Dark Star Lyrics

Lyric discussion by gumcounter 

Cover art for Dark Star lyrics by Grateful Dead

As is the case with many concepts we don't understand, it's all too easy just to dismiss this song as drug-induced and therefore nonsensical. I actually did a school project, so I researched this song in a lot of depth. (http://arts.ucsc.edu/Gdead/AGDL/darkstar.html) This song is really more about the patterns of our lives; how most of the time we go about our business doing nothing much in particular, but then there are rare moments of bliss or happiness that make life worth living.

A "dark star" is actually a star at the end of its life. It is an oxymoron: the brightest of objects, seen as the absence of brightness. This can represent out dull, "brightless" lives that are illuminated by the crashing of a dark star; again, one of those rare moments that makes life more livable.

[feeling rather unmotivated now... to be continued if anyone actually wants to hear it]

It's about the end of the world, or next extinction. Dark Star is the black sun as reverenced by ancient Babylon. Probing light is supposedly knowing this end therefore disproving God and all traditional religion. Lady in velvet is queen semeramis also of Babylon also referenced as statue of liberty in US Blues and revelations 17. Nightfall of diamonds are asteroids to hit earth. The end. Psychedelics+ the occult=psychic, the inverse of Spirit+faith=prophetic; nonetheless revelatory. The occultic meaning of the statue of libertines is amoral or lawless as Alistair Crowley's motto: "do what thou wilt". Y'all know their original name...

@gumcounter I'd love to hear more of the story!