The Great Gate

這首歌，是我向偉大的 Pink Floyd 致敬的一次嘗試，也是對當代社會的一則黑色寓言。我們常聽說「天堂」是靈魂的歸宿，但在《The Great Gate》裡，天堂變成了一個充滿官僚氣息的、封閉的「高級社區 (Gated Community)」。在這裡，救贖不是因為信仰或善行，而是變成了一種交易——你必須擁有一個「精彩的故事」作為貨幣，才能換取入場券。

我在編曲上刻意保留了大量的空間，使用了標誌性的環境音效（風聲、金屬撞擊聲）和長篇幅的吉他獨奏，試圖營造那種孤獨、疏離且迷幻的氛圍。歌詞中的聖彼得不再是慈祥的長者，而是一個冷漠的守門人；天使的歌聲不再是恩典，而是需要付費的商品。這首歌探討的是：當我們把一切（包括靈魂和經歷）都商品化之後，我們是否在不知不覺中，已經為自己建造了一座名為「天堂」的地獄？

結尾的轉折是我最想表達的核心：「我唯一能講述的故事，就是我如何建造了自己的地獄。」這是一個關於自我認知的殘酷時刻。希望這首長達數分鐘的史詩，能帶你進入一個深沉的思考空間。戴上耳機，閉上眼睛，讓我們一起站在那扇偉大的門前，聽聽看，門後傳來的，究竟是救贖的歌聲，還是交易的迴響。

No passport... no currency
Just the weight of the years you carry
and a story... to sell

St. Peter stands there, polishing his keys
Looking down with a bored and practiced ease
He checked his list, then he looked at me
Said, Heaven is a gated community
And sorry, son... we have no vacancy
(He wouldn't let me in)
(He wouldn't let me in)

So I fell down on my knees
Presenting my life’s summaries
My little victories and my tragedies
While he just smiled at my unease
(And he sings...)

He says: Hell... Hell
I think I know you well
Heaven is open, if you have a story to sell
And Hell... Hell...
He says:
I think I know you well
Your salvation is the story that you tell

And the angels, in a choir of white and grey
They only open up their mouths when they get paid
He says, The sound is distinct, it’s a high-class ring
But down here, silence is the only free thing
You gotta pay the toll to hear the angels sing

So I’m begging on my knees
For a moment of release
From this cold, celestial disease
But he just counts his golden fees
(And he sings...)

He says: Hell... Hell
I think I know you well
Heaven is open, if you have a story to sell
And Hell... Hell
He says
I think I know you well
Your salvation is the story that you tell

Is this the light? Or just a neon sign
A perfect trap, so beautifully designed
Is this the peace I thought I’d find
Or just another prison for the mind
Just another character... in a story intertwined

He says: Hell... Hell
I think I know you well
Heaven is open, if you have a story to sell
And "Hell... Hell
He says
I think I know you well
So open up your mouth... and break the spell

So I opened my mouth... to tell the tale
Of a life spent trying... not to fail
But the only story... behind the veil
Is how I built my own... private... Hell

My own... private... Hell
(My own... private... Hell...)