| Lines in the Sand | |
| Falling Into Infinity | |
| Length | 12:05 |
| Working title | |
| Release date | September 23, 1997 |
| Lyrics | John Petrucci |
| Music | Dream Theater |
| First live performance | The Chance, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA, on Dec. 4, 1996 |
| Total live plays | 198 |
| Recorded | |
| Other appearances | Chaos in Motion |
| Previous song | Hell's Kitchen |
| Next song | Take Away My Pain |
Lines in the Sand is the seventh track from Dream Theater's fourth studio album, Falling Into Infinity.
John Petrucci recorded this song using a 6-string guitar in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E).
Lyrics[]
Sometimes, for a moment of bliss And the passion, we're craving There's a message we miss Sometimes when the spirits left alone We must believe in something To find if we've grown Tragic reflex, shattered calm Static progress, senses gone Numb awareness, final psalm Swept away with the tide Through the holes in my hands Crown of thorns At my side drawing lines in the sand Sometimes, if you're perfectly still You can hear the virgin weeping For the savior of your will Sometimes, your castles in the air And the fantasies you're seeking Are the crosses you bear Sacred conflict, blessed prize Weeping crosses, stainless eyes Desperate addict, faith disguised Swept away with the tide Through the holes in my hands Crown of thorns At my side drawing lines in the sand We fabricate our demons Invite them into our homes Have supper with the aliens And fight the war alone We conjure up our skeletons Enlist the den of thieves Frightened from our closets Then sewn upon our sleeves In the stream of consciousness There is a river crying Living comes much easier Once we admit We're dying Sometimes, in the wreckage of our wake There's a bitterness we harbor And hate for hatred's sake Sometime we dig an early grave And crucify our instincts For the hope we couldn't save Sometimes a view from sinless eyes Centers our perspective And pacifies our cries Sometimes the anguish we survive And the mysteries we nurture Are the fabrics of our lives Swept away with the tide Through the holes in my hands Crown of thorns At my side drawing lines in the sand
Appearances[]
| Year | Recording Type | Release | Release Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Studio | Falling into Infinity | Studio Album |
| 1997 | Studio | Falling into Infinity | Promotional Album (EastWast Records) |
| 1997 | Studio | Falling into Infinity | Promotional Album (Elektra) |
| 1997 | Tracks | International Fanclub Christmas CD 1997 | Fanclub |
| 1998 | Live | Once in a LIVEtime | Live Album |
| 2003 | Live | Los Angeles, California 5/18/98 | Official Bootleg |
| 2006 | Live | Old Bridge, New Jersey 12/14/96 | Official Bootleg |
| 2007 | Live | Bucharest, Romania - 7/4/02 | Official Bootleg |
| 2007 | Demo | Falling into Infinity Demos 1996-1997 | Official Bootleg |
| 2008 | Live | Chaos in Motion: 2007-2008 | Live Album, Video Album |
| 2009 | Tracks | The Making of Falling into Infinity | Official Bootleg |
| 2022 | Demo | Falling into Infinity Demos, 1996-1997 | Official Bootleg |
| 2022 | Live | Old Bridge, New Jersey (1996) | Official Bootleg |
| 2023 | Tracks | The Making of Falling into Infinity (1997) | Official Bootleg |