I call this album a “steampunk odyssey” because that is what it appears to be to me. It is a wonderful concept album, and for Rush to turn such a masterpiece out at such old ages is truly sensational. Peart is a marvellous songwriter and we all know what he can do on the drums. So without further ado, let’s analyze Clockwork Angels:
(Big thanks to Rushvault.com and their analysis which helped mine!)
Caravan:The story begins with the protagonist, Owen Hardy. Hardy is a farmer on a small farm on a world that may or may not be Earth, but it certainly is a fictional setting. The Caravan in the song seems to refer to the Caravan-like passing of the monstrous steamships overheat. Think steamboats, but in the air, expelling much gas and steam, huge hunks of metal, very BioShock like, in my opinion. In any case, we don’t know this yet, (he has not been mentioned yet) but the benevolent “watchmaker” is the ruler of this world and he does not want any interference. While benevolent, this watchmaker has more up his sleeve than we originally see. Owen Hardy decides to “Think Big” as it says in the song, and he decides to explore this world. He leaves his farm and goes on his own.
BU2B:As you come to see in the song, BU2B stands for “Brought Up To Believe”. The basis of this song is discussed in Rushvault, but it isn’t connected to the story. According to the Gottfried Leibniz, we live in the best possible world due to the fact that the world was created by God. Evil exists to make us better people because of it. So it seems to be no surprise that people in this world do not question authority: they are all brought up to believe that they live in the best possible world: since they are lower class, it is best they remain that way: it is best that way! Owen Hardy is beginning to think otherwise. Enter Clockwork Angels
Clockwork Angels:Simply put, these clockwork angels are mere symbols of the inevitability of fate, or at least that is what the rulers of this world want Owen Hardy and his people to believe. I think of the angels as saints, icons you pray to that enable your hopes and dreams, yet take away your individual ability to create your own fate. That is what this song is all about: the robbery of individualism and the creation of the icons to teach us that we have no choice, that these angels have more power than us, if we live in Owen Hardy’s world.
The Anarchist:Owen Hardy has successfully left his farm and moves to the city, where he receives a job as a carnival worker. But meanwhile, there is a dangerous anti-hero,so to speak, even more bent on rocking the boat than Hardy. He is the anarchist, and the song showcases his discontent with the world, how it is unfair to him, how it needs to change. So he shows up near Hardy’s carnival with a bomb. The two character’s fates are about to take shape.
Carnies:Hardy catches a glimpse of this man, the anarchist with the bomb, and catches it, presumably just as people are taking a good look at him. He (Hardy) is thought now to be the anarchist because he is the one with the bomb! “Shout to warn the crowd, accusations ringing loud. A ticking box, in the hand of the innocent. The angry crowd moves toward him with bad intent” The lyrics clearly show here what is happening. As a result, Hardy has to flee. Where he ends up is coming soon.
Halo Effect: What would a good story be without a love interest? Owen becomes infatuated with a dancer he meets on his travels, but it is a fantasy. The song is about the Halo Effect, what Rush describes as projecting our hopes and dreams into attractive people, we only believe what we want to believe about them. We are disillusioned
Seven Cities of Gold:Our hero reaches his escape: the outer reaches of civilization and the Seven Cities of Gold. Here, like El Dorado, it is gold, but perhaps it is just a metaphor for the pure marvel of the city. In any case, the lyrics state that “A man could lose his way, in a country like this”. Perhaps this isn’t referring to the size but the evil of the city, the man could lose his morals here. He mentions, however, that the city was his dream at the end of cruel fate. Then, he decides to leave.
The Wreckers: Here, Hardy’s boat gets caught at sea, but he sees a light. While heading towards the light, he discovers it is a trick, but it is too late, the boat is destroyed and plundered, however Owen survives.
Headlong Flight:Owen Hardy realizes that although he has endured the worst human cruelty and manipulation and struggles and pain, he would not change his life at all. He continues to trek, perhaps going back home now, but he realizes that these experiences made him who he now is, and his adventurous spirit is finally being quelled
BU2B2:An interlude, which hearkens back to BU2B, but now Hardy knows the truth: you can make your own fate and not have to rely on anyone or anything else
Wish Them Well: this is the second to last song in the album, and Rush makes it clear that Hardy wishes no ill on those that did him wrong: not the wreckers, the anarchist, the watchmaker, nobody. This is because he knows that these experiences, again, have shaped him.
The Garden:The final chapter in Rush’s beautifully crafted musical novel, he discovers a beautiful garden in which he will live out the rest of the days. He now knows that nobody is truly in control of fate or destiny, not even the watchmaker. He can control his own fate now.
SUPER thank you to Rushvault.com for their interpretation of this album, without which I couldn’t make mine!
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