I love the Wembley version, but i do hope you will also check the Tampere version, very spectacular and other sound in the beginning, and credits goes all to Tuomas (keyboardist, composer, writer, Metal Mozart)
Listening to the intro and suddenly you realise what a musician Troy is. And when you listen to the other version he just does it so differently and you realise what a great musician Troy is.
Nigthwish always, always...make me emotional. No other band has ever cast such a spell on me. Weird. I'd describe it as a kind of musical 'love', underpinned by the strong suspicion that the band members themselves are thoroughly decent folks! The audience too, are all in and are a supportive and welcoming bunch. My life is so much richer for having stumbled on these guys a couple of years ago. I hope, as artists, they get some satisfaction from that?
i have a slight preference for the Tampere show 1. bigger stage 2. its outside 3.it was still light out when the song started, dark when it ends.....added to the overall ambiance 4.its in Finland !!! a little more of an emotional connection with the crowd 5.after the song ends I just got overwhelmed because it felt like at that moment, Finland took Floor in as one of their own......and Troy too!!!
It gets me every time, when I see the respect the Nightwish fans radiate towards Richard Dawkins and the message of science he and Nightwish are the champions off.
yeah especially with this being an official video. but both shows from a dvd/bluray and with proper audio setup is glorious. on a sidenote people complaining about show quality as if its not the yuotube video that's actually the culprit, irks me to no end.
Wembley is a very nice and official version. Its greatest asset is Richard Dawkins at the end. But in my opinion the Tampere version had a much better arrangement. But you can watch that one too ;-) Splendid video.
@@ralfmeyer9086 Yes, that is the reason to go watch this one. But in all other aspects Tampere is in my opinion the preferred one. But you're right :( This one has an emotional Richard Dawkins on stage... damn!
And what is even more incredible.... that "one" man composed this.. Tuomas... I know I spelled it wrong. But, what an incredible mind he has, and what incredible musicians he has to project his symphony into song and music. Incredible and astounding
Here is a little analysis of the song that I found from comments one day from one Nightwish fan : Finally!! Here it is this Masterpiece in "normal" english, lyrics are in " " [ Part 1: Four Point Six] (age of The Earth) "Archaean horizon, The first sunrise" Earth's history is divided into four principal Eons: the Hadean, the Archean, Proterozoic, and the Phanerozoic. The Hadean is the Eon during which the Earth and Moon formed; in the Archaean, primordial life appeared. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Earth) "On a pristine gaea" Gaia is the primordial Greek goddess of the Earth. More recently, the Gaia hypothesis is a recognition of the living and nonliving Earth systems which form an interdependent whole. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia) "Opus perfectum, Somewhere there, us sleeping" Pristine perfection (of silence, of a blank page, of the very point from which the big bang itself sprung) implies a rich creative potential. Here Earth is painted in the same powerful way. Diversity awaits; unborn beings are sleeping the same sleep to which they will return at death. This interpretation is thematically linked with the album's opening track, "Shudder before the Beautiful," which includes the lyrics, "The music of this awe, Deep silence between the notes, Deafens me with endless love." Or as the furious hobbit screamed at the novice trumpeter, "An artist respects the silence, it serves as the foundation of creativity." (ruclips.net/video/9E62iA6KCIQ/видео.html) [Part 2: Life] "The cosmic law of gravity Pulled the newborns around a fire, A careless cold infinity in every vast direction. Lonely farer in the Goldilocks zone" Gravity pulls the Earth and its inhabitants around the energizing Sun in an otherwise inhospitable universe. Earth is the only planet in our solar system's circumstellar habitable zone, orbiting at the "just right, not too hot, not too cold" distance from the Sun. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumstellar_habitable_zone) "She has a tale to tell, From the stellar nursery into a carbon feast, Enter LUCA" In astronomy, stellar nurseries are the birthplaces of stars: they nurse stars (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_formation#Stellar_nurseries). Poetically, our solar system is another "stellar nursery," in which a star is the nurse, caring for and warming a planet of 'newborns,' early carbon-based life. "Feast" evokes the incorporation of plentiful chemical building blocks into rudimentary life forms. "LUCA" stands for "Last universal common ancestor," the one single organism from which all other presently existing life on Earth descended. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_universal_ancestor) "The tapestry of chemistry is a writing in the garden, Leading us to the mother of all" The periodic table of elements does look like a sort of patchwork tapestry, but this can go further. The historical function of tapestries was as "nomadic murals," pictographical histories which moving people could pack up and revisit wherever they went. The "writing in the garden," in nature, is not only the stone murals left by dead animals in the form of fossils, but is also this chemical writing that encodes the relatively nomadic DNA molecule with the instructions for life. The scientific investigation of this information leads us back to LUCA, and further. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapestry#Function) "We are one, We are a universe," This is the natural conclusion to draw from the fact that life shares common origin, that all life is built with the same blocks, and that all life on Earth is interdependent (gaia hypothesis). The multiplicity of beings on Earth are one, just as the cells in a body are one. "Forebears of what will be Scions of the Devonian sea." The Devonian geologic time period marked the first significant, rapid diversification of life (and the more well-known Cambrian explosion is another of these 'adaptive radiation' events). It was during the Devonian that the 'higher plants' appeared and blanketed the continents with forests. