The title comes out of an attempt to reflect the mood of the piece: Brooker "thought it was all very angst-ridden and hence suggested 'Repent'" while others in the band "thought it evoked images of Walpurgis Night (demons and such)." (Walpurgis was an English nun who went as a missionary to Germany in the 8th century).
US listeners may know it as the theme song for WEBN-FM's original Jelly Pudding "underground" rock show of the late 60's. Jelly Pudding was revived over the years and now lives as The Real Mary Peale show on WNKU, still with Repent Walpurgis as the theme.
Repent Walpurgis
Procol Harum Lyrics
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Miscellaneous
Pandoras Box
PANDORA'S BOX
While horsemen ride across the green
Snow White still remains unseen.
Pegasus, the winged horse,
And like some pirate sailor
we crossed the Spanish Main
and brought our magic carpet
to a marble staircased plain.
While Handel plays his melody
doctors'cause uncertainty
and though I know the lifeguard's brave
there is no one for him to save.
And like some pirate sailor
we crossed the Spanis Main
and brought out magic carpet
to a marble staircased plain.
Cock Robin views his frozen feet
and wraps them in a winding sheet
and calls out for his favourite drink,
the Persian that's as warm as mink.
And like some pirate sailor
we crossed the Spanish Main
and brought our magic carpet
to a marble staircased palin.
- Keith Reid
The lyrics to Procol Harum's song "Pandora's Box" paint a surreal picture of a mythical world where even the most magical creatures and heroes struggle against inexplicable forces. The opening lines reference the fairy tale of Snow White, who remains unseen as horsemen ride through the green. The use of Morse code by Pegasus, the winged horse, underscores the otherworldly nature of this realm.
As the song progresses, the references become more obscure. The sailors who crossed the Spanish Main are likened to pirates, but it's unclear what they brought with them besides a "magic carpet." Handel and doctors appear, but their roles are uncertain, and the lifeguard who might be expected to save drowning swimmers is powerless in this strange world.
The final stanza introduces a new character, Cock Robin, who is freezing and wrapped in a winding sheet. He calls for his favorite drink, a Persian beverage that's "as warm as mink." Once again, the imagery is disjointed and surreal, leaving the listener to piece together the meaning.
Overall, the lyrics to "Pandora's Box" are a testament to Keith Reid's poetic style, which favors evocative language and elusive meanings over straightforward storytelling. The song reflects the broader psychedelic movement of the late 1960s, which sought to blur the boundaries between reality and fantasy.
Line by Line Meaning
While horsemen ride across the green
As knights gallop through the fields,
Snow White still remains unseen.
The princess is yet to be found.
Pegasus, the winged horse,
The divine steed,
relays his messages by Morse.
Communicates through secret codes.
And like some pirate sailor
Similar to a swashbuckling buccaneer,
we crossed the Spanish Main
We journeyed across the high seas.
and brought our magic carpet
Brought our enchanted flying rug,
to a marble staircased plain.
To a landscape of polished stone steps.
While Handel plays his melody
As the composer's orchestral music fills the air,
doctors'cause uncertainty
Physicians bring ambiguity.
and though I know the lifeguard's brave
Despite acknowledging the courage of the rescuer,
there is no one for him to save.
There is no one to rescue from peril.
Cock Robin views his frozen feet
The bird looks at his icy talons,
and wraps them in a winding sheet
And covers them with a burial shroud.
and calls out for his favourite drink,
And cries out for his preferred beverage,
the Persian that's as warm as mink.
A warm liquid resembling a mink's fur from Persia.
and like some pirate sailor
Just like an adventurous pirate,
we crossed the Spanish Main
We sailed across the Spanish seas.
and brought our magic carpet
And brought our mystical flying mat,
to a marble staircased plain.
To a land of marble flights of stairs.
Writer(s): Matthew Fisher Copyright: Essex Music Inc.
Contributed by Elliot J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Philip E
on Pandora's Box
historical and literary refs to evil and hope e.g. verse 3: c.s.lewis (edmund's first encounter with the white witch)