Constant Motion

Single cover for Constant Motion

Constant Motion
Systematic Chaos
Length	06:55
Working title	Korma Chameleon
Release date	April 27, 2007
Lyrics	Mike Portnoy
Music	Dream Theater
First live performance	6/12/2007 Katowice, Poland (Chaos in Motion - 1st European Leg)
Total live plays	154
Recorded	Avatar Studios
Other appearances	Chaos In Motion
Previous song	Forsaken
Next song	The Dark Eternal Night

Constant Motion was the debut single from Dream Theater's 2007 album Systematic Chaos, produced by John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy. It is also accompanied by a music video. The band hadn't produced a music video since Hollow Years from Falling Into Infinity in 1997, citing lack of interest and lack of rotation on music channels for the latter. The video has received considerable airplay on MTV2's Headbangers Ball, and is arguably Dream Theater's most popular video since Pull Me Under in 1992. According to Chaos in Progress: The Making of Systematic Chaos, the working title of this song was "Song #2" or "Korma Chameleon".

Personnel

• Mike Portnoy - Drums, percussion, vocals
• Jordan Rudess - Keyboards
• John Petrucci - Guitar
• John Myung - Bass
• James LaBrie - Vocals

Lyrics

Tunnel vision at blinding speed
Controlling my thoughts, obsessing me
Void of any uncertainty
Throughout my very soul

Lost illusions of mind control
Resisting all hope of letting go
Racing impulse of dark desire
Drives me through the night

I try to shut it down
It leaves me in the dust
No matter what I've found
I can never get enough

Frantic actions of insanity
Impulsive laced profanity
Long for elusive serenity
Way out of my control

Travelling through both space and time
Out of body
Out of mind
Out of control
My wheels in constant motion

Spinning round and round it goes
I can't let up
I can't let go
Can't stop this flame from burning
Forever more
Into the night
Blistering

Focus here, focus there
Cannot see the light
Falling down through the night
Sprawling everywhere

Searching left, searching right
Panic setting in
I can no longer fight
When will this end?

Accelerate, dislocate
Set to crash and burn
Haven't got time to waste
Not planning to return

Aggrivate, agitate
When will I ever learn?
There's no way out of here
Nowhere to turn

Obsessive yearning
Compulsive burning
Still never learning
Insane random thoughts of neat disorder

Scattered wasteland surrounding me
Tattered memories of what used to be
Apocalyptic mind debris
Until we meet again

Travelling through both space and time
Out of body
Out of mind
Out of control
My wheels in constant motion

Spinning round and round it goes
I can't let up
I can't let go
Can't stop this flame from burning
Forever more
Into the night
Blistering

Travelling through both space and time
Out of body
Out of mind
Out of control
My wheels in constant motion

Spinning round and round it goes
I can't let up
I can't let go
Can't stop this flame from burning
Can't stop the wheels from turning

Travelling through both space and time
You get yours
And I got mine
Out of control
My wheels in constant motion

Spinning round and round it goes
I can't let up
I can't let go
Can't stop this flame from burning
Forever more
Into the night
Blistering

Trivia

• This song is featured in the first Rock Band game.

Dream Theater - Constant Motion OFFICIAL VIDEO

Tone

As with its previous track, Forsaken, Constant Motion explores various complex time changes. For example, the guitar riffs in the introduction of the song vary between 5/4, 6/4, 15/8 and 20/8 in select parts. Most of the song remains in the standard 4/4 time.

Appearances

• Systematic Chaos - Original recorded version
• Chaos in Motion