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devonian). The word "scion" refers to a shoot of a plant cut for grafting, and is also used to denote a descendent of a notable family. Both meanings apply. "Aeons pass, Writing the tale of us all. A day-to-day new opening For the greatest show on Earth" Evolutionary adaptation is written in the DNA and as fossils in the rocks, and is ongoing. Species die, diversifiy and delineate. Every day is different, every day something changes. "Ion channels welcoming the outside world To the stuff of stars" Ion channels are found in the membranes of all cells, controlling the flow of energy through the cells. The stuff of stars is all the physical matter we're made of. So it's the ion channels, guiding enery, which allow living bodies to interact with the rest of the world by exchanging energy with it. "Stuff of stars" is surely a Sagan reference: "The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff." (For fun: ruclips.net/video/XGK84Poeynk/видео.html) "Bedding the tree of a biological holy, Enter life" The bed of a tree is the nutrient-rich soil from which it grows, a soil made of dead things. The "tree of a biological holy" is probably the tree of life (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_life). This line refers to the "holy" legendary tree of everlasting life but also means the conceptual, branching family tree of all life, whose bed consists of all deceased beings (in a more literal sense), or all extinct ancestral species (in a more abstract sense). This is thematically linked with the song "Alpenglow." "We are here to care for the garden, The wonder of birth Of every form most beautiful" "We" could be human beings tasked with acting as nature's stewards, garden of eden style, but that's not chronological -- human beings haven't quite appeared in the song yet. "We" could instead be all of life itself, in a gaia-philosophy sense, which posits that life creates environments ever more hospitable to more life. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_philosophy) Or maybe it's a combination of these two thoughts: life eventually creates an environment suitable for the development of consiously acting, thinking human stewards. [Part 3: The Toolmaker] "After a billion years, The show is still here. Not a single one of your fathers died young." Every single one of a given person's ancestors, male and female, lived past puberty at least. But "fathers" evokes "forefathers," which has a nicer storytelling ring to it than "parents." "The handy travelers Out of Africa Little Lucy of the Afar" Handymen are good with tools; travelers posessing hands rather than forefeet walk upright. Hominids originated in Africa and spread to the rest of the world from there. Lucy is a particular specimen of the Australopithecus, one of many "missing links" between modern humans and nonhuman ancestors. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_(Australopithecus)) "Gave birth to fantasy, To idolatry, To self-destructive weaponry. Enter the God of gaps Deep within the past. Atavistic dread of the hunted!" The brain grows, consciousness and creativity along with it. Atavism is the tendency to revert to ancestral type, an evolutionary throwback. Fight-or-flight instincts that helped human ancestors survive have now been creatively projected onto the world to both explain it (origins, meaning, suffering) and gain security in it (bargaining through sacrifice). These are the roots of theism. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atavism) "Enter Ionia, the cradle of thought, The architecture of understanding. The human lust to feel so exceptional, To rule the Earth" Nomadic people develop agriculture and settle down into civilizations. The word "architecture" is at once both literal and figurative. The efficiency of civilization graces people with free time to do more than just feed themselves. They develop rich cultural traditions, arts and philosophies, much of which are deeply influenced by how different humans now are from all the rest of life. "Hunger for shiny rocks, For giant mushroom clouds, The will to do as you'd be done by." Shiny rocks are wealth: gold, precious stones, jewels, and later uranium which leads to the nuclear arms race. The golden rule -- "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" -- is a coin with a dark side: "an eye for an eye," revenge. This ensures the "MAD"ness of mutually assured destruction. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_assured_destruction) "Enter history, the grand finale. Enter ratkind." "Ratkind" comes from Richard Dawkins' book "The Ancestor's Tale." Dawkins imagines a post-apocalyptic world in which rodents feast on the remnants of humanity (and humanity's garbage). The rat population explodes, and then as they exhaust these resources they turn on one another for food. As a consequence of natural selection, the rats diverge into new carnivorous and herbivorous species, and perhaps, eventually, a specices of rodent whose intelligence rivals that of humans. This is "ratkind." (iberianature.com/wildworld/tag/ratkind/) "Man, he took his time in the sun, Had a dream to understand A single grain of sand." From William Blake: "To see a World in a Grain of Sand, And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour." ...And the story of the planet in 24 minutes. Not bad. "He gave birth to poetry, But one day'll cease to be. Greet the last light of the library" A bittersweet redundancy: poetry with library, the last light with ceasing to be. Reminiscent of Elan: "Be the first to greet the morn [...] Travel with great élan, dance a jig at the funeral." "We were here!" Who else is going to vote for this song's inclusion on the next Voyager golden record, if there'll ever be one?
Those nomal English are really hard for a foreigner like me, you know, but thanks anyone who wrote it, i can use gg translate to understand. If i read the lyrics itsefl maybe I can spend months with mr gg and oxfort Dictionary and still understand nothing
Great job on this, I was in the crowd at this little gig it was just awesome as usual. I've seen them live 3 times now and have tickets for May at Wembley. They are the best live band I've seen, and I've seen a lot of bands. You need to get hold a ticket mate and when you do, just lose yourself for 2 hours in the NW sound and vision.
21 minutos this masterpiece has and 21 minutos that my body just surrender, starts crying and shivering during the entire time! No more words are needed to explain how beautiful and true this masterpiece is! Thank you Tuomas for this creation! Thank you for this reaction!
I knew Nightwish for years, but after de series "beste zangers" in the netherlands i started to listen to there lyrics and began to adore them. I never ever had anything whit any other band in my 47 years on this planet. Since 2019 it is NIGHTWISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I always love your reactions! I think you are now fully educated Nightwish follower. To be master, you have to wade through the rest of the songs, but these were the most important ones.
