The roots of TSO are found in Savatage, a traditional heavy metal band that gradually progressed into a symphonic metal act. Savatage's rock operas, starting with STREETS, began the experimentation with what would become TSO culminating on the track "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" from DEAD WINTER DEAD. This track was a minor hit for the struggling band, and demonstrated that there might be an audience for the symphonic metal approach to holiday themes.
The concept for a band playing Christmas carols in a rock opera style was not received warmly by the industry, but quickly proved a success with adults as well as young people. In the recording studio, Trans-Siberian Orchestra uses a full 60-piece orchestra and a choir.
As of 2004, their touring band included 14 vocalists, 14 musicians, and 2 narrators. Trans-Siberian Orchestra released their debut album Christmas Eve and Other Stories in 1996, and it remains their best-selling album. Their 1998 release The Christmas Attic was similarly a concept album with a Christmas theme. In 2000, they released their first non-Christmas album, Beethoven's Last Night. Beethoven's Last Night is a concept album about Ludwig van Beethoven's last night on earth, during which he meets Mephistopheles (possible Satan, or one of his underlings).
After a few years of touring, they returned to the studio with another full-length album, Lost Christmas Eve, and the accompanying DVD/3-CD release The Christmas Trilogy, which contained all three of their Christmas albums to date.
During their winter tours of 2005 and 2006, the band had announced that they were working on the new album, set to release later that year (this was said both years). During the summer of 2007, the official myspace for TSO stated that they were recording, with the expression 'inspired'. Finally, on October 27, 2007, the long awaited new album (and second non-Christmas) arrived "Night Castle". The album is another concept album, spanning 2 cd's, and is the telling of the story of a soldier's experience during the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge. As always, it's about faith, hope, fate and the inherent belief that there is good in all people. The album was received with mixed reviews, from the praise of the band's fans, to the near burning of albums by those that are less than receptive to the album. Along with the songs for the story, the album also includes 4 tracks that are not part of the story, and yes, it features the band's rendition of "Carmina Burana (O Fortuna)", performed as a preview by the band during their winter tours, as well as one cover of a Savatage song.
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http://www.nightcastlealbum.com
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Dreams We Conceive
Trans-Siberian Orchestra Lyrics
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After midnight
Neath the halo
Of a street light
Where the dreams die
As the blood dries
On the wounds we keep hidden from
View
In the safety
Of this darkness
As it hides all
Time has tarnished
The forbidden
Unforgiven
Are we secure here where no-one
Pursues
But the night fades away
And gives way to the day
For what else is the night to do
As the dark steps aside
With the hopes we confide
And never believes
That the dreams we conceived
Would ever
Not ever come true
Is life different
After midnight
With its new dawn
And its new light
Inconsistent
And indifferent
To the things
We were so sure we knew
As you stood there
In the night air
With such beauty
That the stars stared
From their distance
You were different
Like a dream
That no-one could refuse
But the night fades away
And gives way to the day
For what else is
The night to do
As the dark steps aside
With the hopes we confide
And never believes
That the dreams we conceived
Would ever
Not ever come true
As you stand all
Alone at your station
What if God doesn't
Know where you are
As you send out your
Prayers for salvation
But afraid that
They don't go that far
So you wait all
Alone in your darkness
There's a train that drives on
Through the night
And if everyone's
On it except us
Would it return for
That single life
In a city
After midnight
Neath the halo
Of a street light
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra's song Dreams We Conceive is a powerful and emotional ballad that explores the depths of a person's subconscious and confronts the darker aspects of human nature. The song is told from the perspective of someone who feels trapped in a city that is suffocating and unforgiving. It is a place where dreams go to die and where wounds are hidden from view. The singer finds solace in the darkness of the night where they can hide from all of the pain and heartache that comes with the light of day. The lyrics suggest that we all have secrets that we keep hidden from view, but that these wounds can never truly be healed unless we confront them head-on.
When the morning light arrives, we are forced to face the reality of our situation, and we are reminded that the dreams we once had may never come true. The lyrics cleverly use the imagery of the night to represent our dreams and the daytime to represent the harsh reality of life. It's a somber and yet uplifting message that encourages us to keep believing in our dreams even when the world seems against us.
The song ends with a plea for salvation and hope that the train of life will return for that single lost soul. This final verse is a powerful metaphor for the journey of life and the hope that we all have that things will eventually get better. Ultimately, the song is about persevering through the difficult times and never losing hope, even when the world around us tells us to give up.
Line by Line Meaning
In a city
In an urban area
After midnight
During the early hours of the day
Neath the halo
Under the glow
Of a street light
From a light post
Where the dreams die
In a place where hopes are lost
As the blood dries
While the injury heals
On the wounds we keep hidden from
On the injuries we don't expose
View
Sight of others
In the safety
In a secure location
Of this darkness
In the obscurity
As it hides all
As it conceals everything
Time has tarnished
The past has been blemished
The forbidden
The things that are not allowed
Unforgiven
The sins that are not pardoned
Are we secure here where no-one
Are we safe in this place where no one
Pursues
Comes after us
But the night fades away
However, the darkness disappears
And gives way to the day
And is replaced by the light
For what else is the night to do
What other choice does the darkness have
As the dark steps aside
As the shadows move away
With the hopes we confide
With the aspirations we reveal
And never believes
And never trusts
That the dreams we conceived
That the visions we created
Would ever
Will never
Not ever come true
Fail to materialize
Is life different
Does existence change
After midnight
After the darkness sets in
With its new dawn
With its fresh start
And its new light
And its new illumination
Inconsistent
Capricious
And indifferent
And unconcerned
To the things
To the events
We were so sure we knew
We were positive we comprehended
As you stood there
While you stayed there
In the night air
In the atmosphere of the darkness
With such beauty
Exhibiting so much attractiveness
That the stars stared
That even the celestial bodies gazed upon
From their distance
From their distant perch
You were different
You were unlike the others
Like a dream
Similar to a vision
That no-one could refuse
That everyone was compelled to accept
As you stand all
As you remain alone
Alone at your station
Without anyone near you
What if God doesn't
Suppose the Almighty doesn't
Know where you are
Aware of your location
As you send out your
As you transmit your
Prayers for salvation
Petitions for deliverance
But afraid that
But apprehensive that
They don't go that far
They won't reach their destination
So you wait all
So you endure by yourself
Alone in your darkness
By yourself in the obscurity
There's a train that drives on
There's a locomotive that pushes forward
Through the night
Throughout the darkness
And if everyone's
And if all the others are
On it except us
On board apart from ourselves
Would it return for
Would it come back for
That single life
One individual
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN OLIVA, JOHN N. OLIVA, PAUL O'NEILL, PAUL F. O'NEILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind