Story Behind The Song

This song is a tribute to all great adventurers, particularly George Mallory, and also serves as a metaphorical representation for the human struggle to achieve greatness and immorality.

Song Description

Written about George Malloy's mysterious and fatal attempt to climb Everest in 1924. Sung from George's perspective, the narrator believes they are near the top, but the subtext indicates that his is slowly dying.

Lyrics

We?ve traveled so far together
The closest man?s marched to the sun
Our lives will be known forever
The first and the only ones?

Few understand my obsession
Though many express their concern
The journey has broken my will twice before
For the memory I return

This final ascent, I am certain,
We?re taller than man?s ever been
We?ll pass our way through the white curtain
We?re cold, yet not frozen within

Don?t stray from the mission before us
The mind moves the body along
I?d shatter my hand for a view from the crest
I keep moving on?

The mountain has imprisoned so many
But we?ve committed no crime
You?ve shackled my partner and frozen my mind
But victory is a matter of time

We?re closer my friend, so don?t turn around
Frozen and burned for our thirst
Stronger again, my eyesight is sound
[I?ll] capture the roof of this Earth
We?re nearly there...

I?ll rest by this summit
I?ll write my wife [of] my joy
I?m watching a worldly sunset
The one I?ve dreamed of as a boy

It?s strange, now it seems like you?ve joined me
With climbing companions now gone
Children, reach out, for the wind warms my hand
I keep moving on?

Damn Mother Earth for her continents
For pushing this peak to the sky
Damn her for giving me talent to climb
Damn her for knowing I?d try?