The Great Mystery of Variations on a Cloud 

Unfortunately, I will likely not make much from this video. If you’d like to support the channel (and be featured at the end of every video) you can do so here: ko-fi.com/fortcollinsproductions Thank you so much!!

The jumpscare of Variations having some of the motifs from my favorite songs was the most surreal thing and honestly really touching somehow

I’ll be honest. I can totally understand why this one isn’t included in the breakdown of Hawaii part II because it’s very controversial in terms of what the meaning is, and especially what they’re trying to say about that day. But my personal understanding is, the song is deliberately catchy to emphasize the lost innocence when you finally realize it’s not flying, it’s falling

i really thought the "i was in the hearing" line was strange, it reminded me of the hearing depicted in The Mind Electric, where our wonderful murderer states his insanity. I do like the thought that the song is just a conversation between two men watching the tower fall though.

It feels like flying,but maybe *we're dying*

for some reason, variations on a cloud has always been a very comforting song for me in spite of its meaning. i always saw it as a song clouded in nostalgia, if that makes any sense, which is something i do relate to. the chonny jash cover is especially comforting to me

3:15 Greener would be the second song, Ruler of Everything is the second to last song on Marvins (not counting bonus tracks)

I have to come clean and say that you succeeded on scaring the shit out of me through your delivery and editing. You did an incredible job of setting an atmosphere through both of those on top of your script writing. Amazing.

I just recently watched the 9/11 documentary made by the Naudet brothers and I was watching this at night so when the video abruptly cut to 9/11 footage with the emergency broadcast sound I fucking shat my pants and rocketed off into the atmosphere

Wow, I watched your amazing documentary merely an hour ago. Watching you cover arguably my favourite MM song brings joy to my heart.

i legitimately think you should do analog horror, the transitions are lowkey terrifying and help to drive the point of the video

variations on a cloud has always been my favorite miracle musical song, i think it sounds really nice. great video btw!

i remember from quite some time ago that as i listened carefully to variations on a cloud, it piqued my interest. the sort of song that offers a completely new listening experience the second you take its lyrics into consideration. i dwelved into quite a rabbit hole! in pursuit of making sense of such abstract words. cryptic, in joe hawley fashion- but nonetheless telling, in the way that it pushes your imagination for complex interpretation. i even went searching for video essays regarding this title back then! glad to be greeted with content that’s been posted so recently. even after almost more than 10 years their/his music continues to provoke ideas.

Hawaii pt II, along with this, are the most profound and complex musical developments i've ever heard. I couldn't even dream of how this came to be and the mystery behind it. Youve done an amazing job breaking this down, and i thank you for that. It was truly a journey.

You were evil with the jumpscare sounds on this one 😭

DUDE MADE IT LMAO Was kinda conflicted myself whether to include Variations as a part of HP II,, i always thought it could be tied well enough with how vague and subjective the whole album is despite the music video

More miracle musical stuff!!!!!!!! I'm so excited! You're documentaries are amazing, keep it up!

picture of my face when another fort Collins productions video: (very excited) candle on the water next?

got so excited when I saw this video in my recommended! your video analysis on Hawaii: Part II is one my my top 3 favourite video essays!!

I didn't know how traumatizing this song would be (I won't have nightmares definitely)

this is LEGENDARYYYYYYYYYYYY !! shout out to variations on a cloud being one of my fav songs ever somehow

I find it funny that Fort Collins gives me more mystery than the actual mystery

This video is so nothing-burger 😭😭😭😭😭HE LITERALLY TOLD US NOTHING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE VIDEO such bull.

another certified Fort Collins Productions classic

i was literally just re-watching your video on Hawaii part II, and i saw this in the recommended. crazy

noo i loved this song 😭

Pretty over dramatic in this tbh. Still well made as usual, but calm down

I thought this was actually about clouds, I was going to listen to it while I fell asleep but bro what the fuck is this? this shit is scary as fuck and now I’m wide awake

This is awesome, ever since i watched your first video I've been waiting for you to cover this song (as it's one of my favorites)!

