"Age Of Aquarius", "Blue Moon", & Two Other R&B, Or Hip Hop Songs That Mention The Sun Or The Moon

Edited by Azizi Powell

In honor of the August 21, 2017 eclipse of the sun, this pancocojams post provides excerpts from an astronomical article and an astrological article about that eclipse.

This post also showcases four YouTube examples pf African American R&B, or Hip Hop songs that mention the word "sun" or "moon". The lyrics for these songs are also included in this post.

None of these songs are actually about the sun or the moon astronomical bodies. However, this post provides opportunities for those who know these songs to enjoy them again, and opportunities to introduce these songs to those who don't know them.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all of the featured singers for their musical legacies. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUGUST 21, 2017 ECLIPSE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_August_21,_2017
"On Monday, August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible within a band across the entire contiguous United States, passing from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast. In other countries it will only be visible as a partial eclipse.[1][2]

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon's apparent diameter is larger than the sun's, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometers wide.

The last time a total solar eclipse was visible across the entire contiguous United States was during the June 8, 1918, eclipse, and not since the February 1979 eclipse has a total eclipse been visible from anywhere in the mainland United States.[3] The path of totality will touch 14 states, although a partial eclipse will be visible in all fifty states."...
-snip-
Here's an excerpt from one of many astrological articles about the possible meanings of this solar eclipse:
From https://www.buzzfeed.com/terripous/heres-what-astrologers-have-to-say-about-the-eclipse?utm_term=.ltaNXOOEe#.hbaN4DDlO Here's What Three Astrologers Think The Eclipse Means For Horoscopes
�When there are eclipses in Leo, astrologers historically have linked them to the coming of a ruler or the downfall of one.�

Posted on August 19, 2017, at 9:16 a.m., by Terri Pous
..."First things first: Eclipses, particularly this eclipse, mean something different for everyone, depending on your chart. Astrologer Susan Miller writes that anyone whose birthday falls within five days of the eclipse (or whose birthday is Feb. 21) should guard their health, and should know that the year that follows that particular birthday will be a critical one for them. Leos may also feel solar eclipses strongly, because the sun is their ruler.

In general, solar eclipses have a lot of symbolism when it comes to light. The sun provides all of the light for our planet, astrologer Chani Nicholas told BuzzFeed, and it�s a force of life. When the sun�s light gets obscured, things get a little temperamental down here on Earth. Light�s absence is associated with death, destruction, and an overturning of power.

Astrologer Wade Caves told BuzzFeed he sees a lot of connections between this eclipse and health. �Eclipses tend to mark endings, and the closing down of things,� he said. �The sun has implications of health and vitality in people who lead and take charge. When moon eclipses the sun, it�s almost like the source of health, vitality, lumination, and truth are momentarily taken away from us.�

And what about this eclipse? Even though it�s no longer thought to be bad luck to be in the direct path of the eclipse like it was in the ancient days, Nicholas said, �it�s still a shadow falling on the US. It feels very symbolically resonant somehow.

Not only that, but Nicholas says a theme for this eclipse is breakthroughs � which, as she reminded me, often come after breakdowns. Some people might have important personal breakthroughs in how they express themselves and feel in the world. Or we might see important breakthroughs for the country as a whole.

�For America, this is a time to deal with our national self-image,� Nicholas said. �We�re coming to grips with how we see ourselves.�

Remember for a moment that countries have birth charts too, and the last time the path of totality was limited to the US was in 1776. In that year, we had war, sure, but we also overthrew a king and established lasting independence.

�Eclipses reveal shadows,� Nicolas said, �but they also create a feeling of breaking through to something, especially for certain people.�...

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These videos are presented in chronological order with the video with the oldest publishing date given first.

