“People who deny the existence of dragons are often eaten by dragons. From within.”
--Ursula K. Le Guin
Dragons are fire-breathing lizards, the great wyrms confronting the heroes Beowulf and Sigurd. And they can also be something less tangible but no less terrifying or formidable. A conceptual or symbolic evil. A dark philosophy of hard and cold materialism that says we are nothing and to nothing we shall return or a desire for selfish wealth-hoarding above altruism, or love for fellow man.
In the pivotal scene of Growing Up Metal I confront my dragon. Not those described above, but a very personal struggle of my own making.
What is it? It’s in the book man.
Dio sang about this theme powerfully and beautifully (as if he’s capable of anything but) in 2002’s “Killing the Dragon” off the album of the same name.
This particular song concerns a dark dragon we’re all fighting today: Electronic serfdom. Dopamine leashes, AI slop. Digital overlords selling us paid subscriptions to the world humanity built—not they.
Kneel and behold your new king
Digital dreams
And wonderful things to tease you
Small gods with electrical hearts
Later “killing the dragon” became the rallying cry for Dio’s battle with cancer. As he and his wife Wendy said of their trips to MD Anderson for chemo treatments, “We’re Killing the Dragon.”
It’s also of course an absolutely kick-ass song. I love the haunting, spectral intro. I love the powerful chorus, the chugging guitars, and most of all I love the lyrics and the underlying theme for all the reasons mentioned above.
I love it most of all because it’s Dio. He lost his battle with the dragon of cancer but continues to inspire me today.
7 comments:
Nobody - NOBODY - slays dragons like Dio. It is a killer album and I'll echo you in regards to such: Dio wasn't capable of anything less.
Oh! Always wondered what you thought of the HOLY DIVER comic?
Hail fellow Dio fan! I have not seen the Holy Diver comic... any good?
I really like it, but I believe any Dio fan will. It's the story of Father Emil Barrett and why he ends up chained and feeling Murray's wrath on the album cover. Are you sold? Something tells me you are, lol.
And two chapters left on GROWING UP METAL (review forthcoming). Will say this, though - the book SUCKS! Yeah, right. It's a cliche to say, but I don't want it to end! Dang you, though. Had me singing the chorus to "Heaven Can Wait" when you mention it. Over and over and over and...lol.
The story of the priest in Holy Diver? Very cool, I'm interested.
Awesome man, that warms my heart. I appreciate it very much.
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