Monday, April 28, 2008

Does Fields of Gold = Mythology?

I am one of the few people in the world that is not a big music fan. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate it and understand that good music moves people emotionally and inspirationally. Anyone can just go to You Tube and look up "Benny Hill War Worlds" to see how everything changes with music (they show the scene of Tom Cruise's character running through the streets with the martian death ray killing people but impose the Benny Hill theme song over it - completely changes your reaction to the movie clip). The point is, I'm one that an iPod would be a waste of money. If I hear a song and like it, great. Normally I don't pay attention.

Despite this, I do like a few artists. Sting is one that I've always liked. I know he has a lot of allusions to literature in his works (being an English teacher/nerd I can appreciate that). I wonder if the following song is a mythological allusion as well:

"Fields Of Gold"
You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we walk in the fields of gold
So she took her love
For to gaze awhile
Upon the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down
Among the fields of gold
Will you stay with me, will you be my love
Among the fields of barley
We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we lie in the fields of gold
See the west wind move like a lover so
Upon the fields of barley
Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth
Among the fields of gold
I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We'll walk in the fields of gold
We'll walk in the fields of gold
Many years have passed since those summer days
Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down
Among the fields of gold
You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in the fields of gold
When we walked in the fields of gold
When we walked in the fields of gold
Think about what myth you think this is referring to and I'll post later on my thoughts. Feel free to leave a comment telling your ideas as I would love to hear them.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I would go with Demeter and Iasion in the thrice plowed field, you?

I suppose you might make a case for the more loving version of the rape of Persephone, since Helios actually saw it, though I don't think it fits quite as well.