Thank you for yet another genuine, enthusiastic and heartfelt Nightwish reaction! Usually I add further insight about the Wembley concert, the band, background to the performance etc but in your case, no need - research is clearly done, you are a genuine Nightwish fan. There is so much more of Nightwish to explore, nearly 24 years worth of wonderful and varied studio albums, early demos alongside live performances to enjoy. Stay safe, thank you again :-)
Thanks for great reaction! Unusual to say, but US is behind on appreciation of a great art form; but I am committed on changing that. Only found this amazing band in last two months, but has been life changing. Their songs, camaraderie touch the soul. I am a proud new member of the NW Army. Join us!
All Im going to say is: masterpiece. Thx tuomas. one fact;: The original song was more than 30 mins long, so tuomas had to arrange it to be able to perform it on stage hahaha
After watching Nightwish performances and reactions of their work for more than two years I've come to a conclusion I want to share. There are of number of metal genres including symphonic metal, and then there is Nightwish. Their music, most written by genius Tuomas, cannot be pigeon holed in any genre. No band, metal or otherwise, presents the diversity of music that Nightwish does. Their song book, including a few covers, High Hopes comes to mind, is without equal. I can think of only one song that comes close to comparing to this and that would be Tommy by the Who. This song performance blows me away every time I watch it and leaves me in tears. Great reaction and love your appreciation for this band and their unending efforts to provide spectacular live performances. Stay safe.
Many people favour the Tampere Version. It's a greater spectacle. I agree. But in this Wembley Version Troy plays live right from the start. And it sounds so much better.
What should also be mentioned and everyone seems to forget this, is their amazing crew, that puts all of this together, the sound, the background, the lighting, the orchestral tracks. All most all of their crew have been with them since the beginning, and this is the only band they crew for, so they are part of the family also, and one of them is also one of their recording engineers, and helps with the mixing and is one of the producers Tero Kinnunen.
There is a short interview video of Richard Dawkins after the concert, where he said he enjoyd the concert and that a girl behind him was singing from the top of her lungs.
I've always enjoyed the Tampere version slightly more. (Personal taste) When you start doing the new album Human/Nature, start at the first track and work your way through it. You won't be disappointed. If you get a chance have a look through Richard Dawkins book The Greatest Show On Earth. Well worth it. Will be interested to see how you react to Shoemaker when you get to it. It's now one of my favourite Nightwish songs. Enjoy the journey
Thank you for making this reaction. To me "We were here" means basically that last one will switch the lights off". One day there will be no us, but still life goes on one way or another.
Tuomas is the genius composer off this all! He's the best composer off his time. They are all so talented and only think about what the composition needs. They really love the music and eachother. Love your respectfull reactions.
This is the Greatest show on Earth! The whole Evolution in a one song! It's an insane Mammoth but a good one too. Tampere version is a little bit more epic because of the fireworks and the over double in the audience. But this is very good too and there were a real Richard Dawkins speaking (not a tape). But as a Finn I prefer the Tampere version a little. It's really not a big deal. Great reaction and thank you!
While Nightwish's musical is indeed the greatest show on Earth, its title does not refer to it, but to Sir Richard Dawkins's book from 2009 (subtitle: The Evidence for Evolution). Tuomas is following the timetable from the book.
Oh yeah, mate...it's incredible...what craftmanship and it dooosent mattah how many times a week, even a day, you play this...it grabs you by the throat and never unlocks! As I always 'try' to approach /\/ \/\/ songs quite objectively, it always fails to do so! Bang! I yer face...in your heart...I don't know exc 'where' it's all goin', but it is everywhere, all over the place. These 'higher human beings' that call themselves Nightwish ;-} Thank you thoroughly for a beautiful and genuine reaction!
@@infin8reactions Yep...they dared to do so and because of their craftmanship (they 'are' their instruments and compositions), /\/ \/\/ are able to bring such big message onto the stage. Thnx for reacting on my comment!
I can only agree on most of your comment. I thought I had seen it all in the late 60's and 70's, every great band under the sun. But this is the only group I would want to see live. Yes, they found a diamond in Floor. I like your interpretation of the whole masterpiece, apart from 'WE WERE HERE.' I believe it's not about 'making our mark', but about our existence and the development and demise of us and consciousness' on this unique jewel of a planet, and how we blew it with our desire for shiny rocks (greed) and mushroom clouds (power). That's also what the background video was about, at some point looking like California burning (climate change), at the end just a barren landscape without us. Enjoy the few years we have left.
nw never disappoint. great reaction and passionte too. thank you. and please do yourself a favour and watch the tampere version for your own indulgence. don´t miss it. greetings from germany.
And as a side note...... you have absolutely done the most bestest lol reaction and observation of this song and band to date. Well done sir... simply no words can be said enough about this band really. Good job man
The part about being lucky to die: it's literally about the chances of you having been born in the first place, considering how many other people could have been conceived, yet weren't.
Floor plays air guitar at Tampere 🤘also, her grunts are unreal. I prefer Tampere in all aspects except for Troy's Ebow. Picked one up after hearing him use it
Troy introduced Tuomas to the work of RIchard Dawkins when he joined the band. This song is the result of many long nights of talking and studying Dawkins's books. The fact that they got Richard on stage for the final narration was a serious coup. They achieved it by writing him a real letter, not an email. That swung it. And there is nowhere like Wembley for creating an atmosphere.
Please do review the Tampere version.... I guess a slight spoiler can't do too much damage.... A certain musician makes hand gestures and fireworks respond!!! Big bang indeed!.... I'll stop before I give away too much. So glad you have done this one!
2:25 The tapestry of chemistry! When the screen goes green the growling starts. Evolution of the music too. Yes, you do feel like they are playing directly for *you*.