I love these kinds of videos so much

Great video. Loved this and the original video a lot. Made me appreciate the music so much more.

King has returned, I knell to thee. (Even if I can’t stand Fort Collins)

I could not handle how pretentiously this was presented, love this music but simple analysis presented so over dramatically is really irritating.

First 50 comments! I wanted to say I love your analysis video on Hawaii Part II and this is a terrific addition to my tally hall knowledge. Thank you for the amazing video essays and I hope many more!

It’s a shame that the original mv was taken down and i’m grateful for the uploads. Watching the visuals along with the music gives you a very indescribable feeling.

Lets goooo another miracle musical vid!!

this is really well made keep it up

all you did was say this song was about 911 and assed around with weird edits .-.

Thanks for making this!

Yet another amazing video from you 💪

This video is pure dread gave me chills 10/10

Great video! Heres a few “weaponized songs” Hay yah - outkast // about messy relationship Pumped up kicks - foster the people // about school shooting Mr brightside - the killers // I forget what this ones Bout I think adultey? I could go on

Me on my way to write another essay comment when I promised myself not to stay up on a school night... Here we go! I am so incredibly glad you were able to make a video expanding on the origins of Hawaii pt II! Variations on a Cloud seems like The natural option to pick up where you left off! I was originally confused about why 9/11 was so commonly associated with it, as I didn't know Variations released before Hawaii until this video. Even afterwards, I'm not entirely sure I'm on board with the theory, but I'm obviously not going to shame anyone if this is what they believe. If anything, Miracle Musical has taught us that thought provoking and downright terrifying messages can be found in the subtlety of a song, if placed carefully enough. Now, onto the actual video notes! The use of reversed Aristotle's Denial at the very beginning?!? YES?! (I'd totally be interested in a video about that song as well if you have the time for it, maybe delve into Cojum Dip's origins as well?) Also the jumpscares had me absolutely glued to the screen, my body froze as soon as I heard the EAS alert; most panicked I've felt in watching a video in a while, even if I dreaded it coming.There's always just something about your content that invokes such a dreadful and whimsical feeling at the same time; I can't put my finger on it! I usually can't stomach material surrounding 9/11, but I was so fascinated by the story you unfolded all the way through. I was genuinely disturbed at some parts, even if I was hyperfocused the whole time. Your reciting of the lyrics in a sinister manner gave me chills in the best sort of way. It's a little bit of magic to end the world. Such a haunting way to end the essay. I wasn't alive to witness or even fathom the widescale tragedy of 9/11, and am obviously unqualified to give the event proper first-hand knowledge, I can at least acknowledge that this song leaves a haunting resonance within the context of was written, or whatever we may believe. Once again, thank you so much for these video essays. Miracle Musical content is one of the only things I truly indulge myself in nowadays, and It's almost borderline an obsession of mine at this point. Editing is absolutely God tier, I hope more people are able to fund and support your endevaours!

3:14 it's the 14th song 15th if you count the hidden good day simlish cover on the cd

It’s always a good day when you upload

3:15 it is not the second song, it is the 14th song

2:40 that gave me a mini-heart-attack, please never do that again

3:13 "second (to last) song on the album..." the second song would be Greener...

I gotta say. I don't know how anyone could've heard this song the first time and not felt uncomfortable. It never felt upbeat to me, or like a love song. The second I heard the lyric "Ok, jump" I knew it was going to be memorable and unnerving.

Voac is like a tally hall version of pumped up kicks

constructive criticism be like: nahhh bro this shit sucks 🔥 jokes aside, the dramatization is pretty much shoved into my face obnoxiously every time you stop talking. like some people just want to learn what you have to say, not sit through an analog horror. tho it's just my perspective fr

lol i know variations on a cloud because of a Barbieheimer edit, love that song..

