“Solsbury Hill” is the debut solo single of
English musician Peter Gabriel.
He wrote the song about a spiritual experience
atop Little Solsbury Hill in Somerset, England. 1
When the human race learns to read
the language of symbolism,
a great veil will fall
from the eyes of men. 2
Climbing up on
Solsbury Hill
I could see the city light
Wind was blowing,
time stood still
Eagle flew out of the night
He was something to observe
Came in close,
I heard a voice
frame of reference (physics)
A set of axes which enable an observer to measure the position and motion of all bodies in some system relative to the reference frame. 3
And the sun went down
As I crossed the hill
And the town lit up
The world got still
Tom Petty
Learning to Fly
Standing, stretching
every nerve
I had to listen had no choice
I did not believe the information
frame of reference (philosophy)
A set of assumptions, ideas and standards that form a viewpoint from which philosophical, religious and other ideas may be evaluated. 4
Just had to
trust imagination
My heart going
boom, boom, boom
Son, he said,
grab your things
I’ve come to take you home
imagination
The ability to confront and deal with reality by using the creative power of the mind; resourcefulness. 5
To keep in silence I resigned
My friends would think I was a nut
I do think it a tragedy, however, that government school children are left in the dark about the existence of influential groups with complex social agendas aimed at their lives. 6
John Taylor Gatto
The Underground History of American Education
When illusion spin her net
I’m never where I want to be
And liberty she pirouette
When I think that I am free
Gabriel has said of the song’s meaning,
“It’s about being prepared to lose what you have
for what you might get …
It’s about letting go.” 7
All my instincts, they return
And the grand facade,
so soon will burn
Peter Gabriel
In Your Eyes
The word ‘occult’ comes from the Latin occultus, meaning ‘hidden’. In modern times the word is used for those sciences and arts involved with looking into the secret world which is supposed to lie behind the world of our familiar experience. 8
Fred Gettings
Secret Symbolism in Occult Art
All those signs,
I knew what they meant
Some things you can invent
Some get made,
and some get sent
Coldplay
Speed of Sound
Notes & References:
- Wikipedia contributors. (2023, April 16). Solsbury Hill (song). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:16, April 24, 2023, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Solsbury_Hill_(song)&oldid=1150178803
↩︎ - Melchizedek and the Mystery of Fire (PDF) – Manly P. Hall
https://archive.org/details/melchizedek-and-the-mystery-of-fire-manly-p-hall
↩︎ - frame of reference
(physics) A set of axes which enable an observer to measure the position and motion of all bodies in some system relative to the reference frame.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/frame_of_reference
↩︎ - frame of reference
A set of assumptions, ideas and standards that form a viewpoint from which philosophical, religious and other ideas may be evaluated.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/frame_of_reference
↩︎ - imagination
The ability to confront and deal with reality by using the creative power of the mind; resourcefulness.
https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=imagination
↩︎ - The Underground History of American Education
↩︎ - Without Frontiers: The Life & Music of Peter Gabriel By Daryl Easlea
↩︎ - Secret Symbolism in Occult Art
↩︎
Songs:
Tom Petty – Learning to Fly
Peter Gabriel – In Your Eyes
Coldplay – Speed of Sound
Lord Huron – Ends of the Earth
Peter Gabriel – Solsbury Hill
Manly Palmer Hall (18 March 1901 – 29 August 1990) was a Canadian author, lecturer, astrologer and mystic. Over his 70-year career he gave thousands of lectures and published over 150 volumes, of which the best known is The Secret Teachings of All Ages (1928). In 1934 he founded the Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles.
John Taylor Gatto (December 15, 1935 – October 25, 2018) was an American author and school teacher. After teaching for nearly 30 years he authored several books on modern education, criticizing its ideology, history, and consequences.
Oh, there’s a river that winds on forever
I’m gonna see where it leads
Lord Huron
Ends of the Earth