Let me start by saying: this album ROCKS. Hard. End of story.

If you’re a classic rock fan like myself there’s nothing not to love here. Violet Sedan Chair stacks up nicely (in my opinion anyway) against the giants; Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, Queen, David Bowie, etc. And it does so with a unique and fresh sound all it’s own, paying homage to the classics without a hint of derivation. I have a new lifetime favorite here, and I would love it even if I’d never heard of Fringe. That said, THANK YOU Fringe producers for giving us this wonderful album to puzzle over and enjoy. When does the next (alterverse!) one come out?

So I’ve been listening carefully, researching and notating, and here’s my take on the album. Some of the lines I’m still not sure of, but this is as far as I can get. Maybe you guys can figure out the rest?

….

 

Let’s begin with the album cover itself:

To me that looks an awful lot like this, down to the location of the glowy spot:

Hmmm…

 

So what we have is a river with two banks that are (like parallel worlds) mirror images of each other. Each side of the divide has three suns, with a seventh rising up out of the space in between. Also spanning the gap is a woman’s face, which when turned upside down closely resembles Olivia in the tank with her hair spread around her. Reflected in the water of the first cover is (says me) the fetus from the apple glyph. Those flowers growing up the sides are Calla lilies. They symbolize purity, holiness, youth, innocence, death, rebirth, and resurrection. Yikes. They’re commonly used in both weddings and funerals.

Roscoe Joyce is not listed as a keyboardist at all. He is credited however with the vocals on Seven Suns (Setting). He also wrote all the songs. Speaking of which, here are the lyrics as far as I can discern them.

Side 1

Seven Suns (Rising)

I’m walking in a world busy running
I’m washing all the blood from my money
cause I
I can feel a hurricane coming

I’m sitting on a stool in a bubble
and I’m sifting out the gold from the rubble

If the seven suns are rising
in front of me
and the seventh one stamps out the only sea*

I’m traveling through the stars on a ladder
and I’m dishing up my heart on a platter
cause I’m loving you it all really matters

If the seven suns are rising
in front of me
and the seventh one stamps out the only sea*

(Tell me baby where will you be when the water’s (world is?) all gone?)
(Tell me baby where will you be when the water’s (world is?) all gone?)
(Tell me baby where will you be when the water’s (world is?) all gone?)
(Tell me baby where will you be when the water’s (world is?) all gone?)

If the seven suns are rising
in front of me
and the seventh one stamps out the only sea

If the seven suns are rising
in front of me
and the seventh one stamps out the only sea*

*This line could be “and the seventh one sets out beyond the sea.” I donno, my ears are numb… 😉

 

Notes:

• There’s a weird sussuration to the word “dishing”, but it may be nothing.
• The scratch/click sounds are at very even intervals throughout the entire song, on the left channel only.
• Buddha’s sermon is definitely what’s being referenced here. The bridge (Tell me baby where will you be when the water’s all gone?) is very fuzzy, and it took awhile to realize there were words in there at all. But I’m fairly sure this is what it says, and it makes sense in context of the song/sermon. *EDIT: After listening another thousand or so times, I’m not sure at all that that’s what it says, but it’s the only best guess I have. Gah.
• The first verse could be referencing William Bell. I’d say more than a little of Massive Dynamic’s money is bloodstained, and “I can feel a hurricane coming” sounds very like Bell’s “a storm is coming.”
• “I’m sitting on a stool (stone?) in a bubble” immediately makes me think of an Amber victim.
• “I’m traveling through the stars on a ladder?”
• “dishing up my heart on a platter” took me forever to figure out, but it sounds to me like a Peter/Olivia reference, especially in light of their current strained relationship.

Slow Vibration

Where you going drag racer?
you know you better slow down
you sweet sound chaser
first place at the showdown

You better kick your shoes off
if you want to keep your socks on
and you better take your blues off
if you want to get your rock song

Oooh shake it to a slow vibration
take your sweet own time
take it like a long vacation
Oooh it’s a conversation
shake it way down low
shake it to a slow vibration

You could be a role-playing gamer
or a schoolyard warrior
a tiger tamer
a disciplinarian

And you’re almost there now
you’re almost famous
give a little less care now
get a little more shameless

Oooh shake it to a slow vibration
take your sweet own time
take it like a long vacation
Oooh it’s a conversation
shake it way down low
shake it to a slow vibration

Notes:

• “Today, a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration “” that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. There is no such thing as death; life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves… Here’s Tom with the weather!.'” – Bill Hicks
• “Slow Vibration” calls to mind a couple of different Fringe events: the cylinder from The Arrival, and the guy who got stuck in the wall after vibrating it’s atoms apart. It could also be applicable to string theory, which postulates (in a nutshell) that all matter in the universe is connected by teeny subatomic “strings” vibrating at different frequencies, and that the frequencies at which these particles vibrate determine what form matter takes.
• I’m not entirely certain “way down low” are the words there.
• The backwards stuff right at the beginning is just some nonsensical piano notes that sound like a kid playing on a piano.
• “and you better take your blues off if you want to get your rock song” could be “you better take your CLOTHES off if you want to get your rocks ON(OFF!?) Another one I’m not sure about, so I went with the cleaner version.

Hovercraft Mother

I’ve fallen pretty fast for you honey
at last I’m in love
but there’s a chip on my shoulder
Cause your mama’s in the way
and I have to say
the situation couldn’t get any older

You say your mama knows what’s best
no use debating
though I’m sure I’d pass her test
I’m sick of waiting

I want to love you but your hovercraft mother
is hovering above you
I know you love her but I’m going undercover
cause your hovercraft mother
is hovering above you

I’m sinking like a stone for you honey
I’m home and I’ll make supper
just as soon as I’m able
but your mama’s at the stove
and I should have known
she done decided every dish on the table

I’m hardly strong enough to fight
for what I’m feeling
but after all the days and all the nights
I’m sick of dealing

I want to love you but your hovercraft mother
is hovering above you
I know you love her but I’m gonna run for cover
cause your hovercraft mother
is hovering above you

hovercraft mother is hovering above you

I want to love you but your hovercraft mother
is hovering above you

I want to love you but your hovercraft mother
is hovering above you

I know you love her but I’m gonna run for cover
cause your hovercraft mother
is hovering above you

I know you love her but I’m gonna run for cover
I’m gonna run for cover

I want to love you but your hovercraft mother
is hovering above you

I know you love her but I’m gonna run for cover
cause your hovercraft mother
is hovering above you

hovercraft mother is hovering above you
hovercraft mother is hovering above you
hovercraft mother is hovering above you

Notes:

• There are some weird Robotic/birdlike beeping sounds on “I’m hardly strong enough to fight……..I’m sick of dealing”.
• What mothers do we have here? There’s Rachel, AltLiv’s mother, Elizabeth, and Broyle’s wife, right? I’m gonna go with my wild speculation based on spoilers I’ve read. We know that

SPOILER (highlight to read) we will be seeing flashbacks to both Peter’s and Olivia’s childhoods – it’s even possible that they met as children. Regardless of whether that’s true, I think that the mother of a very sick boy is quite naturally going to “hover”, and this song could apply to adult lovers with a mom problem, or to an overprotective mom isolating her sick son, with equal ease. And Elizabeth did suffer guilty pangs about Peter’s lonely childhood after his death.

• Is a hovercraft a zeppelin?

She’s Doing Fine (Olivia’s Song)

She’s doing fine all the time
yeah she’s doing fine all the time
yeah she’s doing fine all the time

yeah she’s doing fine all the time
yeah she’s doing fine all the time
yeah she’s doing fine all the time

She walks tall with an open mind
heads turning as she passes by
she needs rhythm but she don’t need rhyme
and one glance is gonna get you high

yeah she’s doing fine all the time
yeah she’s doing fine all the time
yeah she’s doing fine all the time

now she’s doing fine all the time
yeah she’s doing fine all the time
yeah she’s doing fine all the time

she winks once to say hello
and winks twice when it’s time to go
she pops in when she needs a ride
she’ll commute in style down the waterslide

yeah she’s doing fine all the time
yeah she’s doing fine all the time
yeah she’s doing fine all the time

She looks a lot like Alice
with nowhere to go
and no white rabbit to follow
she’s falling fast now
and she’s talking slow
she’s gonna kick the habit tomorrow
tomorrow

And when she does
she’ll be doing fine all the time
she’ll be doing fine all the time
she’ll be doing fine all the time

yeah she’s doing fine all the time
yeah she’s doing fine all the time
yeah she’s doing fine all the time

Notes:

• This is definitely our Olive. She’d be “fine” if you were smashing all her toes with a hammer. What’s a little stolen life (and broken heart?)

Tangent, sorry – but that’s a character thing, no reflection on Miss Torv’s incredible acting abilities. I very much disagree with those who think she’s wooden and uninteresting. Anna’s emotions are very subtly played, but they’re very real. I personally love her ‘strong silent type’ character, it’s unusual and refreshing, and another lovely diversion from the stereotypical female character still far too prevalent in our popular culture.

