Neptunian Songs

Most well-known songs have lyrics with an immediately obvious, non-adaptable meaning, but there are a few oddities which act in a similar way to abstract art, leaving interpretation open to the observer/listener. It's the second kind I'm concentrating on here, calling them Neptunian songs. Neptune is traditionally accepted as planet of mist, fog, imagination, dreams and visions.

Three such songs spring to mind: "Come Together" written by John Lennon; "One" by Bono; and Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale". The lyrics of each are open to several interpretations, shrouded in Neptunian mist, with strange, seemingly out of place references, using words almost as musical notes or vessels of rhythm (which is, I guess, the secondary purpose of words in art).

John Lennon had Neptune conjunct Mars trining Moon and Uranus in his natal chart, which means that Neptune was well-harnessed within his nature; Uranus added a touch (often more than a touch) of obtuseness and intentional nonsense to his lyrics. There have been dozens of theories about the meaning of the peculiar picture painted by his lyrics in "Come Together": drug-related; Jesus-related; Paul was dead; pen- portraits of each of the Beatles; John's dream of seeing himself in a coffin as people filed by to look at him. I prefer the last of those. John said, in interview, that the song is simply "gobbledy-gook". I'm sure it was, up to a point, but I'd guess that it contains some in-jokes and reference known only to the Beatles - "toe jam football", "walrus gum boots", "mojo filter", for instance. Anyway it's a catchy tune with hypnotic rhythm, lyrics are secondary in this abstract painting of a song, "colors" are everything.

Here come old flattop he come grooving up slowly
He got joo-joo eyeball he one holy roller
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker he just do what he please

He wear no shoeshine he got toe-jam football
He got monkey finger he shoot coca-cola
He say "I know you, you know me"
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
Come together right now over me

He bag production he got walrus gumboot
He got Ono sideboard he one spinal cracker
He got feet down below his knee
Hold you in his armchair you can feel his disease
Come together right now over me

He roller-coaster he got early warning
He got muddy water he one mojo filter
He say "One and one and one is three"
Got to be good-looking 'cause he's so hard to see
Come together right now over me

Bono penned the lyrics of "One". There are a few conflicting ideas about its meaning. In Bono's natal chart foggy Neptune is conjunct Moon and exactly opposite Venus (planet of music and art) and Mercury (planet of writing and communication). Again, as with Lennon, the foggy planet is harnessed to personal planets. It's not surprising that Bono managed to write an abstract painting of a song, whether intentionally or not. Theories about the song's meaning range from: it's a song about the break-up of a relationship (lovers, friends, partners, parents); a conflict between a gay person and their parent; a song about Jesus (why do all lyrics have to be about Jesus for some listeners?) Others assume it's a song about one-ness in the world - a wider view of one-ness than just a self-centered whinge about relationship breaking up. I'd go along with the latter, if it weren't for some references to the contrary.

Is it getting better
Or do you feel the same
Will it make it easier on you now
You got someone to blame
You say...

One love
One life
When it's one need
In the night
One love
We get to share it
Leaves you baby if you
Don't care for it

Did I disappoint you
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth
You act like you never had love
And you want me to go without
Well it's...

Too late
Tonight
To drag the past out into the light
We're one, but we're not the same
We get to
Carry each other
Carry each other
One...
Have you come here for forgiveness
Have you come to raise the dead
Have you come here to play Jesus
To the lepers in your head

Did I ask too much
More than a lot
You gave me nothing
Now it's all I got
We're one
But we're not the same
Well we
Hurt each other
Then we do it again
You say
Love is a temple
Love a higher law
Love is a temple
Love the higher law
You ask me to enter
But then you make me crawl
And I can't be holding on
To what you got
When all you got is hurt
One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should
One life
With each other
Sisters
Brothers
One life
But we're not the same
We get to
Carry each other
Carry each other

One...life

One

"Whiter Shade of Pale" is so beyond interpretation that it's amazing anyone has even attempted to make sense of it. It is the classic Neptunian song. Unfortunately I'm not aware of its writers' astrology. Literary and historical motifs abound here, suggesting dreamy visions with no hint of logic. Truly, truly Neptunian. I've always loved it.

We skipped the light fandango
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kind of seasick
The crowd called out for more
And the room was hummin' harder
As the ceiling flew away
And when we called outfor another drink
But the waiter brought a tray

And so it was later
As the miller told his tale
That her face at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale.

