Compiled by Arnaut,
started at September 2th 1999
last update February 9th 2007 (new stuff is bold and blinking)

I've just started this section of my homepage, because of a lot of questions about what some lyrics mean. I gathered the information in this FAQ, through looking at the mailinglist at Onelist and questions asked and answered through email. Well until now not a lot, but hopefully more and more in time.

The questions and answers are arranged by album in chronological order.

• Albums
  • The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth
    • Q: Where does the title come from?
      A: The concept of the Sabbat album "Dreamweaver" is based on the book "The Way of Wyrd" by Dr. Brain Bates. Martin must have like it that much that he also used it with this title.
    • Q: Eventualy there was another title, wasn't it?
      A: Yes, the initial title was "Well Met by Moonlight". (After an old black and white movie "Ill Met by Moonlight".

  • A Burnt Offering for the Bone Idol
    • Q: What does R'Vannith mean?
      A: It's the old Bretonic word for "Roman".

  • Jonah's Ark

  • Prince of the Poverty Line

  • The Silent Whales of Lunar Sea
    • Q: What does "Panis Angelicus" mean in the song The present imperfect
      and who is Cesar Franck?
      A: Panis Angelicus is an old hymn. Translation:
      

      Panis angelicus             Heavenly bread
      Fit panis hominum;          That becomes the bread for all mankind;
      Dat panis coelicus          Bread from the angelic host
      Figuris terminum.           That is the end of all imaginings.
      O res mirabilis!            O, miraculous thing!
      Manducat Dominum.           This body of God will nourish
      Pauper, pauper,             Even the poorest,
      Servus et humilis.          The most humble of servants.
      Pauper, pauper,             Even the poorest,
      Servus et humilis.          The most humble of servants.

      (taken from a CD booklet of Charlotte Church)

      César Franck (1822-1890) was a French composer. A brief introduction here.

  • Irrational Anthems

  • Old Rope

  • Oui Avant-Garde á Chance
    • Q: What does the title mean?
      A: Actually it mean nothing that makes sence. Only when you pronounce it in English, it says (almost) "We (h)aven't got a change".
    • Q: Who's Constance (Eternal)?
      A: It was Martin's grandmother, Constance Holmes 1903-1996. He loved her very much, must have been a good person.
      (She is also mensioned in the song No deposit, No return (Irrational Anthems).

  • The Answer Machine?
    • Q: What is said in the intro of Troublesometimes?
      A: It is probably spoken in Serbocroatian and it means something like "There's nothing left of our children, but bones. Why do we need peace?"
    • Q: Comments on "Single Phail" by Martin.
      A: "[Single Phial] is influenced by a film story by a friend of mine, which is called 'Der Gartner', which means 'the gardener'. It's about a traveller in time who travels around the earth and spreads death in order for the earth to survive. Now, he is on such a trip, and sits at a bar waiting for a colleague of his. On him he carries a very powerful poison (it's called Black Death), which he is going to throw in the water. As he sits, he sees a lass and falls in love with her. He is apalled by the thought that in a while she's going to die and so decides to approach her. He goes near her and tells her his story and offers her the antidote for the poison, so that she and her folks can be saved. She calls him crazy and leaves. He is left alone and thinks that he'll never have the one whom he loved and he'll have to kill her." (taken from Metal Invader, translation by Telesilla)
    • Q: What does the title "the Answer machine?" mean?
      A: An answering machine is what you have at home to take messages when you are gone. But it can also be something (or hence, someone) who has the knowledge of everything. As it is written, and knowing Martin's taste for litterature, it could be someone like Faust, who gives his soul to the devil in exchange of total knowledge. Martin wrote a song about a "lonely banker in a rundown branch on nowhere street" who sells his soul... right?
      
    • New Q: Why did you choose the title "The Answer Machine?" and for what reason did you add the question mark in the end? (question asked to Martin in Metal Hammer, 11/97)
      A:" Look, our new album is a concept one, but not in the sense of the term as we've known till today. There are 13 songs in this record,and each one describes the story of someone who lives in some part of the world and starts on a "journey" to find things such as love, peace, happiness, freedom etc, that is to say, what we're all trying to find in our lives too. The album deals with the questions we've all asked ourselves at some point, like "what am I doing in this world?" or "what's the meaning of life?". So, we chose the title "The Answer Machine?", since in this album, the listener might find the answers to basic questions of our life, but then again, maybe he won't, that's why we put the question mark at the end of the title. Also, the question mark in the title of the album is connected with the first song, "A Clown of Thorns", which refers to how people who believe in God think that he will give the solution to the problems and important questions that they have. So, they leave messages in God's "answering machine", but he never rings back to communicate with them."
      
    • New Q: What do you wish to express with this title? (asked to Martin in Metal Invader, 10/97)
      A: "The main idea behind this title is that the 13 songs are 13 different stories about different people or groups of people who seek answers for questions such as "why do we exist?", "what is the meaning of life?" etc. We named it "The Answer Machine?" because maybe we'll find the answers to those questions we seek in the songs. Of course there is the question mark after the title because it may not be an "Answer Machine" after all. Who knows... In any case, it's my answer machine."
      
    • Q: What is "Eirenarch"?
      A: Meaning "An officer in the Greek empire having functions corresponding to those of a justice of the peace." and "A justice of the peace".
      
    • Q: What is "Isle of Jura"?
      A: It's a small island near Scotland in the Hebridean Isles.
      
    • Q: What does "agapet" mean? (My naked I)
      A: It's an old English word for a man who sleeps with prostitutes. (Martin heard it on a TV quiz show)
      

  • Vintage Whine
    • Q: What does "My maudlin is a caudle that would fill a thousand kegs" mean? (Vintage Whine)
      A: It means something like, "My sentimentality (concerns/troubles) is a liquid mixture that could fill a thousand wine barrels". (thanx to Carl Beddows)
      

• General
  • Q: What does "Dole Queue" mean?
    A: A dole queue is the queue line for welfare. It's used in many songs, for example History Lessens, Brother beneath the skin and A bellyful of emptiness.