Not long ago, and yet the image is so vague
I hesitate to label it a memory,
There was a show of local color and I felt astray
'Cuz I had nothing to offer but insufficiency.
And you know that it’s a bitch
When you learn to scratch that itch,
A blatant fallibility,
Sooner to some, but eventually...
All gets pointed in the same direction
While the human masses and their vague conceptions
Obliterate each other with impunity,
And you wonder "What’s in this for me?"
To another abyss - to no avail,
The search is bound to fail.
To another abyss - to no avail,
So long ago I set sail.
And it chills me to the bone
That I’m so far away from home.
To another abyss.
So what should I do now?
What should I celebrate
Given finite means and a penchant to depreciate?
How can I still avow and depend upon a state
That cares nothing for my happiness, welfare or fate?
And I know I can’t explain
The commotion in my brain,
Like a terrifying reality,
Deconstructed but inadequately...
All gets pointed in the same direction
While the human masses and their vain conceptions
Obliterate each other with impunity,
And release the weight of history.
To another abyss - to no avail,
The search is bound to fail.
To another abyss - to no avail,
So long ago I set sail.
And it chills me to the bone
That I’m so far away from home.
To another abyss.
So long ago, I set sail
And I’m struggling on the way
And I’m waiting for the day (To another abyss)
And I’m looking for the way back home. (To another abyss)
(To another abyss) So far away,
(To another abyss) So far away,
(To another abyss) So far away...
(To another abyss)
Version | Length | Release | Catalog ID | Country | Format | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Album version | ||||||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | United States | 12" | 2022 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | Europe | 12" | 2019 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | 6694-1 | Europe | 12" | 2019 | |
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | 86694-1 | United States | 12" | 2019 | |
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | 86694-1CRS (CLEAR/RED) | United States | 12" | 2015 | |
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | United States | CD | 2014 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | 86694-1 | United States | 12" | 2010 | |
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | Brazil | CD | 2009 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | Russia | CD | 2007 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | 86694-1 | United States | 12" | 2004 | |
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | Europe | 12" | 2004 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | 86694-2 | United States | CD | 2004 | |
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | Japan | CD | 2004 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | 6726-2 | Europe | CD | 2004 | |
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | 6694-2 | Europe | CD | 2004 | |
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | Brazil | CD | 2004 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | Russia | MC | 2004 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | United States | CD | 2004 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | n/a | United States | CD | 2004 | |
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | EDCI 80130 | Japan | CD | 2004 | |
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | Europe | CD | 2004 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | 2908-2 | Argentina | CD | 2004 | |
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | Colombia | CD | 2004 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | Australia | CD | 2004 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | Brazil | CD | 2004 | ||
4:07 | The Empire Strikes First | Russia | CD | 2004 |
Jake
Guest
![]() ![]() Location: Poland |
Honestly, I think that the message of the song is quite simple. It's about all the young people who are looking for the ideas, for a leader that will guide them back home, but all they get are vague conceptions obliterated in impunity. We're struggling on the way back home, where we belong, but there isn't anybody to guide us. It's about every one of us, searching for thruth and peace, no matter where we are, what we do and what we believe in.
08/04/2011 at 18:36
Honestly, I think that the message of the song is quite simple. It's about all the young people who are looking for the ideas, for a leader that will guide them back home, but all they get are vague conceptions obliterated in impunity. We're struggling on the way back home, where we belong, but there isn't anybody to guide us. It's about every one of us, searching for thruth and peace, no matter where we are, what we do and what we believe in.
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wolfbiker
Hippy Killer
![]() Location: NJ Status: Offline Posts: 120 |
okay I'm against it is on the money.
"Not long ago, and yet the image is so vague" relates to something that happened recently during that time TESF was made like the 9/11 and "I hesitate to label it a memory" he wants to get rid of his mind. but can't. "There was a show of local color and I felt astray" the local color means the community came together to help but he felt astrary 'cuz he had nothing to offer but insufficiency" which means he was helpless and could not do much to help with the situation and this is why it's more like indivudal minset that it is another abyss and feels there is no reparation for his well being, beuty and happiness and so far away from home. he'ls alienated from peace and joy 12/06/2010 at 12:58
okay I'm against it is on the money.
"Not long ago, and yet the image is so vague" relates to something that happened recently during that time TESF was made like the 9/11 and "I hesitate to label it a memory" he wants to get rid of his mind. but can't. "There was a show of local color and I felt astray" the local color means the community came together to help but he felt astrary 'cuz he had nothing to offer but insufficiency" which means he was helpless and could not do much to help with the situation and this is why it's more like indivudal minset that it is another abyss and feels there is no reparation for his well being, beuty and happiness and so far away from home. he'ls alienated from peace and joy |
I'm Against It
Modern Man
![]() ![]() Location: Arizona Status: Offline Posts: 556 |
Umm, I think this song is very direct in its meaning. It's about a soldier being shipped off to fight a war in some shitty part of the world, specifically Iraq although I'm sure he used the term abyss to make it more general and keep it relevant even when the war in Iraq is over. I guess the other interpretations work, but I just think it is much more straightforward especially given the timeframe this was written in.