You said: "There is no reason,
And the truth is plain to see."
But I wander through my playin' cards
Would not let him be
One of sixteen vestal virgins
Who were leaving for the coast
And although my eyes were open
They might just as well been closed

And so it was later
As the miller told his tale
That her face at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale.
A whiter shade of pale
Turned a whiter shade of pale
A whiter shade of pale

By the way, there's a good example of another Neptunian song already discussed on this blog - "Human" written by Brandon Flowers of The Killers. Chat about possible meanings has continued for some time, here and elsewhere.

THE WEEK THAT WAS

A few recent news stories seem to fit with the week's inconjunct (quincunx) aspect between Uranus and Saturn. There was a 150* angle between Uranus at 18* Pisces and Saturn at 18* Leo. This between two planets which represent, in a nutshell, the old and the new, in two signs which have little or no understanding, one for the other.

From 17 May an example of the old and the new coming into conflict:

"In a striking reach across party lines, the White House and key lawmakers agreed Thursday on a sweeping immigration plan to grant legal status to millions of people in the country unlawfully.......
........Almost instantly, the plan brought vehement criticism from both sides of the immigration issue, including liberals who called it unfair and unworkable and conservatives who branded it an overly permissive "amnesty." "

Also on 17 May 2007 the first gay marriages took place in the state of Massachusetts
A new attitude(Uranus) replacing the old (Saturn)? And not before time! I hope that more states follow suit before too long. Yet, on the other side of the coin:
NEW YORK - MAY 18-"Pope Benedict XVI, US President George W. Bush and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have undermined human rights by actively promoting prejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, Human Rights Watch said today in its annual "hall of shame" to mark the International Day Against Homophobia. "


Mark Levine wrote an article this week about Bono's expressions of anger that the G-8 countries have not come close to meeting the pledges for increased aid to Africa made at the Gleneagles Summit two years ago. Even those with the best of intentions of changing old ways need to "raise their game". As Mark Levine says in the last paragraph of his article"

"..........And that we -- Bono, Gore, and all of us fortunate enough to be living in the advanced industrialized countries -- are the main beneficiaries of this system. Only if people see them really risking something to fight a battle that most people fear is impossible to win, will they get off their ass and join the fight. It's time for Bono to get off the stage and hit the barricades, and for the rest of us to follow him."

Another celebrity was also feeling grumpy - I read that Bob Geldorf had criticised Al Gore for arranging the Live Earth concerts due to take place this summer, saying: "But why is (Gore) actually organizing them? To make us aware of the greenhouse effect? Everybody's known about that problem for years. We are all (expletive) conscious of global warming." I beg to differ with Bob Geldorf. He should come to live in middle America for a while. "Everybody" does not (expletive) know there's a problem.

Mars moving into Aries and forming a trine to my natal Pluto may have raised my blood pressure on Tuesday evening as we watched part of the Academy of Country Music Awards on TV. My liking for country music is fading fast. Living in the USA has opened my eyes to a part of the country scene I'd been unaware of from my old vantage point in the UK. There's an attitude among many country stars and fans which I find disturbing.

During Tuesday's show, Tim McGraw sang a song dedicated to America's fallen heroes, presumably in Iraq, but arguably in any conflict.
An excerpt from the lyrics:
"You’re reading this, my mama’s sittin there Look’s like I only got a one way ticket over here I sure wish I could give you one more kiss War was just a game we played when we were kids Well I’m layin down my gun and hanging up my boots I’m up here with God and we’re both watching over you

So lay me down In that open field out on the edge of town And know my soul Is where my mama always prayed that it would go And if you’re reading this I’m already home."

Whilst I can see that songs like this might be a comfort to family and friends of those who have died, and I hesitate to criticise, I do wish more country singers would follow the example of the Dixie Chicks and protest strongly about that DAMNED war, rather than seeming to mawkishly accept and wallow in it.

At the CMT awards a few weeks ago ( how many awards shows does country music need?) host Jeff Foxworthy called out to the audience that, though others may look on country music fans as rednecks, "We get up and go to work. We get up and go church. We get up and go to war!!" Yes, the first two are fine. The last one isn't something to brag about these days, in my humble opinion. I'd best leave it there.

At least two unexpected (Uranus) events occured this week: Jerry Falwell, TV evangelist died, aged 73, and Melinda Doolittle was voted off American Idol. Those two news item do not sit comfortably together. I was more saddened by the latter than the former. In Melinda's case, I suspect viewers, confident that she'd sail through to the final, failed to vote in sufficient numbers to ensure that she did so. As far as Mr Falwell is concened, I have no respect for anyone who twists a valuable message of love and compassion to further his own ends - as far as I can see, that's all Mr Falwell ever sought to do.

Not a comfortable news week!