As the Fleet approaches the Ionian nebula, several people, specifically Saul Tigh, Samuel Anders, Tory Foster and Galen Tyrol, begin hearing fragments of strange music that only they can see and hear. The music becomes more distinct and distracting as the nebula gets closer.
Once the Fleet arrives at the Ionian nebula, the Music[1] reaches a piercing shrill. The Colonials affected not only hear the music complete, but begin to add lyrics as well. As the Fleet plunges into darkness, losing electrical power for reasons unknown, the music compels the four to meet in a isolated room.
The four are able to assemble the lyric fragments with the intact music to form a strange song. Because of the mutual experience, the four believe themselves to be Cylons. The source or cause of the music is not known (Crossroads, Part II).
At the end of the episode the song starts playing as background music for the viewers to hear. These are the complete lyrics that are sung:
- There must be some way out of here
- Said the joker to the thief
- There's too much confusion
- I can't get no relief
- Businessmen they drink my wine
- Plowmen dig my earth
- None of them along the line
- Know what any of it is worth
- No reason to get excited
- The thief he kindly spoke
- There are many here among us
- Who feel that life is but a joke
- But you and I, we've been through that
- And this is not our fate
- So let us not talk falsely now
- The hour is getting late
- All along the watchtower
- All along the watchtower
Notes
- The music is, indeed, a version of Bob Dylan's song, "All Along the Watchtower," specially composed by series composer Bear McCreary.
- The song is not intended to indicate that the Colonials have picked up an Earth communication.[2] Series executive producer Ron D. Moore considers the song to be an invention created by a Colonial citizen in a curious parallel to what had or will develop on Earth. The series creators have intentionally avoided citing whether Battlestar Galactica occurs in the series' Earth's past, present, or future.
- Over 25 notable bands have performed cover versions of "All Along The Watchtower"; the definitive cover was performed by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Many people are even unaware that his version was not the original.
- Bob Dylan has indicated that the events in the song's lyrics are "in a rather reverse order", beginning logically in time with the "All Along The Watchtower" verse and ending with the now-famous opening lines, "'There must be some way out of here,' said the Joker to the Thief." [3]
- The version used in the series omits the final stanza:
All along the watchtower, princes kept the view While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too. Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl, Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl
References
- ↑ This is a Battlestar Wiki descriptive term.
- ↑ From Bear McCreary's Blog, March 25, 2007.
- ↑ http://bobdylan.com/songs/watchtower.html