Talk:Zero-Sum

GJ, posting all the lyrics. Any idea on what any of it means...and from who's perspective in the YZ universe is it being told from? I'm really curious who the narrorator is and who he's talking to. --Velvolver 11:33, 4 April 2007 (PDT)

Absolutely fucking amazing...I couldn't believe it. Incredible chorus there, ugh I can't say enough. On a side note, sounds like a whole assload of "presences" are coming down to ruin everyones shit. -Velvolver 21:27, 4 April 2007 (PDT)

Just fixed up the lyrics a little bit. The last line of the chorus was wrong, a couple spelling errors, added some quotes where they felt necessary. Not quite sure about the tense of the "and I'll just hold your hand" part, it could go either way.

Fantastic chorus, fantastic song. Very moving. -Soupstorm 08:10, 5 April 2007 (PDT)

Does anyone else think that the piano in this song sounds a little like the second verse in 'All the Love in the World', during the line "The stars all are afire in the sky"? Was this intended? It does makes sense to the song. -Kathuerun 16:18, 6 April 2007 (EST)

I was instantly reminded of All the Love in the World too. Pomte 04:03, 7 April 2007 (PDT)

I'm pretty sure the narrator of the song is all of humanity. I love that the entire album up to this point has been savagely calling out religion for all of its hateful and destructive tendencies, but here, at the end of the world which has been brought about by religious violence and oppression, the good of religion shines through (I'm speaking as an extreme atheist here, too). 'God have mercy on our dirty little hearts' -- the redeeming quality of faith is that it reminds people that they are part of something larger than themselves, that they should make good decisions in life even though they may not result in immediate rewards. This is a truly beautiful song. Only at the end, while the world we've ruined is being taken away from us and we are being eradicated, do we realize...we deserve it. That we've failed. That we never even had a chance. You can almost see giant groups of people, staring toward the sky with regret, like children who've misbehaved and know it's time to be punished. And Americans and Arabs, Christians, Muslims, and even non-believers know that they are all guilty, that the Presence is justified in wiping us out. Because we all have, at some point, made decisions based on callous greed and short-sightedness. And we all should have known better. Zero-Sum is an obituary for the human race. Simulatedbear 1:54, 8 April 2007 (EST)

That was fucking excellent bear. I thought that too, that this was the individual AND collective thoughts of the human race. And the entire "I didn't know it was happening" or "What could I have done?" mentality doesn't cut it. -Velvolver 08:42, 8 April 2007 (PDT)

One of the most beautiful and sad songs I've heard in a while. I agree with Velvolver--my mental image is of Angry_Sniper sitting on a hilltop, holding Mallory's lock of hair in his hand, whispering the song's lyrics as storms of Presence hands descend upon the earth, each changing into a massive set of dying-sun-red talons sweeping away man and his works. Saturnine Night

Simulatedbear - you almost made me tear up and respect religion again! Anyways~ none of us can forget that this isn't the end of the world in this song... There's going to be a part two :) Jgrizzy89 13:50, 8 April 2007 (PDT)