What about candle on the water The clip of joe saying why he felt so tied to it i dont think ive ever heard someone else mention

My favourite song ever, I love this song so much that I wanna make it into an intro for my show if I ever made one

Evil Bush isnt real, he can't hurt you

honestly, i thought this video would be longer. it didnt really.. get into why its so terrifying or shouldnt exist, it just says it. it doesnt theorize what its trying to say about 9/11 at all. a bit of a disappointment compared to your video on hawaii part ii

New and improved interpretation of Hawaii part ii + ruler of everything and variations on the clouds. Before we start this is the backstory on how I found these, found the ruler of everything first then mind electric second but in a closet time period to it. I saw an explanation by the ruler of everything which explained the basic frame of the entire story like 2 years from the current writing of this explanation. This is what the songwriter got its inspiration from with the story and using some of his unused unfinished songs and incorporated them into the album. If you think of the ruler of everything as a demo, inspiration, and enactment of the man’s feelings throughout all of it (explanation of ruler of everything will be at the end). I found how the song and the albums themes and mood were overall similar then I dug deeper for the explanation for Hawaii which I think are false, which led me even deeper to my explanation here so please read and if you have any discrepancies please tell. I believe that the Hawaii part ii is a album detailing the story of a man who was cursed with immortality which is a curse bestowed upon him with the added factor of the passing time degrading his mind and the alter ego of himself infecting his mind and causing the death of his lover. The following paragraphs will detail how this interpretation is a suitable story for the album. The first song “Introduction to the snow” shows him reminiscing on his past life as he floats on the precipice of all eternity when everything fades away as he gazes upon the stars and his mind detailing how beautiful and bitter it is. The second song “Isle Unto Thyself” starts us off with an ethereal sounding chant that might have been the goddess he and his lover worshiped or himself reminiscing on the past. Then it cuts to the man detailing how he met the love of his life and like the quote “why would it matter” doubting why and how it all started or maybe him being hesitant of love and how it may hurt him. The song I believe details his love and journey with her and him questioning if the memory was real then the song lyrics details on how when he was on the brink off death “Bled on the ground” he met the god and he was given the immortality he wanted and his alter ego too unbeknownst to them it would be a curse. Next it describes how the universe passed through and how he describes it and how it all died and him questioning his humanity as he ponders life. The song “Black Rainbows” is sung by the woman and is set in what I believe is Hawaii where the 2 lovers met and how they came upon Stella Octangula which basically defines a god(search it up and the theory of its meaning) the song follows how they saw the light that it shown and the possibilities and how beautiful their love and “it” was. (Btw the songs if you listen in order mix like a musical flowing together perfectly ) The next song white ball details a tango both physically and metaphorically kinda where they danced and detail about the future of the stars and eternity and their love together but later on it’s only him who lives forever. This song “Murders'' is a song shows the ego shows how it depicted of the love and how it pessimistically saw it and how he was in the middle and how all it wanted was the fountain of infinite mirrors which basically means immortality and how the ego took control and killed the love of his life and how at the end he gains control and spirals down into his depths of tragedy. The next song is the Japanese song which is translated to space station level 7 which basically details how humans evolved into going into space what it looks like but level 7 is a gate a final gate to heaven which the song constantly chants which leads me to believe that the man lives and is looking for heaven where his lover is and constantly looking for death. The song “Mind Electric” depicts how he was caught for killing his lover and how he is in court pleading to the court of his alter ego which they sentence him to death and how he depicts his degrading mind. And with his sentence he is sentenced to electric chair and how he depicts the electric corses through his brain and how his alter ego is becoming more present in his mind commenting on how the surfs work the ground and he plays with his mind and how it or him prays for it to end the torture and suffering. Next song is Labyrinth which describes how his mind is spinning and how he’s trying to get out and how now he feels like his past lover is following and has already gone to level 7 aka heaven. The rapper