Gates Of Babylon

Album: Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (1978)
Play Video
  • Lyrics currently unavailable Writer/s: RITCHIE BLACKMORE, RONNIE JAMES DIO
    Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc., Word Collections Publishing

Comments: 2

  • Someone Who Just Watched A Stream On Drugs, Mysticism, And The Modern WorldThese lyrics likely refer to the opium/hashish induced dreams (sleeping with the devil, visions, seeing in your mind) experienced by 19th century experimenters/authors/"spiritualists" who were obsessed with orientalism (Arabian nights imagery; magic carpet rides, genies, caravans, Babylon, saber dances, the veils of reality/the dancer [see also Black Sabbath's Heaven and Hell]).

    In other words, 19th century potheads were using exotic oriental drugs and describing their trips using exotic oriental images, the anesthetic and dreamlike states produced by these drugs being conceived, in a gnostic sense as a mystical technique, a "key" to (the gates of sweet hell) Paradise or the "Ideal State" (a city of heavenly sin).

    The ambivalent language used in Gates of Babylon denotes at once the archaic gnostic/mystery cult seance importance placed on the psychedelic experience as a key (I think you're ready to see [by partaking of the "fruit" as Eve did]) to a "Paradise lost", yet it also touches on the addicting and disrupting effects (to trap you within, riding the endless caravan as a slave) of these drugs, thus not really endorsing them as such but rather treating them as the ambiguous, mysterious, and potentially dangerous substances/phenomenon that they are.
  • AnonymousThis song is about the rich and how most of them go against Jesus because they have so much money despite its dark lyrics it actually has a very Christian meaning in the Bible it says a camel rope to go through the eye of a needle is more likely than a rich man to go to heaven. They say I can take you anywhere. Because Satan and his demons can get you rich but you will go to hell for this which is what the lines sleep with the devil and debt you must pay sleep with the devil the devil will take you away dio does not mean literally sleep with the devil he means if you trust the devil there will be literal hell to pay so to conclude this song is about the rich and how they will never make it to heaven
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Shaun Morgan of Seether

Shaun Morgan of SeetherSongwriter Interviews

Shaun breaks down the Seether songs, including the one about his brother, the one about Ozzy, and the one that may or may not be about his ex-girlfriend Amy Lee.

Weird Al Yankovic

Weird Al YankovicFact or Fiction

Did Al play on a Beach Boys record? Did he have beef with George Lucas and Coolio? See if you can spot weird but true stories.

Trucking Songs That Were #1 Hits

Trucking Songs That Were #1 HitsSong Writing

The stories behind the biggest hit songs about trucking.

David Sancious

David SanciousSongwriter Interviews

Keyboard great David Sancious talks about his work with Sting, Seal, Springsteen, Clapton and Aretha, and explains what quantum physics has to do with making music.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.

Gentle Giant

Gentle GiantSongwriter Interviews

An interview with Ray and Derek Shulman of the progressive rock band Gentle Giant to discuss counterpoint, polyrhythms, and... Bon Jovi.