In late 1987 and early 1988, Queensrÿche were at frigid Morin Heights in Quebec, recording what would become their most important album.  Their first true concept album (although you could make good arguments for Rage for Order) was in fact partially inspired by the perennial Quebec separatist movement.  Singer Geoff Tate envisioned the story and characters, with guitarist Chris DeGarmo joining him on the lion’s share of the writing.  Still, it was Tate and guitarist Michael Wilton who came up with “Revolution Calling”, the third track but in all fairness, the first song on Operation: Mindcrime.  Wilton co-write a huge chunk of side one.

The eerie thing about “Revolution Calling” is how it still applies today.  Direct references to characters like the evil Dr. X aside, so much of this song is relevant to current events.

“I used to trust the media to tell me the truth, tell us the truth.”

“Well, I’m tired of all this bullshit they keep selling me on T.V., about the communist plan.”

“I used to think that only America’s way, way was right.  But now the holy dollar rules everybody’s lives, gotta make a million, doesn’t matter who dies.

I have criticised the Operation: Mindcrime for being too “comic-book-y”, a critique also levelled at the album by revisionist reviewers in the 1990s.  Now, I’m not so sure.  As the world teeters on the brink, a song like “Revolution Calling” impacts harder than it did in 1988.  How many Nikkis are out there ready to start their own revolutions?

As we look forward to the new Queensryche album Digital Noise Alliance, let’s also look back at one of their strongest songs from Mindcrime, “Revolution Calling”, on the Sunday Song Spotlight.

REVOLUTION CALLING (Tate/Wilton)