is the man and his mind as he acknowledges how he is running from the people trying to kill him and how he is in fear of his alter ego/god may cause the death of more and how he is trapped in this cycle. The song “Time Machine” is showing how he is now in the future waiting for the release of life and how he regrets what the ego has done, possibly conquered the ego or fused together because the other thoughts did not appear in the song. It follows his desire to go back with a Time Machine which he is awaiting to appear so he can go back and prevent all of it. The song “Stranded Lullaby” is detailing on him being stranded out in space and time and I believe he finally conquered his ego but became numb to the idea of basically everything with the only remaining shard of him being his lover and he is “lost at sea” or he has finally came to terms with his alter ego and he questions why it did what it did and why it was so lonely. The final song is “Dream Sweet in Sea Major” the final song based on my interpretation is where he finally conquered the ego and becomes and the god finally brings him the the promised land when he floated through space and finally reached level 7 where he finally is reunited with his lover as he savor the moment and the moment forever where the verses describe them going back into Hawaii and where they relive their love and what is to come as they love within heaven which he reached and the final verse he says good bye to Hawaii which is a representation of the ego torture and what he felt to finally get their as he grows and anew and will spend forever in eternity with his love. This is what I believe the album means in most sense. I believe the conclusion I detailed is what actually finally happened in that marvelous story which was detailed in the album Hawaii part ii. Now unto ruler of everything, before explaining remember that ruler of everything was way before and the ground for Hawaii part ii. The song starts out with “Juno was mad he knew he’d been had so he shot at the sun with a gun…” (please read lyrics to understand what i'm saying) implying that Juno/Man was mad because he got tricked into living forever causing for him to lose his loved ones, have the devil/ruler of time/ ruler of everything in the end being in his consciousness(like the alter ego) with its commentary and low tone. The song mentions the sun and how life expanded out of it and around it into the galaxy and the sun literally a god was there with Juno and how the sun knew of the deal he made and could have stopped him. “Every end of a time is another begun” is how Juno saw the passing of time, “you understand mechanical hands are the ruler of everything” mechanical hands being the hands on a clock and how time rules everything, and “do you like how I dance ect ect of the verse” basically states how Juno saw how man was obsessive over how they look talked walked and the view of other for their approvment and how they don’t care that they may “die soon” or disintegrate into chalk. The rest is fodder basically meaning he just bumbled around without meaning and how the time deity criticizes but emphasizes with him. Variations on a cloud first thing straight is not connected to Hawaii part ii or ruler of everything. Blatant reference to their song and overall theme but not connected. Also this supports why I think the ruler of everything is to be taken into consideration when talking about Hawaii part ii. Song starts out with 2 singers both the same person optimistic high tuned awaiting and departing for the future and seeing the beauty of it and the one who doesn’t want to leave the world and what they made and how it’s disappearing in a basic sense. The context is how basically 9/11 yada yada but in 9/11 people were getting burned to death and were stuck onto so people saw as these people were jumping off holding hands to their death which is what the singer is detailing their thoughts and life as it flashes before their eyes “a little bit of magic to end the world”. You can relate the lyrics to this no need to elaborate it shows how he tells of his mother and friends and how they were to him, what he built up how it’s crashing down, and how he/optimistic one accepts it how the memories keep on coming back and coming back as he falls to his death but happy and accept for what is to be for the life he lived and what may lay ahead. Very good song too. I believe this song was also a passion project to the viewers who understand it like a wrap up and gift for a final departure. And so too with these songs for it wraps up the explanation of this song and the rest of all of this.

Frick, the EAS flipping scared me because I have a fear of those things

This whole video is a jumpscare and I love it

I have a playlist with all of Hawaii part II song alongside 2 extra songs... those being "Variations on the clouds" and "candle on the water", after listening to this video I can not believe what was hidden under all those mangled ominous lyrics... are you planning on doing a short review about Candle on the water?, such a pretty song...

