This song is my very favourite! I listen to it almost every day. And I've come up with an interpretation to almost evey verse, but after reading what you guy's have posted... well, you've given me food for thought (very good with the David idea, rexbasior !).
About his marriage, he married a year after, and only because his kids told him to. So he and Trudie took the vows 10 years after the started living together (aww... how sweet!) The album "Soul Cages" is, as Sting himself put it, and album about death, dedicated to his father passing away from cancer. But this soin doesn't seem to have much to do with death. Oh, well... like he said: we know "nothing 'bout him".
Anyway, he's my interpretation of the song (brace yorself!):
"A stones's throw from Jerusalem"-
Close to salvation, to redemption.
"I walked a lonely mile in the moonlight"-
He was alone in his desperation.
"And though a million stars were shining"-
Multiple things that were intereSting, that could have caught his eye, that could have distracted him.
"My heart was lost on a distant planet"-
He loved someone who was as far as "a distant planet".
"That whirls around the April moon"-
He met her in the month of April one night?
"Whirling in an arc of sadness"-
She was sad, or their tale is a sad one because they're separated.
.....
"Though all the kingdoms turn to sand"-
All of his achevements and sucesses are rendered useless at the end of the day
"And fall into the sea"-
I have a feeling that water, and the sea in particular, represents emotion to Sting ("Be still my beating heart" is a great testemony to that), so he let his feelings get in the way of his work, either that or his work and career pale in comparisson to Love.
........
"And from the dark secluded valleys"-
Again, the lonelyness he feels inside; or he's being tested by life, going through a hard time.
"I heard the ancient songs of sadness"-
Torment others had been through before him (I'm really not sure about this one, I have to think about it better)
"But every step I thoght of you
Every footstep only you..."-
Not even the promisse of a tragic ending can frighten him out of losing his love. He uses the memory of his lady to give him strenght and motivation to advance towards whatever terible faith.
"And every star a grain of sand"-
The sky becomes a mirroir to the universe, and the universe finds its reflection on Earth / All small things are important, and all big things are non important, and so on viceversa.
"The leavings of a dried up ocean"-
Either the ocean represents emotion, and all that's left when emotion is dead is a desert land, meaning Love is all, ant there's nothing more vital than that.
...........
"They say a city in the desert lies"-
The city is a soul which is empty, it "lies in the desert".
"The vanity of an ancient king"-
Now this is really making me think about David, but before I read that interpretation I used to think the king was refference to the keeper of the city, the owner of the soul - the person had brought it uppon himself.
"But the city lies in broken pieces"-
Broken heart?
"Where the wind howls and the vultures sing"-
The wind is emptiness, like the soul, like the heart. And vultures are scavengers, that feed of the dead. The city is dead, totally and utterly.
"These are the works of man"-
Human beings have done the murer of the soul, through their wickedness and spite (lame interpretation, I know; but bare with me).
"This is the sun of our ambition"-
It what he (Sting) intends to do; to kill... or commit suicide of the soul. Or it's all he evere expects to achive.
"With every prison blown to dust
My enemies walk free"-
He tries to cantain his "enemies", but fails, and feels surrounded by people who are against him.
....
"Although I claim dominations over all I see"-
He admits he's ambitioius...
"It means nothing to me"-
...but knows that nothing can compare to Love and being with that special someone (lame the sequel, on my part of course.)
..........
"And though you hold the keys to ruin
Of everything I see"-
He knows this Love can mean the end of him and his life and career and etc.etc.etc.
"I'm mad about you I'm mad about you"-
But he can't help being infatuated, he can't "still his beating heart".
Lol! That was long!
Anyways "words were hard to find". I don't expect it to be very precise. I mean, what does a 17 year old know about lyrichs interpretation, particulary Sting's (he's so philosofical and hard to crack).
I know this is an eight year old post, but the interpretation is really well thought out. I'd be curious to know if the (now) 25 year old original poster thinks of the song.
I know this is an eight year old post, but the interpretation is really well thought out. I'd be curious to know if the (now) 25 year old original poster thinks of the song.
