Tarot in Music

[Bluemanticore]

What songs from professional music can you name that have a tarot theme to them? Please give the name of the song, the singer(s), and what it has to do with tarot. If you can provide lyrics too, that would be great. Thanks.

BlueManticore

[OakDragon]

Well, this is the only one I know of. (And since I'm posting here, it must be a Rush song! LOL). The song was inspired by the infamous events in the US. on 9/11.

"Peaceable Kingdom"

lyrics by Neil Peart (Rush)


A wave toward the clearing the sky

All this time we're talking and sharing our rational view
A billion other voices are spreading other news
All this time we're living and trying to understand
Why a billion other choices are making their demands

Talk of a peaceable kingdom
Talk of a time without fear
The ones we wish would listen
Are never going to hear

Justice against the hanged man
Knight of Wands against the hour
Swords against the kingdom
Time against the tower

All this time we're shuffling and laying out all our cards
While a billion other dealers are slipping past our guards
All this time we're hoping and praying we all might learn
While a billion other teachers are teaching them how to burn

Dream of a peaceable kingdom
Dream of a time without war
The ones we wish would hear us
Have heard it all before

A wave toward the clearing sky
A wave toward the clearing sky

The hermit against the lovers
Or the devil against the fool
Swords against the kingdom
The wheel against the rules

All this time we're burning like bonfires in the dark
A billion other blazes are shooting off their sparks
Every spark a drifting ember of desire
To fall upon the earth and spark another fire

A homeward angel on the fly
A wave toward the clearing sky

[ambermoon]

Music of the Tarot by David Gordon and Steve Gordon.
Released: 1993
Genre: New Age/Instrumental
Tracks and Titles:
1. Major Arcana-The Fool's Journey, 1st Movement-The Fool thru the Lovers
2. Major Arcana-The Fool's Journey, 2nd Movement-The Chariot Thru Art
3. Major Arcana-The Fool's Journey, 3nd Movement-The Devil Thru The Universe
4. Minor Arcana-The Magickal Elements, 1st movement-Wands
5. Minor Arcana-The Magickal Elements, 1st movement-Cups
6. Minor Arcana-The Magickal Elements, 1st movement-Swords
7. Minor Arcana-The Magickal Elements, 1st movement-Disks

ambermoon

[Bluemanticore]

Thanks you two. Anyone else got some to add? I find it hard to believe more musicians would not take advantage of the terrific theme of tarot to base beautiful songs on.

[Ulfdis]

This is kind of an old thread but:

"Shape of My Heart" by Sting (it's on Ten Summoner's Tales and the soundtrack to The Professional)

"I know that the spades are the sword of a soldier
I know that the clubs are weapons of war
I know that diamonds mean money for this art
But that's not the shape of my heart

"He deals the cards as a meditation
(somethingblahblah) the sacred geometry of Chance..."

It's a wonderful song, very soft and rhythmic. It would make lovely background music for readings.

[wildginger]

I believe Mike Bat(t) wrote and produced The Tarot Suite . I was given a copy by a harpist on a train about 17 years ago so not sure about it's availablity but it is interesting

[The Dreamer]

Red Hot Chili Peppers - "I Could Die For You" (from the album By The Way)

Something inside the cards
I know is right
Don't want to live
Somebody else's life
This is what I want to be
And this is what I give to you
Because I get it free
She smiles while I do my time

I could die for you
Oh this life I choose

I'm here to be your only go-between
To tell you of the sights
These eyes have seen
What I really want to do is
Turn it into motion
Beauty that I can't abuse
You know that I'd use my senses to
You can see that
It's only everywhere
I'd take it all and then
I'd find a way to share

Come along and go
Along with me
Wander with me yo
It's all for free

I could die for you
Whatchu wanna do
Oh this life I choose

Come again and tell me
Where you want to go
What it means for me
To be with you alone
Close the door and
No one has to know
How we are

Come along and go
Along with me
Wander with me yo
It's all for free

I could die for you
Whatchu want to do
Oh this life I choose


Sting - "Shape Of My Heart" (as mentioned before, from Ten Summoner's Tales. Here are the full lyrics.)

He deals the cards as a meditation
And those he plays never suspect
He doesn't play for the money he wins
He don't play for respect

He deals the cards to find the answer
The sacred geometry of chance
The hidden law of a probable outcome
The numbers lead a dance

I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier
I know that the clubs are weapons of war
I know that diamonds mean money for this art
But that's not the shape of my heart

He may play the jack of diamonds
He may lay the queen of spades
He may conceal a king in his hand
While the memory of it fades

And if I told you that I loved you
You'd maybe think there's something wrong
I'm not a man of too many faces
The mask I wear is one

Well, those who speak know nothin'
And find out to their cost
Like those who curse their luck in too many places
And those who fear are lost

[tarotbear]

singing: "The decks are alive with the Sound of Tarot!"

The Sound of Tarot - musical tarot cards by Brook Windland.
"Twenty-two unique pieces of music evolved to portray each card of the Major Arcana."
~ play the tracks randomly to have a unique musical tarot reading reveal itself to you! ~

GAG ME WITH A SPOON!

I almost won't admit I purchased this wizened piece of musical drivel. Created by a music therapist and including a description of the Majors, this CD is blah! Some of these tracks are very short - less than a minute long, so anyone expecting a 2 or 3 minute interlude to see what the composer thought of their favorite Major will be very disappointed. Other than the Chariot which gives you a sense of quick and deliberate movement ... don't bother. A wonder of marketing strategy- usually a regular on eBay - it is hardly a wonder of creative composition.

[tarotbear]

I just went to www.cdconnection.com and typed in 'Tarot' and got a listing for the Steve & Dave Gordon ablum, and 'Music of the Osha Zen tarot' and a bunch of other wierd stuff. Could not for a listing for 'the Tarot Suite.'

[f. silvestris]

One of the many Fall compilation albums is named 'Palace of Swords Reversed', presumably as a reference to the Crowley Princess: this relates to the 1980 song 'Putta Block' in which M.E.S. lists 'three swords': I can't work out the first, but two and three are 'a complete restructure of your pretentious life' and 'the only reason you know this is that it is well-documented'.