Example #1: Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine



fnordius, Published on Jul 22, 2007

Bill Withers in 1971, playing "Ain't No Sunshine"
-snip-
LYRICS: AIN'T NO SUNSHINE
(words & music by Bill Withers)

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
It's not warm when she's away
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long
Anytime she goes away

Wonder this time where she's gone
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime she goes away

And I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know
Hey, I oughtta leave young thing alone
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Only darkness every day
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away


Lyrics from https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/billwithers/aintnosunshine.html
-snip-
Italics added for the first time that the word "sunshine" is found in this song.

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Example #2: The 5th Dimension Age of Aquarius 1969



ViniBassMan, Published on Mar 21, 2009
-snip-
LYRICS: AGE OF AQUARIUS
[James Rado & Gerome Ragni (lyrics), and Galt MacDermot (music)]

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius
The Age of Aquarius
Aquarius! Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the minds true liberation

Aquarius, Aquarius

When the moon is in the seventh house
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius, Aquarius, Aquarius
Aquarius, Aquarius

Let the sun shine, Let the sun shine in, The sun shine
in
Let the sun shine, Let the sun shine in, The sun shine
in
Let the sun shine, Let the sun shine in, The sun shine
in
Let the sun shine, Let the sun shine in, The sun shine
in
Let the sun shine, Let the sun shine in, The sun shine
in
Let the sun shine, Let the sun shine in, The sun shine
in
Let the sun shine, Let the sun shine in, The sun shine
in
Let the sun shine, Let the sun shine in, The sun shine
in
Let the sun shine, Let the sun shine in, The sun shine
in
Let the sun shine, Let the sun shine in, The sun shine
in
Let the sun shine, Let the sun shine in, The sun shine
in


Lyrics from eLyrics.net
-snip-
*Italics were added to highlight these lyrics that mention "moon" and "sun" for the first time in this song.

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Example #3: Mos Def -1998 -Mos Def & Talib Kweli - Astronomy (8th Light)



Ubatubos GTR, Published on Dec 2, 2010

Mos Def -1998 -Mos Def & Talib Kweli - Astronomy (8th Light)
-snip-
LYRICS: ASTRONOMY (8TH LIGHT)
(Mos Def & Talib Kweli)

Against the canvas of the night
Appears a curious celestial phenomena
Called Black Star, but what is it?

Black people unite and let's all get down
We got to have what? We got to have that love

What is the Black Star?
Is it the cat with the black shades, the black car?
Is it shining from very far, to where you are?
It is commonplace and different
Intimate and distant
Fresher than an infant

Black, my family thick, like they're striped molasses
Star, on the rise, in the eyes of the masses
Black is the color of my true love's hair
Star's are bright, shining, hot balls of air

Black like my baby girl's stare
Black like the veil that the muslimina wear
Black like the planet that they fear, why they scared?
Black like the slave ship that later brought us here
Black like the cheeks that are roadways for tears
That leave black faces well traveled with years
Black like assassin cross hairs
Blacker than my granddaddy armchair
He never really got no time to chill there
Cause this life is warfare, warfare

Deep on the front lines, and blacks is all there
Black like the perception of who, on welfare
Black like faces at the bottom of the well
I've been there before
To bring the light and heat it up like "la cocina"
Make without imagine happen but maybe I'm just a dreamer
I love rockin tracks like John Coltrane love Naema

Like the student love the teacher
Like the prophet love Khadeja
Like I love my baby features
Like the creator love all creatures

Who acknowledge truth and peace seekers
We on point like heat seekers
Targeting the black marketing strategists
Run up on em with the heaters
Everybody following with no leaders
Feeling like we killing ourselves
Because I know they can't defeat us
It don't stop til we complete this, keep this fly
There's so much to life when you just stay Black and God

Blacker than the nighttime sky of Bed-Stuy in July
Blacker than the seed in the blackberry pie
Blacker than the middle of my eye
Black like feh-lah man cry
Some man wan ask "Who am I?"
I simply reply, "The U.N.I., V.E.R.S.A.L. Magnetic"
Work to respect the angelic, climb the mountaintop
And tell it til the valley's enveloped
You're full of big chat but you nah know me
I'm dark like the side of the moon you don't see
When the moon shine newly

