Despite not being an official member and not appearing on the studio albums, Daniel Gildenlöw (Pain of Salvation) has often joined the band during live shows. However, due to illness, Ted Leonard (Spock's Beard, Enchant, Thought Chamber) stood in for him during the 2014 tour. Leonard also joined the band during the 2022 tour.
Formation
Originally intending to include Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos, Morse and Portnoy tapped Flower Kings guitarist/vocalist Roine Stolt when Matheos was unable to participate. The band completed their lineup by adding bassist and progressive rock veteran Pete Trewavas from the group Marillion and Edison's Children. Before Transatlantic, the first moniker the band came up with was "Second Nature".
SMPTe and Bridge Across Forever (2000–2002)
Their first album, 2000's SMPTe (a play on words, as both a combination of the members' last initials, as well as a common machine time protocol used in high end recording studios) received strong critical reviews, including "some of the best progressive rock music ever written" (Robert Taylor in AllMusic).
A subsequent tour of the United States led to a double live CD, Live in America, and a video of the same name. The band showed their musical heritage on the live CD, presenting covers of the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever", as well as a medley of Genesis' epic "Watcher of the Skies" and "Firth of Fifth". The band also released another double live CD/DVD called Live in Europe in 2003; one standout is the version of "Suite Charlotte Pike" that includes covers of tracks from The Beatles' Abbey Road album.
Though SMPTe contained the 31-minute opus "All of the Above", the band's second studio album, 2001's Bridge Across Forever, found the band flexing their muscles further in the long form for which progressive rock is known. The CD contained just four tracks, the 26-minute "Duel With the Devil", the 14-minute "Suite Charlotte Pike", and the 26-minute "Stranger in Your Soul" making up the bulk of the disc, with the title track coming in at a relatively scant five minutes. The limited edition also contains a cover of Pink Floyd's "Shine on You Crazy Diamond". In November 2001, the band toured Europe. As an added bonus for progressive metal fans, Daniel Gildenlöw of the band Pain of Salvation sat in throughout the tour, playing keyboards, guitars, percussion, and vocals.
Years of hiatus (2002–2009)
Morse left his regular band Spock's Beard in October 2002, stating "God wants me to do something else," which meant leaving the mainstream prog scene to launch a new career as a Christian musician. This move also included ending his activities for Transatlantic. Portnoy reacted: "This spells the end of Transatlantic as I wouldn't possibly consider continuing it without him." A live DVD of the tour was released in late 2003.
In the years to follow Morse continued to collaborate with Portnoy both in the studio and on stage. Morse' concerts frequently included one or more Transatlantic songs. A three-quarter reunion took place on 23 August 2008, when Stolt and Portnoy joined Morse at the Three Rivers Prog Fest in Pittsburgh for "We All Need Some Light" and "Stranger in Your Soul".
Reunion and The Whirlwind (2009–2013)
On 16 April 2009, it was officially announced that the band had reunited and begun work on a third studio album. The album was released in October 2009 and consisted of a single 77-minute title-track The Whirlwind. A special edition of the album was also released, including a second disc with four additional original tracks and four cover tracks. Additionally, a deluxe edition was released, which included a DVD documenting the making of the album. The album reached No. 21 on the U.S. Billboard Heatseekers chart.
The band toured North America and Europe in April–May 2010 in support of The Whirlwind. Dubbed the Whirld Tour, the band was again joined by Daniel Gildenlöw on stage.
In February 2013, the new Neal Morse band (with Mike Portnoy) and the Flower Kings started a European tour together which was followed by a gig in Los Angeles in May. Each band performed a set with their own songs and the encore set featured Transatlantic songs performed by Morse, Portnoy and Stolt supported by members of the two bands with special guests Jonas Reingold and Randy George alternating on bass. The encore ends with eleven musicians on the stage.
On 10 March 2013, Pete Trewavas announced at the Marillion Weekend Convention in Port Zélande, the Netherlands, that he would be going to Nashville in the Summer to record new material with Transatlantic. Neal Morse confirmed this to DPRP.
Kaleidoscope (2014)
On 30 May 2013, Mike Portnoy announced that they had finished writing a new Transatlantic album. It featured five songs (two epics and three 'normal length' ones) plus eight covers for the bonus disc. The album was released in January 2014. A world tour of the United States and Europe followed, including a performance on the "Progressive Nation at Sea" cruise created by Mike Portnoy. The band played two shows, with the first featuring the entire Kaleidoscope album and the second including guest performances by famous progressive rock artists such as Jon Anderson of Yes. On 11 September 2014, Kaleidoscope won Album of the Year at the third annual Progressive Music Awards.