Hi Lee, brilliant as usual. However, I feel I must set a few things straight: 1) This is NOT a song, this is a composition based on a book "The Greatest Show On Earth" by Sir Richard Dawkins (that was him at the end, he also did all of the narrative). 2) at 12:09 You give credits to the writers and arrangers, there is only one Mr. Tuomas Holopainen. Keep up the good work, it's entertaining and appreciated. TomH🇫🇮 PS. Yes, yes I know Marco wrote the middle section (Part III: The Toolmaker)
Listen guys I have an idea for a short little song about 4.6 billion years of the evolution of the solar system, the earth, and all life on earth. OK. I guess life is The Greatest Show on Earth. Great reaction job on this one my friend. Peace.
Tampere also has a lyric version which is much more informative. You owe it to yourself to watch it even if you don’t react to it on the channel. I know we’d watch the Tampere reaction if you did that as well. The visuals and the lyrics add other dimensions that you don’t get with this version.
Great reaction as always, still watching it as I type... Both versions are great, I prefer Tampere but I'm sure you'll go and watch that video as well in your own time. I'm so excited to have got my ticket for their show in Birmingham next year, make sure you get a ticket for one of the two gigs in the UK quick! 🤟🤟🤟🤟
Seeing Dawkins is very cool, but this performance doesn’t come anywhere close to the Tampere performance. That one is the ultimate performance of this incredible masterpiece. Just in my opinion of course.🤘
The choreography of all their shows and songs is fantastic, but this one is beyond fantastic. This is a song you want to close your eyes and sit back, but if you do you miss out on the meaning and the background videos and functions.
![OhGeesy x Lefty Gunplay - What It Iz [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/L0yzW9t2ixk/mqdefault.jpg)
I love the Wembley version, but i do hope you will also check the Tampere version, very spectacular and other sound in the beginning, and credits goes all to Tuomas (keyboardist, composer, writer, Metal Mozart)
Yes, please do watch for your own enjoyment, it is quite the spectacle, plus subtitles can help extract all the many details in the lyrics.
its like asking someone if you like Autumn or the Fall better !!!! lol
@@scottb.4472 I prefer apples :)
@@juhanikyllonen1899 "I just got her number, how do you like those apples???? ".........lol......always love that line.....great line, great movie
Listening to the intro and suddenly you realise what a musician Troy is.
And when you listen to the other version he just does it so differently and you realise what a great musician Troy is.
Nigthwish always, always...make me emotional. No other band has ever cast such a spell on me.
Weird.
I'd describe it as a kind of musical 'love', underpinned by the strong suspicion that the band members themselves are thoroughly decent folks! The audience too, are all in and are a supportive and welcoming bunch. My life is so much richer for having stumbled on these guys a couple of years ago.
I hope, as artists, they get some satisfaction from that?
Richard Dawkins live on Stage. What a honor for this awesome Band..Tuomas, you are a genius 🤗
You mean what an honour for Dawkins? ;)
@@Honken55 Hihi ☺️ Tuomas say in a interview, he was very proud that Richard do this..
i have a slight preference for the Tampere show
1. bigger stage
2. its outside
3.it was still light out when the song started, dark when it ends.....added to the overall ambiance
4.its in Finland !!! a little more of an emotional connection with the crowd
5.after the song ends I just got overwhelmed because it felt like at that moment, Finland took Floor in as one of their own......and Troy too!!!
It gets me every time, when I see the respect the Nightwish fans radiate towards Richard Dawkins and the message of science he and Nightwish are the champions off.
The entire arena, quiet and mesmerized by Dawkins, showing such amazing respect because they know the importance of him to this song
@@jpetersonphotos3745 yes :-)
Floor: Enter Life!
Marco: Enter Ionia!
Emppu: Enter Sandman! 😅
Haha I see what you did there 😂
This comment deserves more likes
Wembley has the better audio, but Tampere is a better spectacle.
yeah especially with this being an official video. but both shows from a dvd/bluray and with proper audio setup is glorious.
on a sidenote people complaining about show quality as if its not the yuotube video that's actually the culprit, irks me to no end.
But the e-bow at Wembley is just beautiful ...
Watched all the Tampere reactions, first time listening to the Wembley show and Troys ebow parts makes it sound so much better.
Wembley is a very nice and official version. Its greatest asset is Richard Dawkins at the end. But in my opinion the Tampere version had a much better arrangement. But you can watch that one too ;-)
Splendid video.
Okay, no fireworks, but, OMG Richard Dawkins live on Stage
@@ralfmeyer9086 Yes, that is the reason to go watch this one. But in all other aspects Tampere is in my opinion the preferred one. But you're right :( This one has an emotional Richard Dawkins on stage... damn!
Dawkins makes up for the missing fireworks! 🥳
Hallo Friend, Tampere is awesome🤗 but ,in this Version, only my opinon, i like , it is dark.Not Midsummer Night but, both versions are🤗🤗🤗🤗🥰🥰😉👍👍😚👍
I actually love this version, especially Troy´s e-bow at the beginning.
And what is even more incredible.... that "one" man composed this.. Tuomas... I know I spelled it wrong. But, what an incredible mind he has, and what incredible musicians he has to project his symphony into song and music. Incredible and astounding
no spelling error in the name that I can see! and the rest is spot on!
