My Interpretation of Pink Floyd’s Song, “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun”

Pink Floyd’s Ummagumma album.
Photo by Ian Burt / CC BY 2.0

 

I used to take the meaning of the title to be quite literal, as if you were literally setting your spacecraft’s controls for the heart of the sun. Then I read that the phrase “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” came from Hunter S. Thompson. Not knowing really anything about Hunter, except “Gonzo”, I didn’t really know what to do with that knowledge. But now, I can’t find any reference to that connection to Hunter, so I’m not sure of the validity of that. Looking further, it was claimed it came from William S. Burroughs. But, the truth appears to be that it came from Michael Moorcock. Hey, knock it off  :-)

Then, having not known the exact lyrics (some lines are hard to hear), I again took it somewhat literally as the progression of the sun from morning to evening.

Looking again, I found out that a few of the lines are borrowed from Chinese poetry. It’s not unheard of to borrow from literature. Led Zeppelin borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien (“The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit”) for “Battle of Evermore”, “Ramble On”, and others. I also found the exact lyrics (with some disputed words). I’ve come to believe the song is really about a relationship from start to end.

So here goes (lyrics by Roger Waters, Chinese poetry quoted from Bathrobe (http://cjvlang.com), but originally from “Poems of the Late T’ang” (translated by A. C. Graham)):

“Little by little the night turns around”
Chinese poetry version “watch little by little the night turn around”

Night would be a period of not being in a relationship – no love. An initial interest in someone gives a hint of something good to come. The drums in the beginning of the song could be thought of as one’s heartbeat, skipping a beat when seeing the person of interest.

“Counting the leaves which tremble at dawn”
Chinese poetry version “countless the twigs which tremble in the dawn”

Of course there is uncertainty. Will they like me? Will they reject me? Will it be a mistake? Will it be great? Will they be the one? Will I like them? Can I do this? At some point, the uncertainty must be overcome by desire.

“Lotuses lean on each other in yearning” (some say “union” not “yearning”)
Chinese poetry version “So many green lotus-stalks lean on each other yearning!”

The desire takes over. Each yearns for the other.

“Under the eaves the swallow is resting”
Chinese poetry version “two swallows in the rafters hear the long sigh”

You got me :-) Maybe it means that for now, your concerns are gone. The relationship is going well. You feel comfort in the protection of the relationship.

“Set the controls for the heart of the sun”

Since this is about the path of a relationship from start to end, dawn to dusk as it were, it’s a journey on the path of the sun (obviously, the apparent path of the sun). So, in a sense, you are setting the controls for the heart of the sun. Inevitably, one can’t ignore the fact that a literal trip to the sun would be a suicide mission. Perhaps Waters is making a statement about what kind of mission the pursuit of love is.

“Over the mountain, watching the watcher”

A relationship naturally has to overcome things. It might have to overcome what seems like a mountain. Each one is focusing on the other (each is both watching and being watched by the other). Could even be thought of as looking into each other’s eyes.

“Breaking the darkness, waking the grapevine”

Each is awakening from a period of loneliness and no love. And feelings of love are waking up.

“One inch of love is one inch of shadow”
Chinese poetry version: “one inch of love is an inch of ashes”

This one is slightly borrowed from someone on the internet. Love is thought to be a selfless act, but it really isn’t. You love because it makes you feel good. You wouldn’t do it if it didn’t. So, inherently, it is selfish as well. For some reason, I’m reminded of one of the seven deadly sins – pride. Pride is the worst of all because no selfless act can overcome this sin – it would feed the sin.

Another interpretation is that love brings sorrow. Every bit of love brings an equal bit of sorrow. To love someone is to inflict pain on them and yourself. [ my interpretation of Bathrobe, http://cjvlang.com ] I can’t deny that ashes does seem to be more negative than selfishness. Perhaps Waters chose shadow to foreshadow the pain of loss at the end of the relationship. All good things must come to an end.

Addendum: Some sources indicate this line is:
“Knowledge of love is knowledge of shadow”

“Love is the shadow that ripens the wine”

With the selfishness of love combined with the selflessness of love, once in equal amounts, the relationship is made right. Ideally, each one loves the other equally.
Or, using the alternative interpretation of the previous line, this would now mean that love ripens the wine of sorrow.

Now the song goes into a long instrumental part, with highs and lows, just like a relationship. Chaotic passion. Losing oneself in the uncharted territory. But also the calm of enjoying the ride. The beautiful rhythm of love. Again, if using the alternative interpretation, the ride would not be calm nor beautiful.

“Witness the man who raves at the wall”
Chinese poetry version “Witness the man who raved at the wall”

Oh no, the relationship is just about over. Either raving at a literal wall or a figurative wall of something that can’t be overcome – something stopping the relationship. The music tends to indicate a numbness. An “Uncomfortably” numb feeling (reference to another Pink Floyd song which would be written later). Or a sadness.

“Making the shape of his question to heaven”
Chinese poetry version “as he wrote his questions to Heaven”

Inevitably, questions come. Don’t they love me anymore? What went wrong? Will they come back to me? Can I get over what they did? Can they get over what I did? Why God, did you do this to me? Why did I fall in love when pain and sorrow is all that comes of it?

“Whether the sun will fall in the evening” (some say “Knowing” not “Whether”)

Any chance the relationship can be saved? Or at least a friendship? Or knowing it will end?

“Will he remember the lesson of giving”

Now that the pain of the ended relationship has set in, will they try to find love again, or not want to go through the pain again. Will they remember the joys of their love? Will they give love again in order to get love? Alternatively, it could be a caveat – will they remember to not love again, for love brings sorrow. Of course, just as the sun must rise again, so must the love/pain cycle continue. So, there’s no escaping it.

I’ve read other interpretations on the internet that are interesting and could be right. Of course, only the members of Pink Floyd (and specifically, Roger Waters) truly know what the song means. At any rate, it’s still a nice and unusual song anyway you look at it.