Post by jarvitronics on Aug 2, 2007 14:37:07 GMT -5
Maxwell's Silver Hammer starts off mentioning science, test-tubes, etc.
The protagonist of the song is Maxwell Edison. Thomas Edison, as we all know, invented the incandescent light bulb. James Clerk Maxwell was the physicist who showed that electricity, magnetism, and light were all the same. Thus the name Maxwell Edison, in a song that mentions science, is highly symbolic of light and electricity.
The metal silver is the absolute best natural conductor of electricity. Lightning frequently causes a brilliant silver-colored flash. If we think of Thor's Hammer we reinforce the concept of lightning, and by extension, thunder. In the New Testament, James and John are called the "Sons of Thunder." In the Beat Generation we have a parallel in James-Paul and John as modern-day BEAt aposTLES.
Maxwell Edison majors in medicine. This light-bringer has the cure for the sickness of dead thought. A silver hammer hitting you in the head is enlightenment, which literally renders you dead to old ways of thinking. Awakened like a bolt out of the blue. Zapped right between the eyes like Captain Marvel.
Maxwell shows up early for his date with Joan, and rather than going out to the show as originally planned, they engage in some serious confab, for Joan has that enlightenment come down upon her head, bang! bang!, and now she is dead to her old mindset.
What appears to be a maccabre tune on the surface is revealed not only to be a song about light, but more specifically about the One who brings that light. (A classic Crowleyesque/occult tactic of veiling beauty behind the profane.)
The establishment is of course opposed to this enlightenment, and so in the song M.E. is brought to trial. However, the judge becomes enlightened too, and our silver-tongued hero is free to keep on keeping on.
Food for new thought.
-j
The protagonist of the song is Maxwell Edison. Thomas Edison, as we all know, invented the incandescent light bulb. James Clerk Maxwell was the physicist who showed that electricity, magnetism, and light were all the same. Thus the name Maxwell Edison, in a song that mentions science, is highly symbolic of light and electricity.
The metal silver is the absolute best natural conductor of electricity. Lightning frequently causes a brilliant silver-colored flash. If we think of Thor's Hammer we reinforce the concept of lightning, and by extension, thunder. In the New Testament, James and John are called the "Sons of Thunder." In the Beat Generation we have a parallel in James-Paul and John as modern-day BEAt aposTLES.
Maxwell Edison majors in medicine. This light-bringer has the cure for the sickness of dead thought. A silver hammer hitting you in the head is enlightenment, which literally renders you dead to old ways of thinking. Awakened like a bolt out of the blue. Zapped right between the eyes like Captain Marvel.
Maxwell shows up early for his date with Joan, and rather than going out to the show as originally planned, they engage in some serious confab, for Joan has that enlightenment come down upon her head, bang! bang!, and now she is dead to her old mindset.
What appears to be a maccabre tune on the surface is revealed not only to be a song about light, but more specifically about the One who brings that light. (A classic Crowleyesque/occult tactic of veiling beauty behind the profane.)
The establishment is of course opposed to this enlightenment, and so in the song M.E. is brought to trial. However, the judge becomes enlightened too, and our silver-tongued hero is free to keep on keeping on.
Food for new thought.
-j
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