"..in the beginning, there was God. Like all the creatures of the universe, God had a place He called home. This place is SHAKARY, the center of the universe.."
"Alya" is a concept double album with strong melodic material and grand moments and gestures that many prog lovers are sure to like. The story is based on themes from the bible, sound and artwork are done on a very professional level. The sound is very similar with CLEPSYDRA, the reason for this is not only the guitar work but also the lead vocals done by CLEPSYDRA's lead singer Aluisio Maggini. The songs are very melodic, a little bit more complex than CLEPSYDRA and the use of violin and trumpet varies the whole thing. It is a very good 70's style prog that hints to the 80's. PFM could have made this record in the 80's! Neo prog at his best.
The main merit of "The Last Summer" is the continuous activity of instrumental arrangements, which is quite a rare case within the framework of Neo Progressive.
Babylon
Shakary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Twinkling with your thousand jewels;
You, whore seated on the seven hills,
The seven heads of the dark world.
You, mother of criminals and lawyers,
Your time has nearly come;
You, mother of obscenity and richness,
"She has fallen!
The great Babylon has fallen!
She has become home of all demons,
Shelter of all mighty filthy spirits."
You, old women, don't pretend:
"I am a queen on a throne,
I'm not a poor widow,
Mourning won't touch me."
You, poor and unlucky;
Great and powerful town;
Your robberies and killings,
Brightness and luxury are fading.
"So Babylon will be fallen,
No one will ever see her again;
The blood of the Prophets and Saints runs in you,
All those who have been killed."
"She has fallen!
The great Babylon has fallen!
She has become home of all demons,
Shelter of all mighty filthy spirits."
The lyrics of Shakary's song Babylon are an interpretation of the downfall of a once-great city that has succumbed to greed, corruption, and moral decay. The city of Babylon is personified as a whore, a symbol of its moral corruption and decadence, with her thousand jewels representing her wealth and excess. She is described as seated on the seven hills, which are the seven heads of the dark world, representing her power and influence over the world.
The song speaks to two different groups of people, the first being the wealthy and powerful, who are called out as criminals and lawyers. Their time is running out, and they will soon be exposed for who they truly are. The second group addressed in the song is the poor and unlucky, who are the victims of the city's corruption, robberies, and killings. The city's once-great glory is fading, and its future looks bleak.
The chorus of the song repeats the refrain, "She has fallen! The great Babylon has fallen! She has become home of all demons, Shelter of all mighty filthy spirits," emphasizing the finality of Babylon's downfall and the irredeemability of its corruption. The lyrics also reference the blood of the prophets and saints running through Babylon, alluding to the city's role in religious history and its sinfulness in the eyes of God.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the corrupting influence of wealth and power and the inevitability of the downfall of those who succumb to its temptations.
Line by Line Meaning
You, whore who shine in the east,
Twinkling with your thousand jewels;
Addressing the city of Babylon, which is compared to a promiscuous person, described as shining bright with wealth and prosperity.
You, whore seated on the seven hills,
The seven heads of the dark world.
Babylon is viewed as a place of dark power, situated on seven hills which were associated with the seven deadly sins and linked to the seven-headed beast of the book of Revelation.
You, mother of criminals and lawyers,
Your time has nearly come;
Revealing that all those who engaged in unjust acts surrounding the city of Babylon will receive their recompense soon.
You, mother of obscenity and richness,
Your glory is going to fade.
Acknowledging the city's wealth and affluence, yet indicating that it will inevitably pass and crumble away.
"She has fallen!
The great Babylon has fallen!
She has become home of all demons,
Shelter of all mighty filthy spirits."
A warning that Babylon will fall and become a place full of nothing but demons and dirt, as if it becomes cursed and loses all its beauty and grandeur.
You, old women, don't pretend:
"I am a queen on a throne,
I'm not a poor widow,
Mourning won't touch me."
Addressing the city as an old woman, expressing that it is delusional to pretend that it is a queen on a throne and immune to mourning since its troublesome future cannot be avoided.
You, poor and unlucky;
Great and powerful town;
Your robberies and killings,
Brightness and luxury are fading.
Addressing Babylon as poor and unlucky, acknowledging the city's past grandeur but also criticizing its past criminality and resembling it to the imagery of an old, faded glory.
"So Babylon will be fallen,
No one will ever see her again;
The blood of the Prophets and Saints runs in you,
All those who have been killed."
"So Babylon will be fallen", a confirmation that Babylon will fall; "No one will ever see her again", meaning that it will never be reconstructed; "The blood of the Prophets and Saints runs in you, All those who have been killed," meaning Babylon is guilty of the shedding of innocent blood.
"She has fallen!
The great Babylon has fallen!
She has become home of all demons,
Shelter of all mighty filthy spirits."
Repeating the warning of Babylon's upcoming downfall, as the city will turn into a place of demons and negativity.
Contributed by Kennedy F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sebastian Solorzano
Hermosa canción aunque nadie la vote