothing to believe in, other than the music he is creating. Despite everything, he holds on tightly to the world he has known and the unfinished dreams that life has left him with.
The middle of the song reflects on the friends who couldn't persevere in life, gave up living and died. The singer sings about never having figured out the rules of life, only to continue playing music and strumming away whilst waiting for the final curtain call. The closing lines of the song, "And the ghosts, well just let them in, ‘Cause in the dark, it's easier to see," hold the critical message, letting go of the past is the way to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know where the years have gone
Time has passed so quickly, I am not sure where my youth has gone.
Memories can only last so long
Although memories last forever, the mind cannot recall them indefinitely.
Like faded photographs, forgotten songs
Memories, like old photographs, can lose their vividness and like songs, can be forgotten entirely.
And the things I never knew
There are areas of my past and my history that I haven't fully grasped or understood.
When the skin is thin, the heart shows through
When people are vulnerable, they are the most honest with themselves and others around them.
Please believe me what I tell you is true
I am being truthful and honest in my statements to you.
Where's the light, turn them on again
I am searching for light and happiness in my life after going through a difficult time.
One more night to believe and then
I am holding onto a future full of hope and looking for reassurances in my life.
Another note for my requiem
I wish to leave my mark in this world as an artist, and this is another song in that journey.
A memory to carry on
I want to be remembered for what I have created, and for what I have contributed to this world.
The story's over when the crowds are gone
The story of my life ends when I am no longer actively working and supporting the art and music that I love.
All my friends have been crucified
The people I care about have gone through their own personal struggles and hardships.
They made life a long suicide true
Their life was a long struggle, full of pain and small joys.
Guess we never figured out the rules
None of us truly know the rules of life, and we are all merely trying to figure it out as we go along.
But I'm still alive and my fingers feel
I am still fighting and producing art/music, despite the obstacles in my life.
I'm gonna play on till the final reel's through
I will continue making music until the end of my life, without stopping.
And read the credits from a different view
I will reflect on my life achievements after having viewed them from multiple angles.
When the crowds are gone
This represents the solitude I experience when I am not performing.
And I'm all alone
I am isolated and disconnected when I am not supported by a large audience.
Playing a final song
Playing one last piece, representing my grand finale.
Now that the lights are gone
When the lights fade away, so do the people and the support, most importantly.
Turn them on again
I am yearning for the support and audience I once had.
I never wanted to know
I didn't want to be truly aware of the pain and rejection that came with an artist's life.
Never wanted to see
I didn't want to face the hard truth of the hardships and struggles that came with my career.
I wasted my time till time wasted me
I lost track of time, and eventually, time took its toll on me.
Never wanted to go
I didn't want to face the end of my career, the inevitable mortality that awaits us.
Always wanted to stay
I wanted to stay producing music, inspired and motivated till the very end.
Cause the person I am are the parts that I play
The roles that I have played is what makes up the different aspects of my personality.
So I play and I plan
I am always striving and working to create more music for others to enjoy.
And hope and I scheme
I still hold onto my hope and my dreams of success and longevity.
To the lure of a night filled with unfinished dreams
I am attracted by the promise of a night of endless possibilities and hope that I can still fulfill my dreams.
And I'm holding on tight to a world gone astray
Despite everything, I am trying to hold on tightly to this world and its chaos.
As they charge me for years I can no longer pay
Those years of toil and hard work have taken their toll, and it's something that I cannot continue to pay for.
And the ghosts, well just let them in
I am willing to let the memories of the past, the good and the bad, come in and contemplate their lessons.
Cause in the dark, it's easier to see
In the dark phases of our life, it's easier to look back on the past and see the lessons it has to offer.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER M OLIVA, JON OLIVA, PAUL O'NEILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Antonio Agria
I don't know where the years have gone
Memories can only last so long
Like faded photographs, forgotten songs
And the things I never knew
When the skin is thin, the heart shows through
Please believe me what I tell you is true
Where's the light, turn then on again
One more night to believe and then
Another note for my requiem
A memory to carry on
The story's over when the crowds are gone
All my friends have been crucified
They made life a long suicide true
Guess we never figured out the rules
But I'm still alive and my fingers feel
I'm gonna play on till the final reel's through
And read the credits from a different view
Where's the lights, turn them on again
One more night to believe and then
Another note for my requiem
A memory to carry on
The story's over when the crowds are gone
When the crowds are gone
And I'm all alone
Playing the saddest song
Now that the lights are gone
Turn them on again
One more time for me my friend
Turn them on again
I never wanted to know
Never wanted to see
I wasted my time till time wasted me
Never wanted to go
Always wanted to stay
Cause the persons I am are the parts that I play
So I plot and I plan
Hope and I scheme
To the lure of a night
Filled with unfinished dreams
And I'm holding on tight
To a world gone astray
As they charge me for years
I can no longer pay
And the lights
Turn them off my friend
And the ghosts
Well just let them in
Cause in the dark
It's easier to see
Vasileios
Savatage is the perfect example that quality is not reflected by the quantity of listeners
Alessandro Mariani
And that's good... quality is not for everyone.
Davide Pia
That's the reason why I have all their original albums.
Jaysin31
You can probably say that about tens of thousands of artists. Everyone has a band or 2 they're drawn to who are not in the mainstream. And there's more of them than those in the MS. And if you haven't noticed, Savatage has a ton of listeners. Intelligent, sophisticated, and worldly. They have a certain quality of listeners that's unlike any other artists in the genre.
P A
Very well and perfectly said sir
Antonis M
Εν τω μεταξύ αυτό που πραγματεύεται το τραγούδι είναι ακριβώς το ζωντανό παράδειγμα οι ίδιοι πλέον οι Savatage..μπορεί τα φώτα να έσβησαν, ο κόσμος να έφυγε ... αυτοί παίζουν ακόμα όμως..με άλλο όνομα με άλλα μέλη ..παίζουν όμως παρόλαυτα...μαζί με τους Queensryche, είναι οι μόνες μπάντες που όταν βάζω ένα τραγούδι τους νιώθω το ίδιο πάθος με τη πρώτη φορά
Chris OGuinn
Savatage, the band that proves that having truckloads of talent isn't the gateway to worldwide success.
jehzir
TSO may want to have something to say about that. Jon has came out in public to say that Savatage was name hindered not talent.
Aaron Hardy
69th comment! Sad but true 🙄
Brent Cook
So sad this is my youth forever in my heart and brain 🍺