The Absolute Universe (2019–2022)
Transatlantic recorded its fifth album, The Absolute Universe, and released it on 5 February 2021.
On 5 June 2021, Mike Portnoy announced on his Twitter feed that Transatlantic would be playing at Morsefest 2022 outside of Nashville, TN on 29–30 April 2022 as a warmup gig for Cruise To The Edge. It was subsequently announced that both The Absolute Universe and The Whirlwind would be played in their entirety at these shows.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transatlantic_(band)
Studio albums
SMPTe (2000)
Bridge Across Forever (2001)
The Whirlwind (2009)
Kaleidoscope (2014)
The Absolute Universe (2021)
Mystery Train
Transatlantic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I met a girl who sang to me but her songs had no rhythm or rhyme
I couldn't feel, I could not think but my my what a colorful blind
As she sang in my mind
[Chorus]
Let the deal go down, ride that mystery train
Break the whole thing down, start all over again
Welcome to the mystery, dreams float in a pool in my head
There's your mother when she was young
There's Uncle Dick looking sick and half dead
The lights are on and she is home, stretched out on a Kodachrome bed
There's singing in my head
[Chorus]
Let the deal go down, let the wild wind blow
Let the dreaming go, let the steel rain fall
Let the seed be sown, 'til everything is known
Let the deal go down, let the wild wind blow
Let the dreaming go
On the road to anywhere, in a place that exists without time
I met a girl who sang to me but her songs had no rhythm or rhyme
I couldn't feel, I could not think but my my what a colorful blind
As she sang in my mind
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Transatlantic’s “Mystery Train” speak of a surreal journey to an undefined destination on a non-linear path. The singer meets a girl whose songs are without rhythm or rhyme, yet they transport him to a colorful blind, a dream-like state of mind. The song speaks of letting go of control and surrendering to the mystery, the unknown, and the uncertainty of life, represented by the “mystery train.” The imagery evoked by the lyrics is dream-like, almost hallucinatory, with mentions of floating dreams, Kodachrome beds, and steel rain falling.
The chorus of the song repeatedly calls to “let the deal go down” while riding the “mystery train,” advocating for embracing the unpredictable nature of life and surrendering to the inevitability of change. The song also speaks of the power of dreams and memories, which can transport us to different parts of our lives, to see people and places as they had been before, in different phases and moments.
Overall, “Mystery Train” is a song that speaks to the beauty and importance of surrendering to the unknown, the unpredictable, and to embracing change in all its forms.
Line by Line Meaning
On the road to anywhere, in a place that exists without time
Traveling aimlessly in a timeless place.
I met a girl who sang to me but her songs had no rhythm or rhyme
Encountered a singer who didn't follow any musical structure.
I couldn't feel, I could not think but my my what a colorful blind
Unable to have normal senses but still perceived vibrant colors.
As she sang in my mind
Pondering the singer's music.
Let the deal go down, ride that mystery train
Take a chance and embrace uncertainty.
Break the whole thing down, start all over again
Abolish current patterns and routines and begin anew.
Welcome to the mystery, dreams float in a pool in my head
Enter the unknown and immerse oneself in dreams.
There's your mother when she was young
Memories of the past resurface.
There's Uncle Dick looking sick and half dead
Dealing with the reality of death and sickness.
The lights are on and she is home, stretched out on a Kodachrome bed
Nostalgia for a past time.
There's singing in my head
Perpetual thoughts of the singer's music.
Let the deal go down, let the wild wind blow
Be open and accepting of change and chaos.
Let the dreaming go, let the steel rain fall
Abandon unrealistic fantasies and confront harsh reality.
Let the seed be sown, 'til everything is known
Continue pursuing knowledge and experience until there are no unknowns.
I couldn't feel, I could not think but my my what a colorful blind
Unable to have normal senses but still perceived vibrant colors.
As she sang in my mind
Pondering the singer's music.
Let the deal go down, ride that mystery train
Take a chance and embrace uncertainty.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Anthem Entertainment, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLY FALCON, JON BON JOVI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@D.Norton
This is PROG hell yeah !!
@jeremyfernandes5280
After 10 years, I'm first. Also thanks for the lyrics
@Kenjito_
On the road to anywhere