Musical Inspiration Challenge 2. Part 3: The Hook

Take The Time (2007) by Dream Theater

The idea behind the Hook is that it’s the ‘theme’ of the adventure. Like saying that Demonweb Pits is about ‘Going to fight a demon lord in her own spidery realm’ or something.

Last time around I used a Sound of Thunder song to give us an idea for a  bunch of rambunctious bad ass knights and a lightning theme (which came to play when we summed everything up.)

This time, we have.. A song by Dream Theater. Specifically, we have one of the most iconic Dream Theater songs. In fact, I had to specify the 2007 version because Dream Theater makes a point of revisiting this song and making slight changes to lyrics and composition. My version comes from a Best of Album entitled ‘Greatest Hit! (And 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs).

Our Lyrics:

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Just let me catch my breath...
I've heard the promises
I've seen the mistakes
I've had my fair share of tough breaks
I need a new voice, a new law, a new way
Take the time, reevaluate
It's time to pick up the pieces,
Go back to square one
I think it's time for a change

There is something that I feel
To be something that is real
I feel the heat within my mind
And craft new changes with my eyes
Giving freely wandering promises
A place with decisions I'll fashion
I won't waste another breath

You can feel the waves coming on
(It's time to take the time)
Let them destroy you or carry you on
(It's time to take the time)
You're fighting the weight of the world
But no one can save you this time
Close your eyes
You can find all you need in your mind

The unbroken spirit
Obscured and disquiet
Finds clearness this trial demands
And at the end of this day sighs an anxious relief
For the fortune lies still in his hands

If there's pensive fear, a wasted year
A man must learn to cope
If his obsession's real,
Suppression that he feels must turn to hope

Life is no more assuring than love
(It's time to take the time)
There are no answers from voices above
(It's time to take the time)
You're fighting the weight of the world
And no one can save you this time
Close your eyes
You can find all you need in your mind
I close my eyes
And feel the water rise around me
Drown the beat of time
Let my senses fall away
I can see much clearer now I'm blind
(Ora che ho perso la vista ci vedo di più)

You can feel the waves coming on
(It's time to take the time)
Let them destroy you or carry you on
(It's time to take the time)
You're fighting the weight of the world
But no one can save you this time
Close your eyes
You can find all you need in your mind

Find all you need in your mind
If you take the time

///

Ok, from that we can take away a few interesting things.

One. This song seems to be pushing a theme of self-determination and overcoming fate.

Secondly. It seems to have an undercurrent that the focus of the song should retain his determination despite numerous shortcomings. Notably the line ‘I can see much clearer now I’m blind’ which is repeated twice (in two different languages at that).

The throw away line about ‘no answers from those above’ also seems to be representing that one should not immediately throw behind outside authorities for answers and guidance. My relationship with that idea personally is bit circumspect, but in tone here, we’ve got the idea of individuals having to overcome a sort of pervasive degenerative hardship and having to win through. It also seems to indicate a sensibility of not being able to escape, or having no hope of rescue.

Outside of places like WoD or Burning Wheel, we don’t often have deep psychological or emotionally awakening adventures. That’s just not what people belly up to the proverbial bar of D&D and Pathfinder for, so a challenge for us is how to make an adventure out of themes and concepts like this.

My first though, which I may abandon as we go through our other songs, is the idea that our heroes have to find or help someone who is lost to this sort of thing, or who themselves find themselves in a hopeless situation they need to overcome.

We’ll definitely need to flesh this out more.