12/04/2010 at 20:04
Umm, I think this song is very direct in its meaning. It's about a soldier being shipped off to fight a war in some shitty part of the world, specifically Iraq although I'm sure he used the term abyss to make it more general and keep it relevant even when the war in Iraq is over. I guess the other interpretations work, but I just think it is much more straightforward especially given the timeframe this was written in.
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Bad Brett
Henchman
![]() ![]() Status: Offline Posts: 121 |
As usual, it's about fear of death. He can't fully enjoy life because he knows that sooner or later everything will be gone (Sooner to some, but eventually all gets pointed in the same direction), and this is the only chance to solve the mysteries of life.
And of course the "state" isn't the US Government, but [b]his emotional state[/b]. It ruins his life, so he keeps asking himself why he keeps asking himself the same questions even though they create chaos in his brain. When he thinks about his past, it chills him to the bone. So long ago he set sail and he's looking for a way back home, but he realises that he will keep falling into the the abyss and that there's nothing he can do about it. 12/04/2010 at 07:45
As usual, it's about fear of death. He can't fully enjoy life because he knows that sooner or later everything will be gone (Sooner to some, but eventually all gets pointed in the same direction), and this is the only chance to solve the mysteries of life.
And of course the "state" isn't the US Government, but his emotional state. It ruins his life, so he keeps asking himself why he keeps asking himself the same questions even though they create chaos in his brain. When he thinks about his past, it chills him to the bone. So long ago he set sail and he's looking for a way back home, but he realises that he will keep falling into the the abyss and that there's nothing he can do about it. |
Alex
Guest
![]() ![]() Location: Global Citizen |
To me it seems it's just about striving to find things you can look forward to or believe in. Especially the line "what should I do now / what should I celebrate?" is just about how perfect and constant consistence is nothing you could ever achieve, and hence you struggle along the way, in search of things that can give you something, only to find them all to be disappointing. So it is about losing illusions and faith. Maybe faith in a country or a political genre, but it's probably intended to be about disillusion general.
12/27/2004 at 02:48
To me it seems it's just about striving to find things you can look forward to or believe in. Especially the line "what should I do now / what should I celebrate?" is just about how perfect and constant consistence is nothing you could ever achieve, and hence you struggle along the way, in search of things that can give you something, only to find them all to be disappointing. So it is about losing illusions and faith. Maybe faith in a country or a political genre, but it's probably intended to be about disillusion general.
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Chris O
Guest
![]() ![]() Location: Global Citizen |
I view the Abyss as a culture, or or society, or religion, or some belief system that is supposed to give our lives meaning and greater context. When seeking the answer in these different spheres, the search is bound to fail, it is of no avail, and we find the abyss instead. Another abyss, that is.
The song starts out at home, with a show of local color. Not feeling the patriotism or other group think, and not pointing in the same direction as the human masses (whose vague conceptions of tribe and religious righteousness have led to a legacy of war and slaughter), the protagonist goes searching for meaning, the answer, etc. But as noted, each religion, society, culture has these same vague conceptions. So he ends up searching for meaning, but instead finding a new abyss, and getting farther from home. At the end, the protagonist is struggling to get back to where he started, to get home. This is where we belong. It may be a meaningless abyss, but it is our abyss, the right abyss. 10/27/2004 at 22:52
I view the Abyss as a culture, or or society, or religion, or some belief system that is supposed to give our lives meaning and greater context. When seeking the answer in these different spheres, the search is bound to fail, it is of no avail, and we find the abyss instead. Another abyss, that is.
The song starts out at home, with a show of local color. Not feeling the patriotism or other group think, and not pointing in the same direction as the human masses (whose vague conceptions of tribe and religious righteousness have led to a legacy of war and slaughter), the protagonist goes searching for meaning, the answer, etc. But as noted, each religion, society, culture has these same vague conceptions. So he ends up searching for meaning, but instead finding a new abyss, and getting farther from home. At the end, the protagonist is struggling to get back to where he started, to get home. This is where we belong. It may be a meaningless abyss, but it is our abyss, the right abyss. |
Rob Bell
Guest
![]() ![]() Location: Global Citizen |
I view this song as a direct link to "be all you can be" army commercials, along with a parallel to Iraq. Man joins army/ service looking for an answer to quench his belief that he needs to serve, yet is thrown into a "search" for WMD and a "search" for himself. Yet he has blindly joined a cause that doesn't support what he really needs, which is to find meaning in his life.
09/02/2004 at 02:36
I view this song as a direct link to "be all you can be" army commercials, along with a parallel to Iraq. Man joins army/ service looking for an answer to quench his belief that he needs to serve, yet is thrown into a "search" for WMD and a "search" for himself. Yet he has blindly joined a cause that doesn't support what he really needs, which is to find meaning in his life.
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