| Blue Öyster Cult – Workshop of Telescopes Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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Silverfish Imperatrix seems to have a hidden meaning. Silver=the moon, it is her metal in alchemy. Fish=a marine creature with ties to the female genitalia. An imperatrix is an empress. So the Silverfish Imperatrix is likely the moon, Queen of the Night. And this makes sense because the lyric then refers to her "incorrupted eye" which is the orb itself. She sees through the charms of doctors and their wives. This seems to have a double meaning: she knows what it is in the heart of every astrologer, magician and alchemist and knows their fakery and tricks. Doctors and wives refers to a male-female team of deceivers. The doctor and his wife (playing the nurse or the lovely assistant) are often a con team taking people's money. But the line also refers to the charms that are spells, enchantments, talismans that are often cast or made during the light of the full moon with appeals to the moon for her magical aid. Talismans are often made at night while the light of the moon falls upon them to imbue them with her lunar power. Hence, she "sees through" these workings. She observes/controls the affairs of men through the charms we cast upon one another. The salamander in alchemy is the higher self that eats and lives within fire and yet unscathed and unconsumed by it but to unite with it, we must conquer the flames. Then we will master life and death and see with the second sight. Drake is a male duck--a water fowl--and water symbology is dominant in this open song of the song--fish, moon, salamander (lives in water), drake and Undine. Also later when the singer claims to be a sailor on the raging depths. But the drake is also a dragon and the dragon and the salamander are of a type. The Undine is a water nymph who is first mentioned in the writings of alchemist Paracelsus. Paracelsus was also an astrologer, a hermeticist and--surprise--a doctor. Is Paracelsus the doctor mentioned in the song? Not likely since, as far as I know, he never married although his "wife" could be a metaphoric or symbolic usage. Undine could be thought of as a mermaid--the Silverfish Imperatrix. She could take full human form but lacked a soul and so had to marry in order to become immortal. If the husband was unfaithful to her, he would die. The power that was Undine involves enchanting others. Maybe the raging depths is a demonstration of this power. Once ensouled and betrothed, she rises to claim Saturn ring and sky. Saturn in alchemy was death and putrefaction. His metal is lead. He is Azrael, the angel of death, and also Father Time. To claim him ring and sky means the total conquering of death and aging. That is, they have gained immortality. By those who see with their eyes closed, i.e. those with the second sight, those with the power who see without needing eyes, you'll know me by my black telescope. The black telescope is this inner sight that allows one to see great distances as if they were close. Nothing can be hidden from with this power. One sees even beyond death, beyond the universe, It is black in that it is hidden and perhaps a bit sinister as well. But those with this sight automatically recognize one another--by those who see with their eyes closed, you'll know me by my black telescope. Those not of this very exclusive club see and know nothing. Later, the song states, "When my vision was oh, so cloudy And I saw things through two eyes" again refers to the second sight, the sight beyond normal seeing through two eyes. "I am a sailor on the raging depths And I know a thing or two Back to the corner mates and over the side." The raging depths is the power of Undine and he first sought to escape her clutches but then, knowing a thing or two, he realizes he must join her and so "back to the corner, mates, and over the side." Now the magical eye is open. Same with the line, "Before my great conversion when the ridge was closed Before my visit to the workshop of telescopes" refers to the gaining of the second sight or the attaining of the Philosopher's Stone, if you will. The ridge is a sensory nerve path in the brain that needs to be unblocked if one is to truly see and this conversion was accomplished by a visit to the workshop of telescopes, i.e. the place where second sight in given. In this case, the witch's laboratory or den or coven. The feminine symbology is undeniable--the Queen Moon, the salamander (seen as feminine), the fish, the silver, Undine. He marries to this feminine power to ensoul and is now forever hers. In return, she gives him second sight and immortality. |
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