Here is a little analysis of the song that I found from comments one day from one Nightwish fan : Finally!! Here it is this Masterpiece in "normal" english, lyrics are in " "
[ Part 1: Four Point Six] (age of The Earth)
"Archaean horizon, The first sunrise"
Earth's history is divided into four principal Eons: the Hadean, the Archean, Proterozoic, and the Phanerozoic. The Hadean is the Eon during which the Earth and Moon formed; in the Archaean, primordial life appeared. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Earth)
"On a pristine gaea"
Gaia is the primordial Greek goddess of the Earth. More recently, the Gaia hypothesis is a recognition of the living and nonliving Earth systems which form an interdependent whole. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia)
"Opus perfectum, Somewhere there, us sleeping" Pristine perfection (of silence, of a blank page, of the very point from which the big bang itself sprung) implies a rich creative potential. Here Earth is painted in the same powerful way. Diversity awaits; unborn beings are sleeping the same sleep to which they will return at death. This interpretation is thematically linked with the album's opening track, "Shudder before the Beautiful," which includes the lyrics, "The music of this awe, Deep silence between the notes, Deafens me with endless love." Or as the furious hobbit screamed at the novice trumpeter, "An artist respects the silence, it serves as the foundation of creativity." (ruclips.net/video/9E62iA6KCIQ/видео.html)
[Part 2: Life]
"The cosmic law of gravity Pulled the newborns around a fire, A careless cold infinity in every vast direction. Lonely farer in the Goldilocks zone"
Gravity pulls the Earth and its inhabitants around the energizing Sun in an otherwise inhospitable universe. Earth is the only planet in our solar system's circumstellar habitable zone, orbiting at the "just right, not too hot, not too cold" distance from the Sun. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumstellar_habitable_zone)
"She has a tale to tell, From the stellar nursery into a carbon feast, Enter LUCA"
In astronomy, stellar nurseries are the birthplaces of stars: they nurse stars (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_formation#Stellar_nurseries). Poetically, our solar system is another "stellar nursery," in which a star is the nurse, caring for and warming a planet of 'newborns,' early carbon-based life. "Feast" evokes the incorporation of plentiful chemical building blocks into rudimentary life forms. "LUCA" stands for "Last universal common ancestor," the one single organism from which all other presently existing life on Earth descended. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_universal_ancestor)
"The tapestry of chemistry is a writing in the garden, Leading us to the mother of all"
The periodic table of elements does look like a sort of patchwork tapestry, but this can go further. The historical function of tapestries was as "nomadic murals," pictographical histories which moving people could pack up and revisit wherever they went. The "writing in the garden," in nature, is not only the stone murals left by dead animals in the form of fossils, but is also this chemical writing that encodes the relatively nomadic DNA molecule with the instructions for life. The scientific investigation of this information leads us back to LUCA, and further. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapestry#Function)
"We are one, We are a universe,"
This is the natural conclusion to draw from the fact that life shares common origin, that all life is built with the same blocks, and that all life on Earth is interdependent (gaia hypothesis). The multiplicity of beings on Earth are one, just as the cells in a body are one.
"Forebears of what will be Scions of the Devonian sea."
The Devonian geologic time period marked the first significant, rapid diversification of life (and the more well-known Cambrian explosion is another of these 'adaptive radiation' events). It was during the Devonian that the 'higher plants' appeared and blanketed the continents with forests. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devonian). The word "scion" refers to a shoot of a plant cut for grafting, and is also used to denote a descendent of a notable family. Both meanings apply.
"Aeons pass, Writing the tale of us all. A day-to-day new opening For the greatest show on Earth"
Evolutionary adaptation is written in the DNA and as fossils in the rocks, and is ongoing. Species die, diversifiy and delineate. Every day is different, every day something changes.
"Ion channels welcoming the outside world To the stuff of stars"
Ion channels are found in the membranes of all cells, controlling the flow of energy through the cells. The stuff of stars is all the physical matter we're made of. So it's the ion channels, guiding enery, which allow living bodies to interact with the rest of the world by exchanging energy with it. "Stuff of stars" is surely a Sagan reference: "The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff." (For fun: ruclips.net/video/XGK84Poeynk/видео.html)
"Bedding the tree of a biological holy, Enter life"
The bed of a tree is the nutrient-rich soil from which it grows, a soil made of dead things. The "tree of a biological holy" is probably the tree of life (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_life). This line refers to the "holy" legendary tree of everlasting life but also means the conceptual, branching family tree of all life, whose bed consists of all deceased beings (in a more literal sense), or all extinct ancestral species (in a more abstract sense). This is thematically linked with the song "Alpenglow."
"We are here to care for the garden, The wonder of birth Of every form most beautiful"
"We" could be human beings tasked with acting as nature's stewards, garden of eden style, but that's not chronological -- human beings haven't quite appeared in the song yet. "We" could instead be all of life itself, in a gaia-philosophy sense, which posits that life creates environments ever more hospitable to more life. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_philosophy) Or maybe it's a combination of these two thoughts: life eventually creates an environment suitable for the development of consiously acting, thinking human stewards.
[Part 3: The Toolmaker]
"After a billion years, The show is still here. Not a single one of your fathers died young."
Every single one of a given person's ancestors, male and female, lived past puberty at least. But "fathers" evokes "forefathers," which has a nicer storytelling ring to it than "parents."
"The handy travelers Out of Africa Little Lucy of the Afar"
Handymen are good with tools; travelers posessing hands rather than forefeet walk upright. Hominids originated in Africa and spread to the rest of the world from there. Lucy is a particular specimen of the Australopithecus, one of many "missing links" between modern humans and nonhuman ancestors. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_(Australopithecus))
"Gave birth to fantasy, To idolatry, To self-destructive weaponry. Enter the God of gaps Deep within the past. Atavistic dread of the hunted!"
The brain grows, consciousness and creativity along with it. Atavism is the tendency to revert to ancestral type, an evolutionary throwback. Fight-or-flight instincts that helped human ancestors survive have now been creatively projected onto the world to both explain it (origins, meaning, suffering) and gain security in it (bargaining through sacrifice). These are the roots of theism. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atavism)
"Enter Ionia, the cradle of thought, The architecture of understanding. The human lust to feel so exceptional, To rule the Earth"
Nomadic people develop agriculture and settle down into civilizations. The word "architecture" is at once both literal and figurative. The efficiency of civilization graces people with free time to do more than just feed themselves. They develop rich cultural traditions, arts and philosophies, much of which are deeply influenced by how different humans now are from all the rest of life.
"Hunger for shiny rocks, For giant mushroom clouds, The will to do as you'd be done by."
Shiny rocks are wealth: gold, precious stones, jewels, and later uranium which leads to the nuclear arms race. The golden rule -- "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" -- is a coin with a dark side: "an eye for an eye," revenge. This ensures the "MAD"ness of mutually assured destruction. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_assured_destruction)
"Enter history, the grand finale. Enter ratkind."
"Ratkind" comes from Richard Dawkins' book "The Ancestor's Tale." Dawkins imagines a post-apocalyptic world in which rodents feast on the remnants of humanity (and humanity's garbage). The rat population explodes, and then as they exhaust these resources they turn on one another for food. As a consequence of natural selection, the rats diverge into new carnivorous and herbivorous species, and perhaps, eventually, a specices of rodent whose intelligence rivals that of humans. This is "ratkind." (iberianature.com/wildworld/tag/ratkind/)
"Man, he took his time in the sun, Had a dream to understand A single grain of sand."
From William Blake: "To see a World in a Grain of Sand, And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour." ...And the story of the planet in 24 minutes. Not bad.
"He gave birth to poetry, But one day'll cease to be. Greet the last light of the library"
A bittersweet redundancy: poetry with library, the last light with ceasing to be. Reminiscent of Elan: "Be the first to greet the morn [...] Travel with great élan, dance a jig at the funeral."
"We were here!"
Who else is going to vote for this song's inclusion on the next Voyager golden record, if there'll ever be one?
Those nomal English are really hard for a foreigner like me, you know, but thanks anyone who wrote it, i can use gg translate to understand. If i read the lyrics itsefl maybe I can spend months with mr gg and oxfort Dictionary and still understand nothing
Floor isn't just another singer. Her voice is another instrument in the group.
Definitely!!
Wonderful ❤️ Reaction !!! No matter how many times I see this, I Cry 💔 Every time at the end !!! Enjoyed this so much with you !
Great job on this, I was in the crowd at this little gig it was just awesome as usual. I've seen them live 3 times now and have tickets for May at Wembley.
They are the best live band I've seen, and I've seen a lot of bands. You need to get hold a ticket mate and when you do, just lose yourself for 2 hours in the NW sound and vision.
Someone needs to hold my tears at the end... ever and ever again. 😞 + 😊
21 minutos this masterpiece has and 21 minutos that my body just surrender, starts crying and shivering during the entire time! No more words are needed to explain how beautiful and true this masterpiece is! Thank you Tuomas for this creation! Thank you for this reaction!
Thank you! And thank you for the info and for watching my reactions 😁
@@infin8reactions - It's always my pleasure! keep going!
I knew Nightwish for years, but after de series "beste zangers" in the netherlands i started to listen to there lyrics and began to adore them. I never ever had anything whit any other band in my 47 years on this planet. Since 2019 it is NIGHTWISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They all are the jackpot Lee, when Floor and Troy were engaged the machine had a complete line of bars. . . . . . .
I always love your reactions! I think you are now fully educated Nightwish follower. To be master, you have to wade through the rest of the songs, but these were the most important ones.
Thanks man 😁, I will do them all eventually 😁
Thank you for yet another genuine, enthusiastic and heartfelt Nightwish reaction!
Usually I add further insight about the Wembley concert, the band, background to the performance etc but in your case, no need - research is clearly done, you are a genuine Nightwish fan.
There is so much more of Nightwish to explore, nearly 24 years worth of wonderful and varied studio albums, early demos alongside live performances to enjoy.
Stay safe, thank you again :-)
Thanks man and yes you are correct, I am a nightwish fan, they're amazing,
Thanks for watching and for the positive comments 😁🤘
Thanks for great reaction!
Unusual to say, but US is behind on appreciation of a great art form; but I am committed on changing that. Only found this amazing band in last two months, but has been life changing. Their songs, camaraderie touch the soul. I am a proud new member of the NW Army. Join us!
All Im going to say is: masterpiece.
Thx tuomas.
one fact;: The original song was more than 30 mins long, so tuomas had to arrange it to be able to perform it on stage hahaha
After watching Nightwish performances and reactions of their work for more than two years I've come to a conclusion I want to share. There are of number of metal genres including symphonic metal, and then there is Nightwish. Their music, most written by genius Tuomas, cannot be pigeon holed in any genre. No band, metal or otherwise, presents the diversity of music that Nightwish does. Their song book, including a few covers, High Hopes comes to mind, is without equal. I can think of only one song that comes close to comparing to this and that would be Tommy by the Who. This song performance blows me away every time I watch it and leaves me in tears. Great reaction and love your appreciation for this band and their unending efforts to provide spectacular live performances. Stay safe.
Ron & Joanne well said. Only RUSH has had such a effect on my life. A great moral compass.
Many people favour the Tampere Version. It's a greater spectacle. I agree. But in this Wembley Version Troy plays live right from the start. And it sounds so much better.
What should also be mentioned and everyone seems to forget this, is their amazing crew, that puts all of this together, the sound, the background, the lighting, the orchestral tracks. All most all of their crew have been with them since the beginning, and this is the only band they crew for, so they are part of the family also, and one of them is also one of their recording engineers, and helps with the mixing and is one of the producers Tero Kinnunen.
There is a short interview video of Richard Dawkins after the concert, where he said he enjoyd the concert and that a girl behind him was singing from the top of her lungs.
Thanks I'll check it out 😊
ruclips.net/video/rDLgBipPQtM/видео.html
So much love :) and I swear Nightwish just reflects that love back to us. Always feel uplifted , motivated, and energized after listening to them!
I would say so for sure
I've always enjoyed the Tampere version slightly more. (Personal taste)
When you start doing the new album Human/Nature, start at the first track and work your way through it. You won't be disappointed.
If you get a chance have a look through Richard Dawkins book The Greatest Show On Earth. Well worth it.
Will be interested to see how you react to Shoemaker when you get to it. It's now one of my favourite Nightwish songs. Enjoy the journey
We where here... We where here ...
Thank you for making this reaction. To me "We were here" means basically that last one will switch the lights off". One day there will be no us, but still life goes on one way or another.
You're welcome, thanks for watching 😁
I like this version for the clarity of the mix and for Troy's wonderful E-bow work.
Tuomas is the genius composer off this all! He's the best composer off his time. They are all so talented and only think about what the composition needs. They really love the music and eachother.
Love your respectfull reactions.
Great reaction, thanks. You still have to react to ‘Dead Boy’s Poem’, it’s beautiful!
Take the live version Buenos Aires. 🙋🏼♀️
Perfect reaction to the perfect song!!!!!
Thank you so much 😁
Long live the queen!! Floorgasm!!
This is the Greatest show on Earth! The whole Evolution in a one song! It's an insane Mammoth but a good one too. Tampere version is a little bit more epic because of the fireworks and the over double in the audience. But this is very good too and there were a real Richard Dawkins speaking (not a tape). But as a Finn I prefer the Tampere version a little. It's really not a big deal. Great reaction and thank you!
I agree with you but the only time a real Richard Dawkins was speaking was at the end on stage, the rest was a tape.
@@marcelofarah8657 Oh, that's true. 👍
While Nightwish's musical is indeed the greatest show on Earth, its title does not refer to it, but to Sir Richard Dawkins's book from 2009 (subtitle: The Evidence for Evolution). Tuomas is following the timetable from the book.
@@papaverweg I know. It was irony, you see. 😉 And I'm sure that Tuomas knew (with sardonic smile) this possible double meaning when he wrote this.
Really good job. This is one of my favorite TGSOE reactions so far. Keep it up.
Oh yeah, mate...it's incredible...what craftmanship and it dooosent mattah how many times a week, even a day, you play this...it grabs you by the throat and never unlocks! As I always 'try' to approach /\/ \/\/ songs quite objectively, it always fails to do so! Bang! I yer face...in your heart...I don't know exc 'where' it's all goin', but it is everywhere, all over the place. These 'higher human beings' that call themselves Nightwish ;-} Thank you thoroughly for a beautiful and genuine reaction!
And thank you for the compliment and for watching, I appreciate it, what a great we'll thought out way to portray life through music 🙂👌
@@infin8reactions Yep...they dared to do so and because of their craftmanship (they 'are' their instruments and compositions), /\/ \/\/ are able to bring such big message onto the stage. Thnx for reacting on my comment!
Great reaction to a great composition. Thank you.
Thanks man 😀
I can only agree on most of your comment. I thought I had seen it all in the late 60's and 70's, every great band under the sun. But this is the only group I would want to see live. Yes, they found a diamond in Floor. I like your interpretation of the whole masterpiece, apart from 'WE WERE HERE.' I believe it's not about 'making our mark', but about our existence and the development and demise of us and consciousness' on this unique jewel of a planet, and how we blew it with our desire for shiny rocks (greed) and mushroom clouds (power). That's also what the background video was about, at some point looking like California burning (climate change), at the end just a barren landscape without us. Enjoy the few years we have left.
Interesting point mate thanks so much for your input
Oh yessss here we go!!!!
Buckle up 😁🤘
@@infin8reactions loved it! You got the message 😁. Every time i watch the video i want to go outside and do something good haha
@*S You are vegetarian? ;-)
I agree, really like Tampere for the reactions..
Can't imagine disliking this group/sound !!
nw never disappoint. great reaction and passionte too. thank you. and please do yourself a favour and watch the tampere version for your own indulgence. don´t miss it. greetings from germany.
Was there a coin toss? Or was there a certain little duck who wouldn’t stop asking for grapes? 🤣🤣🤣💞💞
Best song ever🙏🏻❤️
Mind blown aye!!! Me too!!!
Oh for sure!
And as a side note...... you have absolutely done the most bestest lol reaction and observation of this song and band to date. Well done sir... simply no words can be said enough about this band really. Good job man
@*S totally agreed
🤘😎👍
Nightwish, Dutch windmill, greatest show on Earth. Enough said.
Definitely!!!
You should watch the tampere version
This song was inspired by the work of the man at the end of the video, British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins.
The part about being lucky to die: it's literally about the chances of you having been born in the first place, considering how many other people could have been conceived, yet weren't.
You should watch the tampere version to see the fireworks at the beginning. Yes Floor is a gem, she is really the only female singer that I like.
Not Simone?
She is good and I like to listen to on occasion, but I just don't prefer female vocalists.
This is an absolute masterpiece. Great reaction.
Thank you so much and it is 😁🤘
I'd love to see you react also to the Tampere version of this! Believe it or not, but that performance takes GSOE to another level entirely!
I will definitely do this!
