| Robert Plant – 29 Palms Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| This may be another interpretation. Knowing what I know of Robert Plant, which isn't much, in regard to his tenure with Led Zeppelin, with songs like "Achilles Last Stand", "Gallows Pole", "Immigrant Song", "Kashmir", "Misty Mountain Hop", "No Quarter", and "The Battle of Evermore," I think the meaning of“29 Palms” may be more metaphorical in its nature. By that, I mean, he is taking a physical reality, that is, a particular location and the contemporary circumstance of the location, to convey a multi-layered explanation of its reality: not only its reality but our reality. Basically, Mr. Plant is using a man-made instrument to convey a metaphor. For example, a long time ago, John Donne, in his poem, "A Valediction Forbidding Mourning", describes his love for his loved one, metaphorically as a thumb-screw compass, a drafting compass. In short, even though the loved ones are separated by physical time and space, their love is the axis, center, of both conjoining arms, therefore, they are not really apart. In short, it is my belief that “29 Palms” refers to the Marine base, by the same name, where our soldiers are trained to effectively fight in modern battle tanks. Bear with me while I give examples: "Her velvet glove", extreme power delivered gracefully, "Her kiss of fire - a loaded invitation," pretty self-evident, "It comes kinda hard when I hear you voice on the radio", one second lieutenant usually controls four tanks in his platoon, a lot of radio communication, and finally, "In God We Trust", why would he say this? Plant's metaphorical vehicle of the Abrams Tank has the same verisimilitude as Donne's "Compass". They are merely powerful tools employed in trying to better explain Man's Plight of Love and its complicated nature. Love can easily destroy, as well as, protect all that we hold dear. Please keep in mind that this is merely an additional interpretation. As all interpretations, it is not the whole, but it may be a part in trying to fully understand. | |
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