You know who else is a Black Star? (Who?) Me
You know who else is a Black Star? (Who?) Me
You know who else is a Black Star, who we? (And we)
Be shining and shining, when we rhyming and rhyming
We be shining and shining, when we rhyming and rhyming

Now everybody hop on the one, the sounds of the two
It's the third eye vision, five side dimension
The 8th Light, is gonna shine bright tonight
It's the third eye vision, five side dimension

You know the light
Go from the dark
The other way is ass-backwards
It's absurd
Make you want to crow like a blackbird
That's right
You living from your first day to your last night
Sometimes you show your ass like
Lint on your clothes
When you froze in
The black light
Dead that
Before you get your head wrapped
Like Badu
We see through your voodoo
Just like Eve's Bayou, you dealing with that black magic
Try to civilize you
Not walk on by you
Like civil-(lies do get you black listed) it'll
Be unlucky for you like a black cat
A panther
Revolution is the answer
That's what we need
Greed plague my people like the cancer
True indeed

Now black people unite, and let's all get down
Now everybody hop on the one, the sounds of the two
It's the third eye vision, five side dimension
The 8th Light, is gonna shine bright tonight
Everybody hop on the one, the sounds of the two
It's the third eye vision, five side dimension
The 8th Light, is gonna shine bright tonight
It's the third eye vision, five side dimension
Equaling up to eight, light shine bright

Written by D Dewgarde, Dante Smith, E Dewgarde, Talib Kweli


Lyrics from https://play.google.com/music/preview/Tbfq6lkhubskdigvg633p2xiu7i?lyrics=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=lyrics&pcampaignid=kp-lyrics&u=0#
-snip-
*Italics were added to highlight these lyrics that mention "moon".

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Example #4: The Marcels - Blue Moon



John1948NineA, Published on Apr 25, 2011

The Marcels was one of several doo-wop-influenced American vocal groups to achieve success in the early 60s, despite the passing of the genre's golden age. Cornelius 'Nini' Harp (lead singer), Ronald 'Bingo' Mundy (tenor), Fred Johnson (bass), Gene Bricker (tenor) and Richard Knauss (baritone), all native to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, USA, achieved fame for their distinctive version of Richard Rodgers / Lorenz Hart's classic 'Blue Moon', previously a UK Top 10 hit for Elvis Presley in 1956, which topped both the US and UK charts in 1961. Johnson's distinctive bass introduction to the song has remained one of the most enduring vocal phrases of the time. The quartet scored a further US Top 10 hit that year with 'Heartaches', but its personnel was unstable, with Allen Johnson (d. 28 September 1995) replacing Knauss, and Walt Maddox replacing Bricker. Mundy walked out on the group during this same period, which did little to prepare them for the ever-changing trends prevalent during the early 60s, and eventually undermined the Marcels' long-term aspirations.

Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.

"Blue Moon" is a classic popular song. It was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart in 1934, and has become a standard ballad.

The lyrics presumably refer to an English idiomatic expression: "once in a blue moon" means very rarely. The narrator of the song is relating a stroke of luck so unlikely that it must have taken place under a blue moon. The title relies on a play on words, since Blue is also the color of melancholy, and indeed the narrator is sad and lonely until he or she finds love."...
-snip-
LYRICS: BLUE MOON
(words by Lorenz Hart, music by Richard Rodgers)

Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own
Blue Moon, you knew just what I was there for
You heard me saying a prayer for
Someone I really could care for
And then there suddenly appeared before me
The only one my arms will ever hold
I heard somebody whisper, 'Please adore me'
And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold
Blue Moon, now I'm no longer alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own


Lyrics from http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_marcels/blue_moon.html
-snip-
*Italics were added to highlight these lyrics that mention "moon" for the first time in this song.

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