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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Fate
Trans-Siberian Orchestra Lyrics
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And retreat
When you're standing all alone
With your dreams in the dark
Never knowing what is real
In the shadows you meet
Never knowing what is true
Never knowing if
Fate she hears me
Fate stand near me
Fate state clearly
Whether there will be another card
Retrieve us
Time deceives us
Faith she hears us
But she doesn't listen very hard
As she drifts through our lives
Tossing coins into the air
Watch them twist
Watch them fall
Turning hope into despair
Watch them twist
Watch them fall
Then she suddenly revives
Every dream that we've had
And we find ourselves
Alive
Believe me
Fate stands near me
Fate state clearly
Whether there will be another card
Receive us
Time deceives us
The only moment in our lives
That ever really mattered fate
Is now
The lyrics in Trans-Siberian Orchestra's song Fate deal with the themes of faith, belief, and the uncertainty of one's destiny. The opening lines, "Faith and belief and retreat when you're standing all alone with your dreams in the dark," speak to the feeling of being lost and unsure of oneself when faced with the unknown. The reference to "dreams in the dark" suggests the way in which these uncertainties can weigh heavy on one's mind, even in their subconscious.
The subsequent lines, "Never knowing what is real in the shadows you meet, never knowing what is true in the answers you seek," continue to emphasize the sense of confusion and disorientation that comes with facing the unknown. The repetition of "never knowing" underscores the helplessness that one can feel in these situations, unable to discern what is real and what is not.
The repeated refrain of "Fate she hears me/Fate stand near me/Fate state clearly/Whether there will be another card" suggests a desire for some sort of divine intervention or guidance, a plea to understand what one's destiny holds. The verses make it clear, however, that fate is fickle and unpredictable, as evidenced by the lines "Watch them twist/Watch them fall/Turning hope into despair." Despite this, the song ultimately concludes on a note of hope and resilience, with the final line declaring that "the only moment in our lives that ever really mattered fate is now."
Line by Line Meaning
Faith and belief
Having trust and confidence in something or someone
And retreat
Withdrawing from a situation or backing away from something
When you're standing all alone
Being by oneself in a given situation
With your dreams in the dark
Having aspirations and desires that are unknown, uncertain or concealed
Never knowing what is real
Being unsure of what is genuine or factual
In the shadows you meet
Encountering obscurity, darkness or uncertainty
Never knowing what is true
Being unaware of what is correct, accurate or honest
In the answers you seek
In searching for solutions, explanations or interpretations
Never knowing if
Being uncertain about something or unsure of its outcome
Fate she hears me
Personifying fate, as if it were an entity that listens to requests or prayers
Fate stand near me
Desiring fate to be close, accessible or present
Fate state clearly
Asking fate to communicate its decision or response in a direct, unambiguous manner
Whether there will be another card
Referring to a game of chance, wondering if there will be another opportunity or chance for success
Retrieve us
Asking to be rescued, saved or redeemed
Time deceives us
Implying that time can be deceptive, causing one to lose track of it or be misled by its passing
Faith she hears us
Personifying faith, as if it were an entity that is capable of perceiving or receiving communication
But she doesn't listen very hard
Suggesting that while faith may hear, it may not always heed or respond with great attention or care
As she drifts through our lives
Describing fate as a force that moves through and impacts one's existence in a fluid, intangible manner
Tossing coins into the air
A metaphor for the randomness and unpredictability of fate
Watch them twist
Observing the unfolding of events or circumstances
Watch them fall
Witnessing the outcome or result of these events, which may not always be desired or favorable
Turning hope into despair
Conveying the notion that one's optimism, expectations or confidence can be transformed into disappointment, gloom or pessimism
Then she suddenly revives
Imagining fate as a living entity that can have unpredictable, sudden shifts or reversals
Every dream that we've had
Referring to various objectives, ambitions or aspirations that one may hold
And we find ourselves
Discovering or realizing a particular outcome, situation or state
Alive
Feeling revitalized, stimulated or re-energized
Believe me
Asserting or affirming something with confidence or conviction
Receive us
Asking to be welcomed, accepted or embraced
The only moment in our lives
Suggesting a singular, extraordinary moment or experience that stands out from the rest of one's life
That ever really mattered fate
Implying that fate can determine or influence the most significant or meaningful parts of one's life
Is now
Emphasizing the present moment as being vital, crucial or decisive
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PAUL O'NEILL, PAUL F. O'NEILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind