Kansas: Carry on Wayward Son Meaning
Song Released: 1976
Carry on Wayward Son Lyrics
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more
Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher
But I flew too...
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Just to add to the Greek mythology interpretations; Socrates spent his whole life going from place to place trying to find the wisest man on earth when he already knew that he himself was the wisest man on earth. In the story, ever time a man would claim to Socrates to be the wisest on earth, Socrates would tell him that he is not because he was arrogant enough to claim to be the wisest man on earth. The line " and if I claim to be a wise man, this surely means that I don't know", and the song in general, could be a reference to Socrates.
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I take this song to be some what religious. I think what we have is a man lost in the world trying to find his answer to life and how to find peace. The voices- angels, god, etc. he's been caught up in himself and the world and not the kind of man he wants to be. He hears god telling him to continue on his journey and at the end he will find peace.
"Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high"
-He tried to find what he was looking for but he wa overthinking it and couldn't figure it out. Illusion that the world gives us of what is the truth.
"Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think I still was a mad man
I hear the voices when I'm dreaming,
I can hear them say"
- even though he could see physically he couldn't see spiritually. He's still trying to find the truth.
"Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man,
Well, it surely means that I don't know"
- he walks around living a lie, pretending like he's okay and he knows the truth but he really doesn't. If he says he doesn't know then that's how he knows he's lying because no one truly knows.
"On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about, I'm like a ship on the ocean
I set a course for winds of fortune,
But I hear the voices say"
- when he's alone he's crying and on a roller coaster of emotions. He's been driven crazy trying to find out what is right and what to follow.
"Nothing equals the splendor
Now your life's no longer empty
Surely heaven waits for you"
- this is god reassuring him not to give up. Heaven is waiting for him and he will finish the race someday. -
This song refers to the story of Daedalus, Icarus, and other characters from greek mythology.
1. "Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high
Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think I still was a mad man
I hear the voices when I'm dreamin', I can hear them say..."
-This refers directly to the story of Icarus and Daedalus. The first 3 lines refer to the escape of Daedalus and Icarus from King Minos. Icarus flew too close to the sun ("too high") and his wings fell apart. He died. Later on, Daedalus killed his nephew, as he was mean, crazy, and heartless after the death of Icarus, his son.
2. "Carry on my wayward son,
There'll be peace when you are done,
Lay your weary head to rest,
Don't you cry no more."
-Refers to the wrath of Athena (goddess of wisdom and Daedalus' mother) after Daedalus killed his nephew. She cursed Daedalus, turning him into a partridge. Daedalus would suffer the ache of losing his son and his nephew until his death (last two lines).
3. "Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know
On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean
I set a course for winds of fortune, but I hear the voices say..."
-Perhaps referring to the story of the death of King Minos- Daedalus and Icarus' captor. Daedalus arrived in Sicily (in the court of King Cocalus) after Icarus' death. King Cocalus had no idea that the Daedalus had escaped from King Minos. If he had, he would've turned Daedalus in, as King Minos' army was more powerful than the army of Sicily (1st two lines). The third line refers to the when King Minos (who was hunting for Daedalus) arrived in Sicily. Daedalus hid while Minos feasted with Cocalus. Cocalus said he had a very wise man in his court, and suspecting that this may be Daedalus, Minos challenged this man to a riddle. Unable to turn down a challenge, Daedalus solved it, proving that this wise man was Daedalus. Minos was angry, but the daughters of Cocalus (being fond of Daedalus) tricked Minos into his death with the help of Daedalus. The last few lines refer to Daedalus' grieving over Icarus' death, and his attempt to forge a new life (destroyed when Minos shows up). -
Kansas' "Wayward Son" -my interpretation of it's meaning
My interpretation of this song is pretty straight forward,at least to myself.
The first 4 lines,repeated throughout
-"Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more"
-I believe this refers to God calling on all his "wayward sons".The repeated message throughout.God instructing the "wayward son"to continue along his path of enlightenment and the wayward son's efforts to proclaim the truth he's aware of despite opposition,purporting that there will be peace once he completes the task,and God further instructs,"lay your weary head to rest,don't you cry no more",,to myself means take a rest and do not cry for the disbelievers.
"Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher
But I flew too high"
-refers to the wayward son's personal enlightenment to the wicked ways of the world in which he finds himself.Such is referenced by the rising above the "illusion" of the world as most see it enabling the wayward son to see the truth of the world.
"soaring ever higher but I flew too high" meaning,he pursues the truth and the reference to "flew too high" meaning he proclaims this enlightenment to the non believers to the point they believe him crazy due to their inability to see the deceptions the wayward son sees.
"Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think I still was a mad man"
-refers to the wayward son's enlightenment of the truth yet he still doesn't know it all.Also referenced that his mind could think to grasp the reality,many viewed him as being mad,or crazy due to their inability to see the truth.
"I hear the voices when I'm dreaming
I can hear them say"
-refers to his ability to hear the voices of truth in his dreams,and he hears them repeating God's message to him,that being,"Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more" as referred to earlier,and throughout reaffirming God's instructions.
"Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man,
well It surely means that I don't know"
-refers to the enlightened wayward son attempting to awaken the masses,hence the,"Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season" and he further,"And if I claim to be a wise man, well It surely means that I don't know"acknowledges he doesn't know it all and is not claiming to be a wise man who understands it all.
"On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean"
-refers to the emotions he stirs when attempting to spread the truth to the masses and becomes ridiculed by the masses he is attempting to awaken.
"I set a course for winds of fortune
But I hear the voices say"
-refers to the wayward son's steadfastness in his enlightenment to follow the word of God despite the opposition he faces,and once again he hears the voices telling him the truth.And again,God's instructions to rest and not weep for the lost children,and reinforces that instruction affirming,"No",,don't cry anymore,it shall be done."Carry on, you will always remember" meaning he will always remember the truth he has become enlightened to.
"Carry on, nothing equals the splendor"
-refers to the wayward son's enlightening and that he will always remember despite the world in which he finds himself yet nothing could equal the splendor,of heaven once his journey is completed,
"The center lights around your vanity
But surely heaven waits for you"
-refers to the wayward son's words appear to be vain and as such is viewed in a light of vanity yet continue for the reward is surely that heaven awaits him once he completes the task God has for him.
And then we again repeat the message to the wayward son from God,as repeated throughout,reinforcing the instruction to always carry on,and don't cry for the wicked,and the nonbelievers.
My interpretation.You make of it what you will. -
This song has several references to greek mythology.ecspecially the myths of dedalus and odyseus i will show som
.1"carry on my wayward son" is probably dedalus telling his son Icarus to carry on in heaven after he was wayward and died. or it may the father of odyseus(who went on a long, wayward and dangerous journey) talking to him
.2"There will be peace when you are done" may be Dedalus telling icarus ther will be peace after he is dead.or Because odyseus fought many monsters on his journey it may mean he will have peace when he returns home.
.3"i was soaring ever higher but i flew to high" icarus died by flying to high and melting wax that held his wings on.
.4"on a stormy sea of moving emotion" could mean the sea icarus landed in as he and dedalus thought he should have listened to him. or Because odyseus recieved many offers to stay different places he sailed on a sea of emotion of regret or indescision.
.5"carry on you will always remember" dead icarus telling dedalus to carry on even though he will always remember his death. or someone telling odyseus to carry on because he remembers his family.
.6"now your life isnt empty surely heaven waits for you" Icarus living more than an empty life in a maze dedalus telling him he will go to "heaven".or Odyseus returning home now " his life isnt empty" and for doing many noble things heaven waits for him -
Maybe this is only because of what im going through right now, but my interpretation of this song is about a woman/man and a break-up.
"Once I rose above the noise and confusion just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion", meaning once the woman/man could see clearly, she/he saw that there relationship was an illusion.
"Though my eyes could see i still was a blind man, Though my mind could think i still was a mad-man, i hear the voices when im dreaming", meaning her/his eyes still look and see love, her/his mind still thinks about loving moments together despite the fact they might be apart. She/he hears voices when she/he dreams, about there loved one.
"carry on my wayward son, they'll be peace when you are done, lay your weary head to rest, dont you cry no more", meaning she/he needs to carry on, and once the heartache is over she/he will find true happiness. Rest your tired body from the pain and not to cry anymore over the past"
"Masqurading as a man with a reason, my sharade is the event of the season. And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that i dont know.On the stormy sea of moving emotion, tossed about it like a ship on the ocean, I set a course for winds of fortune", meaning she/he things there is reason enough to stay and everyone is talking about it. If she/he claims to know what they are doing it means they are wrong. Troubled times but still looking for the good times.
"carry on, you will always remember, carry on nothing equals the splendor, now your lifes no longer empty, surely heaven awaits you!", meaning she/he will never forget the times they had with the other person, and nothing will ever equal it because all loves are diffrent. Now everything is ok and better things await you. -
Not sure who it's about, but like Portrait is about Einstien, and many other Kansas songs have a person in mind, I'm guessing this one was about Martin Luther King Jr. A man who rose above the rhetoric and spin to a vision of a better Nation than the illusion we were led to believe we had that racism didn't allow. His popularity and message was soaring, but it cost him his life. Retractors said he was blind to the reality that blacks were not equal to whites, and called his ideas as those of a madman. He knew he had a Dream and to achieve it he had to carry on.
You can go through the other verses and bring it about to his movement as well. I don't know if the song is about him, but definately about some peacemaker (as Molly Hatchet would say). -
it was cleary written because it was to become the theme song to a show years later, based on a father who witnessed his wife murdered by a mean person. the reason was that she interupted the mean person giving one of their two sons candy. and she didnt allow candy. it cleary is good verses evil. i am right. think about it. kansas. where the wicked witch fault glenda. the bubble lady.
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I Thought It was about Jesus when he was in the boat, and he woke up to a storm.
It's His Father, Talking to him that's the voices he hears. telling him not to cry.
There will Be peace when you are done.
Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man, well
It surely means that I don't know -
I personally think that this song is about someone overcoming a serious drug addiction. 'Carry on my Wayward son, there'll be peace when you are done' the singer is saying continue to stay clean and eventually you'll learn to overcome your addiction and find peace of mind.
'Once I rose above the noise and confusion, just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion,
I was soaring ever higher,
but I flew too high'
This could mean many different things, but probably saying that the person used drugs to escape from the noise and confusion of life and maybe even the illusion of the uncleansed doors of perception. Once they did this they felt 'high' like when you take drugs and feel really good, but this person flew too high and they got hooked on the experience of taking drugs.
Anyway, if you read the rest of the lyrics there's other lines about drug addiction -
After several years of learning about the illuminati, witchcraft and the shadow gov't that controls the world I think I understand most of what this song is about.
Once I rose above the noise and confusion just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion:
He has become enlightened to the truth of this world and realizes that everything we focus on in daily life is but an illusion of what truly is important. Transcending boring everyday life and realizing we are on a spirtual journey- living in a third dimension world of sight and sound we are blind to the 4th dimension of spirit and mind (conscience). As Sting would say "We are spirits in a material world." Making the way through the degrees of freemasonry could be the path to illumination that "I was soaring ever higher, but then I flew too high" describes. Like Lucifer the most beautiful Angel, he rose too high and wanted to be as God. His pride became too much and he was cast down to earth upon his failed rebellion.
Verse 2 "Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man, Those my mind could think I still was a madman"
Again-like in freemasonry, all who have not received light are blind to this hidden or occult world. One is still a madman thinking they know truth but in reality have not a clue. In freemasonry when becoming initiated into the brotherhood the initiate must where a blindfold until the ritual is over then the worshipful master states "Let the brother have light"
Carry on my wayward son refers to Lucifer being told to carry on with this new world order of his which will result in the anti-christ ruling from Jerusalem. The antichrist is the masonic messiah whose number is 666. Masons practice Kabbalah/Gematria which is assign number values to letters. Guess what Jesus Christ=612 or 6 6+6. Also Obama was born on Aug 4th (216th day of the year 6x6x6=216 and born in Oahu which is on the 21.6 degree line of latitude. No accident I'm sure.
Next Verse.
Masquerading as a man with a reason (Jesus) my charade is the event of the season. Lucifer/witchcraft celebrate 8 sabbats on the equinoxes and solstices which make up the seasons. Human/animal sacrifices are required on those dates.
"And if I claim to be a wise man, well it surely means that I don't know." Again, Jesus was the wiseman but Lucifer is who is really their god and who is ruler of this world.
"I set a course for winds of fortune- but I hear the voices say"
The Illuminati or "Network" teach their children to not want, and suppress their desire for material items and even food. Look up MK Ultra or research Fritz Springmeier's book "Be ye wise as serpents"
According to John Todd, in order for any music group to get a recording contract they must be first initiated into witchcraft. The purpose of rock music is to put demonic influence in young people's lives. So when he says "I can hear the voices say, carry on my wayward son" those voices would be the demons that come to these musicians in their dreams and inspire them to write their music. Many artist speak of these forces speaking to them, sometimes incessantly even while they are awake.
Finally, when he says "there will be peace when you are done" this refers to the 3 world wars, 33rd degree mason Albert Pike predicted would bring about the new world order which when accomplised will bring world peace...Or if you're a Ron Artest fan, Meta World Peace. The world will be controlled entirely by the ruling elite financially, spiritually, and militarily. All Govt's will be controlled by the Rothchild banking empire. WW3 will put zionism against Muslim Islam. It may begin on March 8th Purim and end 91 days later on 6/6/12 exactly 66 years after Anton LaVey's church of satan was established 6/6/66.
To put that message into an incredible piece of music is what made "Carry On" a huge hit. Amazing. It was a great song when I first heard it in 1978 and still is today. Hope you enjoyed the break down, I think it's pretty close. -
I always though it was about a father/guy who tells his son/friend about his life experience, and gives him some life lessons:
"Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man": Though he could see physically, he couldn't always see what was good or bad and the meaning of his life.
"Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion": He tries to get the meaning of his life.
"I claim to be a wise man, well
It surely means that I don't know"
Here he says(in my opinion): you never fully understand life until you're gone:"There'll be peace when you are gone".
But he keeps saying "Carry on my wayward": So this might be a bit confusing, but what he means(according to me) is: don't fear life, don't expect you'll do it perfectly either: you can't learn how to live. So, just follow my way: Try, fail, learn. -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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Again, like the song, "Dust in the Wind" this song really talks about spirituality beyond mainstream religion (which has already been discussed), I just wanted to add a couple of points;
1. Flying too high could be referred to meditating that goes no where...but bumps against the window of limitations of the practice.
2. "Masquerading as a man with a reason", could refer to several spiritual points; pretending to be spiritual, pretending to be a person outside of spirituality, or pretending to be with heavy ego.
3. My favorite line: "If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know". Anyone who has trodden the path of spirituality, knows the humility of this one: as soon as you grasp it, you don't got it. As soon as you claim you know it, you don't. As soon as you claim ownership of it, you loose it. Any attempts by "us" to know God, or know Oneness with God, and then claim it, it's gone.
Yes this song begins with the Christian story of the Wayward Son, and the return. It is so much more than Christian. Any faith has the place for anyone returning to spirtus versus maman.
This song is very, very true and very, very insightful. -
its about a person who is between life and death, he sees both his life on earth and how he lived a farce, and he sees his future resting peace. He's in spiritual and emotional turmoil. He is being summoned to his death, but the voice is comforting and telling him not to be afraid. Heaven awaits.
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