Wonderful ☁️

the concluding thoughts are very dramatic

Very cool video. If you could break it down for me, what is the message in the music video that you disagree with? Or is the imagery perhaps just insensitive?

It's been posted for an hour, and I'm nervous to watch

YIPPEE!!!! Thank you for such great videos its greatly appreciated:D

Ruler Of Everything is NOT the second song in MMMM

I CANT WAIT TO WATCH THIS VIDEO BUT IM AT SCHOOL AND NEED TO WAIT 2 MORE HOURS

good video, was very interresting

I’m curious to see your take on “candle on the water.” What do you think about it being a cover rather than an original song on the album?

Small correction. Ruler Of Everything isn't the 2nd song on Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, it's the 14th

Bro idk if I'm just fucked up, but ruler of everything, Variations on a Cloud, The Mind Electric, and most other songs by Miracle Musical and Tally Hall don't scare me. I fully understand their meaning but, it doesn't scare me at all. Someone please tell me, am I going crazy?

What about “Candle on the Water”?

You don’t agree with the message of the song? What is the message then?

guys please tell me, what is at 6:33 ?

what is the link at 4:38 supposed to redirect to, the video is taken down, is it supposed to redirect you to the original Variations on a Cloud Music Video?

Link at 4:39 is broken, says it isn't available anymore

If you guys like the instrumentals and melody but don't like the lyrics and their meanings and connection to 9/11, I recommend the Chonny Jash cover. It recontextualizes the song and its lyrics to distance them from 9/11 while still sounding good

Made ocs for a au and they play a important role in the prequel as a antagonist 1 which is the duet 1 which is a puppeter who k*ll the 2 and 1 who is a bird but looks like a distruction of the towers with its fluffy feathers as the clouds and legs are the towers and its face looks like the aulbum like pictures of clouds that forms a face

At roughly 4:39 a url pops up. I tried typing it in but apparently the video isn’t available anymore. Anyone know what this was or have any ideas?

oh hell yeah

I’m not gonna lie it’s still a bop

I swear, you are such a drama queen with how you describe everything.

You need to make a vidieo about Don shirley please look him up read some stuff about him and listen to his music he's incredible and unknown

I had to go over the video twice before writing this comment I feel like the format you used, while distinctive (and very well used in your Hawaii Part 2 analysis) kinda cuts off the points and makes them feel more like random thoughts than a complete idea, especially with the cut to the interview in 9:27, since no point is added afterwards I believe you could have delved deeper into both interpretations of the song, it being a part of Hawaii and it being an independent piece that talks explicitly about 9/11 The lyrics of the song allow for a lot more discussions, and this video doesn't make it justice I don't comment this to hate on your work, since I really like your content, but Variations on a Cloud is a song I really like, and I hoped for a deeper analysis of it, especially after your Hawaii P2 video made me love the album even more

Just got deja vu

tthe first thing i thought of when i heard varying shades of gray was. 50 shades

I thought this song was about suicide

If you make art while worrying about not being controversial then you will never be a good artist, imo Joe Hawley is a genius

How Come Before I Was Really A Tally Hall Fan I’d Like See Some Small Pop Culture References And Stfuf Like That About Variations On A Cloud When The Song Doesn’t Have Much Views On Spotify And RU-vid?

4:39 somebody please check that.

Im my first listen i thought it was about beauty in the bleak but i guess its kinda that......

Joe woke up and thought of "What if we made a song about 9/11 and made it an absolute banger"

whats with the intro are you listening to miracle musical or the souls of the damned from ancient greece

this is a ARG isnt it?

BRO THIS IS NOT AN ARG

They say Simon and Stella are a humanization of the twin towers, and the puppets of Variations on a cloud are two witnesses to the attack who are debating how to feel.

I don't know if anyone is gonna find this comment but there was a link in the video but it doesn't work anymore if someone knows how to see the video again or saw it, please let me know what it was

I found Shangri-La!

Number 6

It's the part without him