Otm, I have to disagree with you. This song is not that obviously about Alchemy and an Alchemist's perspective on life.
"Wash away the blackness with the silver rain" represents the forging of the Philosopher's Stone, many Alchemists believed it was made from lead using quicksilver. "Don't turn away" stands for the tension of the moment, it could reveal a hit but it always failed.
"Sulphurous and burning, spitting out the sun,
The beginning of Creation, of the Golden One."
The sun in Alchemy stands for gold, because Alchemists were heretics they had to stay underground and keep everything as secret as possible. This bit tells the beginning of forging the Philosopher's Stone, a stone that can give eternal life, or can project anything into gold.
"A window to the west, a blazing star above,
In Taurus we begin it, and the ladder has begun."
The west stands for death and once again the sun is mentioned, it's a bit of cryptic information about the stone. Taurus is a Alchemical process that could be used as a way to try and make the stone.
The Chorus is now pretty clear. The Alchemist didn't care about the Catholic way of Christianity and wants to be left alone, not prosecuted for trying to do the right thing.
"Four-headed dragon for the four degrees of fire
Purify the insane, bring the solution ever higher "
I don't know what this exactly means, it is probably about the religious side of Alchemy. In Alchemy, the four is a holy number I guess.
"Bring me all the elements, spread them round my head
Bring me mad men's bodies, I will break them all like bread "
Here he talks about the "four" western elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind. I guess this symbolises the insanity that comes forth from giving your life for something but never really getting anything out of it.
"Don't try and blame me for your games
Your games are death
My world is light - the angels fill my eyes
With every breath..."
The last chorus to me is the climax of the song. It clearly accuses the Catholic Church for keeping everything in it's grip and puts the well-meaning individual above everything.
I can't really explain the last part of the song, anyone has fitting suggestions?
Otm, I have to disagree with you. This song is not that obviously about Alchemy and an Alchemist's perspective on life.
"Wash away the blackness with the silver rain" represents the forging of the Philosopher's Stone, many Alchemists believed it was made from lead using quicksilver. "Don't turn away" stands for the tension of the moment, it could reveal a hit but it always failed.
"Sulphurous and burning, spitting out the sun, The beginning of Creation, of the Golden One." The sun in Alchemy stands for gold, because Alchemists were heretics they had to stay underground and keep everything as secret as possible. This bit tells the beginning of forging the Philosopher's Stone, a stone that can give eternal life, or can project anything into gold.
"A window to the west, a blazing star above, In Taurus we begin it, and the ladder has begun." The west stands for death and once again the sun is mentioned, it's a bit of cryptic information about the stone. Taurus is a Alchemical process that could be used as a way to try and make the stone.
The Chorus is now pretty clear. The Alchemist didn't care about the Catholic way of Christianity and wants to be left alone, not prosecuted for trying to do the right thing.
"Four-headed dragon for the four degrees of fire Purify the insane, bring the solution ever higher " I don't know what this exactly means, it is probably about the religious side of Alchemy. In Alchemy, the four is a holy number I guess.
"Bring me all the elements, spread them round my head Bring me mad men's bodies, I will break them all like bread " Here he talks about the "four" western elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind. I guess this symbolises the insanity that comes forth from giving your life for something but never really getting anything out of it.
"Don't try and blame me for your games Your games are death My world is light - the angels fill my eyes With every breath..." The last chorus to me is the climax of the song. It clearly accuses the Catholic Church for keeping everything in it's grip and puts the well-meaning individual above everything.
I can't really explain the last part of the song, anyone has fitting suggestions?
@GiantBunkle in my mind the four headed dragon is a 4 way hit of blotter, the religon of lsd
@GiantBunkle in my mind the four headed dragon is a 4 way hit of blotter, the religon of lsd
bound it on as a bell on a shoe... ty for great inspirational interpetation!
bound it on as a bell on a shoe... ty for great inspirational interpetation!
@GiantBunkle The four headed dragon is the one that breathes the four degrees of fire. They are just alchemy terms
@GiantBunkle The four headed dragon is the one that breathes the four degrees of fire. They are just alchemy terms