• Hmmm, “Kick the habit”. Taken with the white rabbit references, I’d venture to guess Olivia may not be done with the tank. Especially if she needs to get back to the alterverse – it’s been established that she can now flip worlds with enough drugs and Walter’s scary sensportation tank… Or it could refer to the pills she was popping in her effort to banish Head Peter. And the tank is certainly commuting in some kind of style.
• Speaking of which, that’s one line I’m still not sure of, but gave up on after about the 200th time I listened to it.

Long List of Lovers (Nina’s Song)

I should have known
I wish I never knew
about the long list of lovers getting over you
It’s done and over
but I know it’s true
you had a lengthy list of lovers lusting over you

There was Jimmy and John
Vinnie and Vaughn
Ricky and Robby and William and Walt
and on and on and on

It’s done and over
but I know it’s true
you’ve got a long list of lovers getting over you

I’m lost in emotion
tell me what can I do
you’ve got my devotion
but will I get it from you?
I need some attention
baby this is your cue
and I really want to mention
there’s a long list of lovers getting over me too

I’ve got a long list of lovers getting over me too
a long list of lovers getting over me too
I’ve got a long list of lovers getting over me too
a long list of lovers getting over me too

I should have known
I wish I never knew
about the long list of lovers getting over you
It’s done and over
but I know it’s true
you had a lengthy list of lovers lusting over you

There was Jimmy and John
Vinnie and Vaughn
Ricky and Robby and William and Walt
and on and on and on

It’s done and over
but I know it’s true
you’ve got a long list of lovers getting over you

I’m lost in emotion
tell me what can I do
you’ve got my devotion
but will I get it from you?
I need some attention
baby this is your cue
and I really want to mention
there’s a long list of lovers getting over me too

I’ve got a long list of lovers getting over me too
a long list of lovers getting over me too
I’ve got a long list of lovers getting over me too
a long list of lovers getting over me too

Notes:

• I LOVE this song. It’s too cool, especially since it’s undeniably about Nina.
• I’m taking this as confirmation that there was something between Walter and Nina once, as if that weren’t evident enough already.

….

Side 2 – Where things get weird

Keep Climbing

Keep climbing higher and higher
Keep climbing higher and higher
Keep climbing higher and higher
Keep climbing higher and higher
Keep climbing higher and higher
Keep climbing higher and higher

I looked inside in search of me
and found a forest in a tree
they tried their best to cut me down
and sell my branches by the pound

you’re not alone
you’re not the only one
to float upon the ocean as the moon becomes the sun

Keep climbing higher and higher
Keep climbing higher and higher
Keep climbing higher and higher
Keep climbing higher and higher
Keep climbing higher and higher
Keep climbing higher and higher

When my blood begins to freeze
at 98.6 degrees
I throw away the master plan
to run much faster than I can

You don’t need me
you don’t need anyone
to feed on your emotions as the moon becomes the sun

Keep climbing higher and higher
Keep climbing higher and higher
and higher and higher
and higher and higher
and higher and higher
and higher and higher
and higher and higher

Notes:

• Bells, lots of bells, clicks and other sounds all the way through. No idea.
• This is way far out there, and probably a total coincidence, but here’s an article by a physics professor about turning the moon into an artificial sun in order to save the Earth from our sun’s eventual death. It talks about the end of the world, turning planet Earth into a giant life boat, and even (yes it does!) Back to the Future.
• “When my blood begins to freeze” – I have a hunch this verse may refer to an Observer. My evidence is thin and circumstantial, but that’s why it’s called speculation. Anyway, the Observers are clearly something other than human, and they seem to love (or need) very extremely spicy food. Very hot peppers actually can raise the body temperature a bit, and what if it’s not just a quirk? Maybe the Observers burn a little hotter than humans, and need the spicy stuff to stay healthy.  But whose ‘master plan?’
• “To run much faster than I can” is another line that had me pulling my hair out. For the life of me it sounds like “fun much faster” but that doesn’t make sense. So again, after a couple of hundred listens I just gave up. I hope someone else is able to decipher it.
• The next track (500 Years) starts playing at the end of this track, cuts off after three seconds, and then resumes as the next track.
• I have a suspicion, totally unfounded, that at least some of the band members are also cast/crew members. There’s a guy singing backup on this one who sounds a hell of a lot like Joshua Jackson, and I think I might have heard Jasika on a couple of them. Listen closely to the actual verses and see if you can hear Peter in the background.

