This song, like a lot of the 2nd half of this album (e.g., I Never Though I'd Live To Be A Million, Watching and Waiting), is sung from the perspective of a planet/the Earth as it travels through the cosmos.
"Turning, spinning, catherine-wheeling" (rotating, as planets do)
"Speeding through a charcoal sky." (planets move through space at an insane speed)
"Carrying your heavy load" (carrying humanity/life - described more in I Never Thought I'd Live to be a Million)
It might have a double meaning, similar to "Life's a Long Song" by Jethro Tull, or perhaps sung from humanity/life's collective perspective, but the main thing the song is describing is IMO a planet hurtling through space for all time.
This song, like a lot of the 2nd half of this album (e.g., I Never Though I'd Live To Be A Million, Watching and Waiting), is sung from the perspective of a planet/the Earth as it travels through the cosmos.
"Turning, spinning, catherine-wheeling" (rotating, as planets do) "Speeding through a charcoal sky." (planets move through space at an insane speed) "Carrying your heavy load" (carrying humanity/life - described more in I Never Thought I'd Live to be a Million)
It might have a double meaning, similar to "Life's a Long Song" by Jethro Tull, or perhaps sung from humanity/life's collective perspective, but the main thing the song is describing is IMO a planet hurtling through space for all time.