Astrology, The Zodiac and Country Music

The Zodiac And Country Music

Or Why Saturn is the unofficial patron planet of Country (Part Two)

From Part one

Country music as a genre is famous for its’ doleful tones and stony acceptance of life at the coal-face of “Reality”. Relying heavily on the heart-wrenching descent into melancholia, Country excels in its capacity to describe woe exactly as it is. 

A defining characteristic of the Country genre is its ability to confront pain, loss and loneliness in a matter-of-fact way, leaving little room for either sentiment or denial. From an astrological perspective, such sardonic acceptance is a characteristic of Saturn and its signs – Capricorn and Aquarius 

Read the full article here

The Sounds of Saturn

Whilst traditional country music stars certainly demonstrate a Saturnian pedigree we can also look at the charts of some of today’s biggest country influencers to see a similar theme.

Turn attention to more contemporary talents and the same story prevails. Taylor Swift – one of today’s most important musical talents – already has a swag of country tunes to her name. 

Swift was born with Capricorn rising and Saturn strong within her birth chart – making up part of a stellium on her Ascendant, all opposed to an emotional Cancer Moon. As an artists she juxtaposes the positive stance so characteristic of those born with the Sun in Sagittarius against the no nonsense realism that allows her to describe the harsh facts of life

Swift strikes a chord with millions of fans, who appear to love her simplicity and capacity to tell it like it is. The familiar frankness of Saturn reveals itself in her lyrics as much as in her music. The way Swift engages with her audience by appealing to contemporary freedoms and traditional values sets her apart. 

In a 2012 interview for Rolling Stone magazine, Swift detailed some of her personal fears which also happen to epitomize her Capricorn Ascendant.

 

I have a lot of anxieties that end in me being put into a police car… I am so, like, rules, and not getting into accidents.. I’m always terrified that, like, something’s going to happen,” she says, “and I’m not going to be able to do this anymore and it’s gonna all end in one day.” – Rolling Stone 2012

 

It is especially common for those born with Capricorn rising to feel that life is somehow malefic with limitation. Always aware of the potential for bad things to manifest, Saturn’s penchant for retribution is clearly felt in those born under this Ascendant.

 

lucinda williams hypothetical birth chart

Hypothetical chart birth time unknown

Aquarius, Saturn and Country Music

 

Perhaps even more interesting from an investigative point of view are the Saturnian machinations of double-Aquarian country royalty Lucinda Williams. In case the point is unfamiliar, Saturn also rules the sign of Aquarius and can be equally prominent in those born under this sign.

Unlike the other artists mentioned, there is no accurate data available to ascertain William’s birth time. Therefore, it is impossible to tell how strongly Saturn features in her birth chart. Yet she was born with the Sun and probably Moon conjunct Saturn in Aquarius (traditionally ruled by Saturn), which means she may well be the most Saturnine of all. 

All one needs is to spend some time listening to her back catalogue to get a sense of how Saturn and its limits truly feel. Williams is famous for tough yet tender lyrics that delve into the darker side of life. She is a renegade and outsider. Like many true Saturnians, her fame has been earned slowly, coming after years spent in the professional wilderness. 

Williams is well known for songs that deal with death and depression. In a 2013 interview with The Telegraph, Williams defended her position against critics who accuse her of being morbid and negative. 

“It’s not dark,…….. It just tells a story. OK, maybe it’s a little dark. Is there a problem with that? Why are people so afraid?”

Williams is no stranger to the more depressive influences that Saturn is known to be associated with. Speaking frankly about suicide, Williams said –

 

“I’ve suffered from horrible sadness, melancholia, as a lot of us do, but I can’t imagine going to that place. My dad used to describe it as like a deep dark well, and we’re all standing around the edge, and some of us fall in… I think what informs my songwriting is my empathy with that. Maybe that’s what bothers people. It scares them to go to the edge of the well and look in. But it’s what they like also. And wouldn’t you rather feel the pain than not feel anything?”

 

From an astrological perspective, it is worth noting that Saturn sits between the Sun and Moon (the exact degrees depending on her time of birth), and may make an exact conjunction to her Sun/Moon midpoint. For the astrophiles out there, this gives Williams a Saturnian pedigree

Considering the exquisite realism that Williams brings to her music, it is not unreasonable to suspect that her actual time of birth would bring these three influences into close connection somehow. 

An astrologer with a propensity to hypothesise might suggest that Williams could have been born just after sunrise, with the Sun and Moon obscured in the 12th house of her chart with Saturn smack bang on their midpoint. Considering her talent for lyrics which explore loss, addiction and suicide, it’s an entirely valid hypothesis that may well be worth further research.

What we do know from all of this is that Saturn’s raw yet honest influence is perfectly expressed within the heart-wrenching hallows of Country music. 

With harsh realism eased by melancholic chords, Country music evokes many of Saturn’s traditional themes. And as this brief survey shows, Saturn looms large in the birth charts of those who are famous for their ability to “tell it like it is”. 

The last word on Twang must go to Williams – a case study in Saturnian steeliness. Famous for working slowly, Williams achieved little recognition until almost the age of 40. 

Her 2003 album World Without Tears is a matter-of-fact meditation on pain and misery. As Williams so eloquently asks – 

“If we lived in a world without tears, how would misery know which back door to walk through? How would trouble know which mind to live inside of? How would sorrow find a home?”

Sober reflections indeed on a world that is without doubt at times terribly dark.

Chart Data 

Dolly Parton (f), 19 Jan. 1946 at 20:25 , Sevierville, TN (US)

Taylor Swift (f), 13 Dec. 1989 at 8:36 , Wyomissing, PA (US)

Lucinda Williams (f), 26 Jan. 1963 at 8:00am (hypothetical), Lake Charles, LA (US)

Sources

Taylor Swift in Wonderland, Brain Hyatt, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2012

Interview Lucinda Williams – The Telegraph, 25 May 2013, interviewer Jane Shilling .Retrieved Nov 2014 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/10074160/Lucinda-Williams-interview-Ive-earned-the-right-to-say-what-I-like.html

The Major Astrology Influences For You in 2023

The Major Astrology Influences For You in 2023

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Here we look more closely at Saturn’s influence and what Pluto in Aquarius might mean, plus a personal focus on your Saturn cycle based on your Rising Sign

Your major astrology influences for 2023

Your major astrology influences for 2023

A New Jupiter Cycle Kicks Off – One of the bigger generational patterns to shift gear in 2023 is the journey of Jupiter through Aries and then Taurus. Because Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac, when Jupiter transits here (once every 12 years) we can think of it as the step up to the next level in an evolving cycle.

damian rocks astrologerDamian Rocks

I’m a professional astrologer, coach, and Ayurvedic consultant, originally from Australia but now travelling the world. At Stars Like You, the focus is on happiness. We publish great astrology articles, as well as well-researched pieces on nutrition, wellness and Ayurveda drawn from years of clinical experience.
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