500 Years

I’ve been waiting for 500 years
in the hope that my lost love appears
watching clouds of shifting shapes go by
casting shadows dancing far and wide

People come and people go
reincarnating
I will be waiting
I will be waiting here
Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall
they keep on fading
I’ll keep on waiting
even if it takes 500 years

I saw King Arthur pull his sword from stone
I was there the day he took his throne
I looked on as Merlin disappeared
and when Lancelot took Guenevere

People come and people go
reincarnating
I will be waiting
I will be waiting here
Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall
they keep on fading
I’ll keep on waiting
even if it takes 500 years

Notes:

• For no good reason, I think this song is about Sam Weiss. We know he’s “older than he looks” and most likely a First People, which is fascinating, and I hope I’m right.

Last Man in Space

Little lost world
final mission
eighteen light years
in position now
summers back home were getting colder
thinking bout you
you’re so much older now
It’s a pretty long way
back to somewhere
forget all those dreams
there’s no one out there now

It’s a shame you got left behind
follow the sound
it’s a shame there’s no gravity
pulling me down
it’s a shame you had to leave me here
I don’t want to die
it’s a shame at the end of time
to leave my only world behind

I guess it all ends here
like it started
Another big bang
and we’re broken hearted now
at the end of this endless road
I will pull the trigger
on this violent payload now
cause when the whole thing’s gone
without a trace
I’ll be the last man in space

It’s a shame you got left behind
follow the sound
it’s a shame there’s no gravity
pulling me down
it’s a shame you had to leave me here
I don’t want to die
it’s a shame at the end of time
to leave my only world behind

It’s a shame you got left behind
follow the sound
it’s a shame there’s no gravity
pulling me down
it’s a shame you had to leave me here
I don’t want to die
it’s a shame at the end of time
to leave my only world behind

Notes:

• This one’s just creepy in it’s unfathomable implications. It’s also my favorite, just ’cause it’s so friggin awesome.
• It may be that it’s referring to Olivia being stranded in the alterverse and we just didn’t pick up on it in time. Or there may be another abandonment in the future…
• Peter’s singing again, I swear.

Seven Suns (Setting)

Signs in type
words and hype
voices you hear
faces so near
voids of space
your name replace
what can last
future to past

We’ve seen seven suns setting
like a memory we’re forgetting

Halcyon days
summer haze
fleeting views
lead the news
square skies
circular lies
a momentary gain
the spin remains

We’ve seen seven suns setting
like a memory we’re forgetting
I tried to follow you but it’s frightening
A new day’s here and it’s rising
it’s rising

Karmic slingshot
action at a distance
Karmic slingshot
action at a distance
Karmic slingshot
action at a distance
Karmic slingshot
action at a distance

We’ve seen seven suns setting
like a memory we’re forgetting
I tried to follow you but it’s frightening
A new day’s here and it’s rising
it’s rising

Notes:

• This one is very profligate and hard in its imagery. The lines are delivered like bulletins, which fits with words like “hype” “news” and “spin”.  And “Square skies [windows] circular lies” has Massive Dynamic written all over it.
• Karmic slingshot took forever to decipher, and it’s a neat phrase. I’d lay money on it being something Sam would say.
• There’s a lot of muffled talking under the music during the karmic slingshot bit. Played backwards with the bass all muted, I think I can make out “in this place” but that’s all. I don’t know a thing about sound editing, and I really hope someone can figure out what all those hidden words and sounds mean, I just don’t know how to isolate them – or even if it’s possible.

Greenmana

While Greenmana does not appear to be on the album, I’m not convinced it’s not in there somewhere. I’m not done messing with it, speeding things up and playing things backwards, and even playing tracks simultaneously, but in the mean time here’s some food for thought:

Mana is an ancient, pervasive concept that is common to many spiritual cultures throughout the world. Differing terminology aside, the concept has been expressed in the writings of the Iroquois, the Hindus, the Buddha, Zoroaster, Hippocrates, Virgil, Thomas Aquinas, Descartes and George Lucas.

It’s the stuff life is made of, it’s magic. It’s the Force.

Among Pacific Island peoples it’s “a supernatural force or power that may be ascribed to persons, spirits, or inanimate objects. Mana may be either good or evil, beneficial or dangerous, but it is not impersonal; it is never spoken of except in connection with powerful beings or things” (1) In Buddhist tradition it’s the eighth of ten fetters binding us to the cycle of death and rebirth. It’s the concept of a permanent self apart from the whole of the world, and the word used by the Buddha translates both as ‘thoughts’, ‘mind’, and can even be interpreted to mean ‘brain’. (2)

Green, of course has all kinds of symbolic meanings, too many to list here, so I’ll just say that in Hinduism it represents the 4th (heart) chakra, and is generally associated with growth/healing.

That’s all I got for now. For anyone who’s still reading here at the bitter end, thanks, and I hope you found something new to mull over. I’m still having fun picking this apart so I’ll post whatever else I find. And I apologize for the lack of formatting finesse present here – I’m still learning.