If you like Hamilton, chances are that you’d love listening to “Warrior of the Mind”, which is a popular song from “Epic: The Musical”. The nature of the song is a lot similar to the musical that dominates Broadway.
So, when it comes to breaking down the meaning of “Warrior of the Mind” by Jorge-Rivera Herrans, the one major thing you need to know is the fact that the song is based on historical characters and the past that we have left behind us centuries ago.
During interviews, Epic confirmed that the song’s basis isn’t inspired by anyone living. Instead, it is based on Odyssey, the famous Greek mythical literary piece that every historian is aware of. The work is almost 3000 years old, so the song draws inspiration from the work from back in history.
If you listen to the starting verse of the song, the vocalist introduces the listeners to Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom who is in a conversation with Odyssey.
How does the Song Wire the Stories of Athena and Odyssey?
Unless you are interested in history and have an idea about the tales of the Odyssey, a single listen to the song won’t give you an idea of what it is about.
However, the lyrics are fairly simple, meaning that there are no complexities involved in understanding the breakdown of the song.
Throughout the song, you get a glimpse into Athena’s relationship with Odyssey, which starts on the wrong foot, especially because she is fairly peeved by Odyssey but their interactions aren’t aggressive.
As we progress into the song, we get a glimpse into Athena’s thought process and fantasies where she wants to get Odyssey under her wing and mentor him. The phrase “a warrior of mind” is a good giveaway in that regard.
Does the Spell have any mentions in the Song?
We discussed a bit about Athena’s fantasies surrounding Odyssey but the song unveils that Athena is doing all that under the veil of a spell.
However, soon enough, Odyssey manages to see right through her and the two decide to put everything aside and have a direct conversation. During that conversation, they discuss the potential of teaming up to become more powerful than they are individually and independently.
By the end of the song, we get a glimpse into the fact that Odyssey is already in the process of becoming an established warrior in the armed force’s leadership.
Conclusion
If you aren’t a history or mythology buff, “Warrior of the Mind” by Jorge Rivera-Herrans (ft. Teagan Earley and EPIC Ensemble) might not catch your attention much. However, you will realize that the end of the song finishes with the union of Athena and Odyssey, which is undoubtedly a narrative that looks positive in the end. There are many ways to perceive a song, so there’s no point in overanalysing things and making a mess of it.