This song is my very favourite! I listen to it almost every day. And I've come up with an interpretation to almost evey verse, but after reading what you guy's have posted... well, you've given me food for thought (very good with the David idea, rexbasior !). About his marriage, he married a year after, and only because his kids told him to. So he and Trudie took the vows 10 years after the started living together (aww... how sweet!) The album "Soul Cages" is, as Sting himself put it, and album about death, dedicated to his father passing away from cancer. But this soin doesn't seem to have much to do with death. Oh, well... like he said: we know "nothing 'bout him". Anyway, he's my interpretation of the song (brace yorself!):
"A stones's throw from Jerusalem"- Close to salvation, to redemption. "I walked a lonely mile in the moonlight"- He was alone in his desperation. "And though a million stars were shining"- Multiple things that were intereSting, that could have caught his eye, that could have distracted him.
"My heart was lost on a distant planet"- He loved someone who was as far as "a distant planet". "That whirls around the April moon"- He met her in the month of April one night? "Whirling in an arc of sadness"- She was sad, or their tale is a sad one because they're separated. .....
"Though all the kingdoms turn to sand"- All of his achevements and sucesses are rendered useless at the end of the day "And fall into the sea"- I have a feeling that water, and the sea in particular, represents emotion to Sting ("Be still my beating heart" is a great testemony to that), so he let his feelings get in the way of his work, either that or his work and career pale in comparisson to Love. ........
"And from the dark secluded valleys"- Again, the lonelyness he feels inside; or he's being tested by life, going through a hard time. "I heard the ancient songs of sadness"- Torment others had been through before him (I'm really not sure about this one, I have to think about it better) "But every step I thoght of you Every footstep only you..."- Not even the promisse of a tragic ending can frighten him out of losing his love. He uses the memory of his lady to give him strenght and motivation to advance towards whatever terible faith.
"And every star a grain of sand"- The sky becomes a mirroir to the universe, and the universe finds its reflection on Earth / All small things are important, and all big things are non important, and so on viceversa. "The leavings of a dried up ocean"- Either the ocean represents emotion, and all that's left when emotion is dead is a desert land, meaning Love is all, ant there's nothing more vital than that. ...........
"They say a city in the desert lies"- The city is a soul which is empty, it "lies in the desert". "The vanity of an ancient king"- Now this is really making me think about David, but before I read that interpretation I used to think the king was refference to the keeper of the city, the owner of the soul - the person had brought it uppon himself. "But the city lies in broken pieces"- Broken heart? "Where the wind howls and the vultures sing"- The wind is emptiness, like the soul, like the heart. And vultures are scavengers, that feed of the dead. The city is dead, totally and utterly. "These are the works of man"- Human beings have done the murer of the soul, through their wickedness and spite (lame interpretation, I know; but bare with me). "This is the sun of our ambition"- It what he (Sting) intends to do; to kill... or commit suicide of the soul. Or it's all he evere expects to achive.
"With every prison blown to dust My enemies walk free"- He tries to cantain his "enemies", but fails, and feels surrounded by people who are against him. ....
"Although I claim dominations over all I see"- He admits he's ambitioius... "It means nothing to me"- ...but knows that nothing can compare to Love and being with that special someone (lame the sequel, on my part of course.) ..........
"And though you hold the keys to ruin Of everything I see"- He knows this Love can mean the end of him and his life and career and etc.etc.etc.
"I'm mad about you I'm mad about you"- But he can't help being infatuated, he can't "still his beating heart".
Lol! That was long! Anyways "words were hard to find". I don't expect it to be very precise. I mean, what does a 17 year old know about lyrichs interpretation, particulary Sting's (he's so philosofical and hard to crack).
I know this is an eight year old post, but the interpretation is really well thought out. I'd be curious to know if the (now) 25 year old original poster thinks of the song.
I know this is an eight year old post, but the interpretation is really well thought out. I'd be curious to know if the (now) 25 year old original poster thinks of the song.
@AprilMoon1991 Reading it now as a 17 year old myself sure was an experience. I'm also joining to warpPhase's curiosity.
@AprilMoon1991 Reading it now as a 17 year old myself sure was an experience. I'm also joining to warpPhase's curiosity.