Talk:Journey to the Centre of the Eye

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[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:Journey To The Centre Of The Eye.jpg

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BetacommandBot 02:00, 7 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Original research/opinion moved here

This was taken out of the article and moved here - Zariane (talk) 18:45, 24 February 2008 (UTC)

The following account of the storyline is also NOT from the concept presented on the actual Nektar album cover, it was derived solely from a critical listen to the album, and thus is the opinion of one listener......

Although its label as a rock opera is hard to dispute, the album's narrative is hard to decipher a real storyline. Much of the concept is psychological, and not much of a definite story can be determined. The following is a mere interpretation, not an official concept or storyline.

The story starts out with the "Astronaut's Nightmare", where he dreams of meeting death, and despairs. This is seen as a premonition of sorts by the listener, seeing as the theme will come back up. It is also assumed he is on this journey alone. "Countenance", "The Nine Lifeless Daughters of the Sun", and "Warp Oversight" are all instrumental pieces, possibly symbolizing the Astronaut's work after waking up, ranging from tedious to chaotic.

"The Dream Nebula" Parts 1 and 2 are the next songs with lyrics, where the astronaut describes his work, "searching the heavens, deep and wide, looking for a sign" (perhaps symbolizing that it is more of a spiritual journey). He also fantasizes about being back on Earth, with what is assumed to be his girlfriend or wife.

In "It's All in the Mind" the Astronaut feels he is reaching a spiritual epitome, and his "mind expands to a great degree". The next song is "Burn Out My Eyes", a longer piece. In the first 2 minutes, the astronaut begins to despair, and describes how everyday is the same, and feels depressed and bored due to his isolation. The song falls and picks up again, and the narrative starts to get somewhat confusing. It is assumed that it is the Astronaut reminiscing about rebellion in his youth, and may be a reason why he decided to go on the journey to "run away". After an instrumental passage, the theme comes up again, except now he seems to want to go back to the place he ran away from, and he wishes he were "drinking wine". He also feels desensitized, and wishes for the journey to end, but sees none in sight. It is at this point some believe he gets lost or can't get back for some reason.

The next piece is "Void of Vision", a more chaotic song, and starts to think deeply about existentialism and "how life is very strange, can't be dead". He thinks about bad decisions he made, and about he will never be able to change them, he also despairs after thinking about never seeing his wife again. He also hints at "the glory and the terror of what I saw", meaning that he probably encountered something that would guarantee his death.

"Pupil of the Eye" is a more psychedelic piece, and is interpreted by some to be the astronaut describing the thing that is killing him or afflicting him, and describing the feeling of it. It is seen as more of a psychedelic or spiritual experience, rather than an act of despair. The next movement is him coming to some kind of revelation, with the lyrics "suddenly, I saw everything there is to see". He is also wonders whether this is some kind of hallucination, and whether he actually dying or just going insane. He also mentions that he fears and is overwhelmed by the epiphany, and wishes he didn't see it.

"Look Inside Yourself" is the shortest piece on the album, and is the astronaut reflecting on the revelation that he just had, saying "look with your own eyes, see with your own mind, look, it's all around". "Death of the Mind" is a musical reprise of the "Astronaut's Nightmare", and as the title suggests, is the act of the astronaut dying.

The overall idea of the album is the eventual effects of extreme isolation and meditation. Some believe that whatever killing him was simply in his head, and that he eventually committed suicide. Some believe that he was insane the entire time, and that the journey was not real or in space, but a journey in his mind. The meaning of the album overall is up to interpretation.