The Flesh Failures / Let The Sun Shine In

I'll break it down verse by verse - keep in mind some of these verses have several meanings.

The first refers to people looking at each other desperately for answers that are not coming from the government. We stand proudly together in this horrible situation (the reference to winter is a reference to death usually in Shakespeare).

The reference to wearing smells from laboratories is very obscure but I suspect is a consumerist reference specifically referring to forms of colognes or other chemicals we use that would give us that smell of things constructed in laboratories - basically we are all trapped in the consumerist American culture built on things that are artificial like the chemicals we douse ourselves in every day.

Facing a dying nation of moving paper fantasy listening for the new told lies refers to the lies the government told the American people refers to the thousands sent to die to Vietnam and the lies the government told the American people about them that were told through a paper based bureaucracy.

With supreme visions of lonely tunes I can only hazard a guess refers to the godliness of man that is often alluded to in Hair and Hamlet, but while we are listening to the government's lies we look for the truth that is found in the beauty of man and in art and song - but the truth is each of us is lonely on this Earth and like Hamlet, we are alone in action and eternally seeking the truth.

The rest is easier:

The second verse refers to the beauty of man and the unknown equation that is life - Hamlet says "conscience doth make cowards of us all" (in reference to our inability to take our own lives rather than exist with the pain life brings). Instead of saying though why don't we kill ourselves, this poses people as being gods capable of greatness. I fashion my future on films in space refers not to "Film" like in a camera but is a more cosmic reference to the thin that creates our reality - this is a much more hippieish belief that we have control over our reality.

Silence tells me everything is a duel reference. It is a reference to learning the truth of the universe in death (this is echoed by the shakespearean reference to "the rest is silence" which refers to death). It is also probably (but not for certain) a reference to the truth learned in the silence that is found in meditation where one experiences the true self - this is a belief that is found in Eastern philosophies and is substantiated by the evidence of other similar philosophies sprinkled through the play (the Hare Krishna song, references to astral projection, etc.).

The reference with Claud making references to Romeo & Juliet & Hamlet ties him to the meaning of those plays more but more embraces the finality of his death as he embraces what he was in life but also that his stint on this world has ended.

The verse about singing our space songs on a spider web sitar is a reference to how all of the play prior has been a natural part of the cosmic existence as is Claud's death.

The reference to Timothy Leary doesn't fit quite as well but I submit that it has to do with whether Claud's use of drugs in life (and probably referring to his "trip" in the second half of the show) were real spiritual experiences that expanded his consciousness into the future, or were the hallucinations and drugs just that - I think it's saying that these drugs were positive and did let Claud expand his mind and spirit into the future.

The final bit is a plea based on the concept of Flower Children and also eastern philosophies where light equals truth and life (Love & Light is a frequent wish people who believe this wish each other). They say it 3 different ways reinforcing the importance of letting the truth into our lives, seeking it from the government, and a wish for peace in the world - that if we could all just let the sun shine into our lives, we would not fight, and we would not have to die like Claud did - so bring that message home with you.

I am so pleased to see these engaging and insightful interpretations of this song. I recently reunited myself with the Hair soundtrack and I am particularly focused on "The Flesh Failures" at the moment.

Re: the final verse...

"Singing our space songs on a spider web sitar Life is around you and in you Answer for Timothy Leary, dearie"

I suggest that the last line sets up "Let the sunshine in."

In other words: Answer for Timothy Leary: "Let the sunshine in."

As this number is the finale, this might be score writer Gerome Ragni's "answer" to Timothy Leary's idea that whether through LSD or other means, we have to escape the oppressive and illusory culture which blinds us to one another. So the author's response to Leary's question about how we go forward is to let the sunshine in, to expand our capacity to love and be loved, to experience the "sunshine" of love and peace and fulfilment. And this verse is in stark contrast to the oppression and falseness and deceit described in the earlier part of the song.

So, that's my humble crack at it. :)

In interpreting the Timothy Leary segment, we must first look at the first time he's mentioned, in Manchester, England: "Now that I've dropped out Why is life dreary dreary Answer my weary query Timothy Leary dearie"

So, grammatically, the songs answer for Timothy Leary. But, are they answering what he would answer, or, are they answering with something Leary doesn't know and therefore can't answer for himself? I would argue, based on the previous reference in "Manchester," paired with the content of "Easy To Be Hard," that the turn on/drop out message is superficial. You care about "issues," but you don't really care about the people right in front of you. It's not "enlightenment," it's self-indulgent. Life is around you and in you, always, whether or not you take drugs to "find" it. And you can never really "drop out" of it.

I think the transcription bots have really made a mess of this one in terms of meaning, at least the first section. The words go " We stop - look at one another short of breath" We don't starve-look at someone, what does that even mean? It's nonsense. And then at the end, we don't have "supreme visions of lonely tunes", that's not only nonsense, it's also silly and really robs the power from the lyric: "Facing a dying nation Of moving paper fantasy (we are) Listening for the new told lies With supreme visions of lonelitude."

LONELITUDE as in lonely solitude. Thus did Galt McDermot describe the America of the '60's and accidentally predict the America of the '20's as well. And then as now, the only way out is the action call for truth issued in "Let the Sunshine In".

It's good to inaugurate the comments about this song. I like it very much, and I can't believe nobody has posted anything about it. Well, I'd like to call everybody's attention to the bassline. Very interesting!

To me this is the best song of Hair. It is the climax of the entire soundtrack. After hearing it, it gives you a sort of afterglow. There is so much meaning to this song that it is impossible to type all of it in this space. But here are a few: Timothy Leary promoted LSD usage during that time period dealing with the whole "expand your mind" feeling. Moving paper fantasy and listening to new told lies is about the government lying about the situation in Vietnam in the news media. I fashion my futute in films in space is about being watched by satellities in space. If anyone knows about the meanings in the other lines please contribute to the comments. I'd love to hear what you have to say.

Guess its a precursor to Teen-Spirit with the reference to smelss from laboratories. Right?

This song is soo kick ass. I have listened to it so many times and it still floors me every time! All of the shakespeare refrences specifically to Romeo and Juliet, Romeo's dying speech. And "The Rest is Silence" is from Hamlet. The refrences to Hamlet can be found threaded through the entire show most blatently in "What a Piece of Work is Man". These refrences really help to deepen the questions possed by the show and hit the point home :-)

I adore this scene.

I understand the song really well, except the last part; Singing our space songs on a spider web sitar Life is around you and in you Answer for Timothy Leary, dearie

I think that "Singing our space songs on a spider web sitar" means like singing about the future, past or something along those lines.

And then "Life is are you and in you, Answer for Timothy Leary, dearie" refers to how Timothy, I guess, promoted LSD and living you life.

^^ by the way, I'm pretty sure I'm wrong, but whatever.

Brainwashed lab rats, but not so much that when the action comes, they don't question all they have been told. Deep inside they know they march to their deaths, but they use all they have been told clutching for that straw. Excellently done.