Lady Madonna – Queen of Pentacles
(Lennon/McCartney)
Released as a single, 1968
Available on Past Masters
After three wildly innovative and critically-lauded psychedelic albums in 1966 and 1967, the Beatles were preparing themselves for a new creative direction at the start of ’68. Their adventurous (and some would say disastrous) film Magical Mystery Tour had aired on Christmas 1967, and there was a sense the band had taken the kaleidoscopic sounds of flower power about as far as it could go.
So began a more back-to-basics approach to their sound. “Lady Madonna” was released as a single in winter of 1968, and it went to #1 in the UK and peaked at #4 in the US. Freed of the experimental razzle-dazzle of psychedelia, Paul and John simply wrote an excellent rock and roll song. You can’t help but tap your foot to its punchy groove. Lyrically, the song deals with concerns far more down-to-Earth than we heard in “I Am The Walrus” or “All You Need Is Love.”
Druid Craft Tarot
“Lady Madonna” describes the weekly demands in the hectic life of a very busy mother. It’s always one thing or another; each day brings a new challenge. Notice the main riff – introduced by piano and soon supported by electric guitar and a muscular brass section – goes up and down the scale, representing the daily ups and downs of motherhood. The song has an urgent quality, as are the many demands of mothers everywhere, with children running around and countless demands to meet.
The tarot’s Queen of Pentacles is a perfect fit for “Lady Madonna”. Her caring nature toward her family is matched by a toughness and pragmatism to handle the stress and demands required of her. Despite the unavoidable ups and downs, she handles it all with a loving-yet-firm hand. She pays the bills, runs the errands, rules her home, and always finds a way to get the job done.
Whether you are a mother or not, when you draw this card consider the ways you handle your daily routine, your domestic responsibilities, and the ways you embrace doing what you have to do.
Notable Lyric:
“Lady Madonna, children at your feet
Wonder how you manage to make ends meet
Who finds the money when you pay the rent
Did you think that money was Heaven sent?”
This is song #3 of the Beatles Song Tarot Project. Click here to learn more about this magical, mystical trip through the Beatles catalogue.
