Kingdom Come's albums were Galactic Zoo Dossier (1971), the self-titled Kingdom Come (1972), and Journey (1973). Brown stated in an interview with an English music magazine that the three albums were intended to present a thematic progression. The first focused on the state of humankind in the present, the second on the human animal itself and the dichotomy between the body and mind, and the third focusing on cosmic and spiritual matters. The band was marketed as Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come in the United States due to name conflicts.
A number of factors contributed to the end of Kingdom Come.
The band dissolved rather than officially breaking up, with Brown citing a desire to play simpler music and opt for a simpler lifestyle in general in later interviews. However, the music that Kingdom Come left behind is certainly worth exploration for progressive rock and psychedelic rock enthusiasts, and stands up well as a part of Arthur Brown's 30-plus year legacy.
Space Plucks Dem Bones
Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come Lyrics
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To play that silent solar symphony
Sliding down the time on a path of light
Towards the chord of earth is me
Cosmic chameleon drawn by force
Shapes a soul to audition for earth
Accepted a mask is chosen
As strange loud music surrounds me now
As planets circle a slow solid round
Their notes cascade down upon me now
As the finger stops its frets on my new sound
Worlds and we begin surrounded
Forces frame the scale of life
Planets dance in constant motion
Form the pattern form
The lyrics to Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come's song "Space Plucks Dem Bones" are a poetic representation of a person's journey from the vastness of space to the smallness of Earth. The singer imagines that the planets are being plucked by space and arranged to create a symphony that will soon join Earth. The planets are like notes on a musical scale, each with a unique tone and position that adds to the overall harmony. As the singer slides down the path of light, they are drawn towards Earth and become a part of the symphony.
The singer describes this journey as being like a cosmic chameleon, which is shaped by the forces around it to become a soul that can audition for Earth. The chameleon takes on a mask or identity, which seals off its old roles at birth. This is a metaphor for how all beings on Earth are shaped by their environment and experiences, and how they take on new identities as they grow and evolve.
The final stanza of the song speaks to the interconnectedness of all things in the universe. The worlds and forces that surround us frame the scale of life, and planets dance in constant motion to form a pattern. This is a reminder that we are all a part of a grand design, and that our actions and experiences are connected to the larger whole.
Line by Line Meaning
Space plucks the planets of the universe
The vast space is plucking the planets and celestial bodies that float in the universe
To play that silent solar symphony
These celestial bodies orchestrated together to create a quiet yet magnificent solar symphony
Sliding down the time on a path of light
Traveling through space, moving through time, and taking a path illuminated by beams of light
Towards the chord of earth is me
The path leads towards Earth, and the artist is drawn towards it
Cosmic chameleon drawn by force
A cosmic being that can change and adapt to any environment, pulled and attracted by an irresistible force
Shapes a soul to audition for earth
This cosmic being molds a spirit, tailor-made for the audition to exist on Earth
Accepted a mask is chosen
An external appearance is selected, representing the singer's soul in the physical realm
And old roles sealed off at birth
The past roles and history are left behind at the onset of a new existence on Earth
As strange loud music surrounds me now
The artist is engrossed in a peculiarly vivid and cacophonous atmosphere
As planets circle a slow solid round
These noisy planets revolve in a slow, steady orbit
Their notes cascade down upon me now
The music from the planets' movement descends upon the singer
As the finger stops its frets on my new sound
Pondering the syncopated music, the artist decides to stop making their foreboding vibrations
Worlds and we begin surrounded
We and other worlds are both enclosed in a sphere of our existence
Forces frame the scale of life
The forces of the universe define and structure the essence of existence
Planets dance in constant motion
Continuously moving to the rhythm of the universe
Form the pattern form
All these moving, dancing celestial bodies coordinate to form a pattern or structure.
Contributed by Elena R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.