Floor plays air guitar at Tampere 🤘also, her grunts are unreal. I prefer Tampere in all aspects except for Troy's Ebow. Picked one up after hearing him use it
Should have watched the one in Tampere. This one is okay, but Tampere was EPIC!
after this, you have to react on EPICA: "design your universe - live retraspect show". (take the 9:57 long version ;)). EPIC !!!!
Troy introduced Tuomas to the work of RIchard Dawkins when he joined the band. This song is the result of many long nights of talking and studying Dawkins's books. The fact that they got Richard on stage for the final narration was a serious coup. They achieved it by writing him a real letter, not an email. That swung it.
And there is nowhere like Wembley for creating an atmosphere.
There might be one better song for you...GSOE from Tampere😉😉🇫🇮 Even I was in Wembley...
I prefer-Wembley🥰
Another great reaction to a great song lee !
Unfortunatley coin fell on wrong side !
You owe it to yourself to do tampere !
I'll be doing it as well buddy
What. a celebration of live
look for yourself the
Tampere version too for it´s so beatiful and if you do make shore you watch it till the end .greetings stay safe
I would recommend to also watch the Tampere performance on your own, just for the spectacle of it.
So the day has finally come... 😊
Also: yay! Wembley!! 😁😁
Oh absolutely!!
Without a doubt the greatest live band I've ever seen, definitely worth checking out the Tampere version in your own time and great reaction 🤘🤘
I love to watch the Tamperer version but I have this version on my phone which I listen to at least once a day :-)
And just imagine that...A Brit playing an Irish instrument...Oh the irony! LOL!!
Please do review the Tampere version.... I guess a slight spoiler can't do too much damage.... A certain musician makes hand gestures and fireworks respond!!! Big bang indeed!.... I'll stop before I give away too much. So glad you have done this one!
I certainly will dude
Master piece...check Tampera is great performance ..epic Tampera amazing ..
Yes... It is.
Great reaction,,but at Tampere more magical and mystical🔥🤘
Thank you, I'll check it out
passion+performance=exhaustion................they left NOTHING behind.
They certainly didnt!!
Whoever is going to Budapest next year see you there XD
Love it
It was amazing!!!!
2:25 The tapestry of chemistry!
When the screen goes green the growling starts.
Evolution of the music too.
Yes, you do feel like they are playing directly for *you*.
12:00 you commenting on changes in the song, the drama etc.
12:05 Tuomas: hold my beer
Haha he did indeed !! 😊
Hi Lee, brilliant as usual.
However, I feel I must set a few things straight:
1) This is NOT a song, this is a composition based on a book "The Greatest Show On Earth" by Sir Richard Dawkins (that was him at the end, he also did all of the narrative).
2) at 12:09 You give credits to the writers and arrangers, there is only one Mr. Tuomas Holopainen.
Keep up the good work, it's entertaining and appreciated.
TomH🇫🇮
PS. Yes, yes I know Marco wrote the middle section (Part III: The Toolmaker)
Thanks for your positive words regarding my Reactions, tuomas is a genius mate
Listen guys I have an idea for a short little song about 4.6 billion years of the evolution of the solar system, the earth, and all life on earth. OK. I guess life is The Greatest Show on Earth. Great reaction job on this one my friend. Peace.
Thanks man and agreed 😁
Tampere also has a lyric version which is much more informative. You owe it to yourself to watch it even if you don’t react to it on the channel. I know we’d watch the Tampere reaction if you did that as well. The visuals and the lyrics add other dimensions that you don’t get with this version.
Tampere. Kiitos:)
I wish you had chosen the most grand version in Tampere even though RD comes in the end to the stage here.
Hey mate, the Tampere version is on my channel too 😁
Fun fact: Both Tuomas and Floor wanted to be biologists when they where young.
Sorry Brits but I only came to London for this concert
Check out the same song intro at Tampere for a really cool effcet!
I definitely will for sure 😃
Great reaction as always, still watching it as I type... Both versions are great, I prefer Tampere but I'm sure you'll go and watch that video as well in your own time.
I'm so excited to have got my ticket for their show in Birmingham next year, make sure you get a ticket for one of the two gigs in the UK quick! 🤟🤟🤟🤟
Both versions are great. Treat yourself to the tempere version as well. You'll have to decide for yourself which is better.
I prefer the Tampere version. Much better visual effects.
The first part was the creation of the planets then it transitioned in to life on earth then to humans destroying earth leaving on rats behind.
Seeing Dawkins is very cool, but this performance doesn’t come anywhere close to the Tampere performance. That one is the ultimate performance of this incredible masterpiece. Just in my opinion of course.🤘
I totally agree It just seem so rushed and pushed like they are in a hurry No reason for that
This performance is at least a 9.5, but Tampere is a 10!
I give it an 8
at 4.26 it settles a bit but not Tempere by any stretch even after that Toumas is rushing the melodic keys nor are the pipes as good
The choreography of all their shows and songs is fantastic, but this one is beyond fantastic. This is a song you want to close your eyes and sit back, but if you do you miss out on the meaning and the background videos and functions.
Nightwish - The Greatest group On Earth
Tampere had better audio and visual might want to try that one instead all the way to the end.
Your coin picked the wrong version. The one from Tampere is what made me a Nightwish fan.
I'll flip a coin to see if the coin is stupid or not 🤣
@*S the coin is a prick 😂
The chance of you being born as you is 400.000.000.000 to 1.
Yes Nightwish leans Left
I Fart in your General Direction
Wembley , tampere , who cares , as long as FLOOR is there , its always good .
Why not Tampere?? I even sent you a link.. It has a lyrics too..
I'll do it as well 😁
@@infin8reactions It is much better