Saturday, March 15, 2008

Venus in Virgo (in music)

Venus Verticordia by Dante Gabriel Rossetti [it means the changer of hearts]



I intended to make this post smaller than the previous ones but failed miserably. If anything, it's bigger!

Here's another great contrast from the previous sign - Venus in Virgo has a discreetness that is the opposite of the dramatism we found on Venus in Leo. Taking this into account, I expected love lyrics to be less ostentatious and exaggerated.

Like the other Earth signs, Virgo is very focused on the objective things in life. In fact, this may be the most realistic sign of them all, so even in love, Venus in Virgo won't live in the clouds but on this very precise moment and place. Suzanne Vega (Sun in Cancer): She wants to cut through the circles that she has lived in before, She wants to finally kill the delusions, she won't need them anymore.
John Lennon's (Sun in Libra) lyrics are an interesting reflection of a disillusioned man (Old Hare Krishna ain't got nothing on you, just keep you crazy with nothing to do, keep you occupied with with pie in the sky, There ain't no guru who can see through your eyes, I found out! - you see the disdain he applies to dreaming). In his song God, he sings "the dream is over", he lists the things he doesn't believe in anymore and concludes saying: I just believe in me and that reality.


So with Venus in Virgo love is real, real is love (to quote John Lennon once again). There are many references to the realness of one's love. For instance, Gwen Stefani (Sun in Libra) sings: Our love is the real thing and This love is serious, You get me seriously out of my mind. Sting (Sun in Libra) adds: But if our love is pure, the only thing of which we're sure.


Perhaps for this reason (and also considering that Virgo is ruled by the planet of the mind, Mercury) love can be a mind-opening experience. Instead of being a blurry, hazy emotion (e.g. Venus in Pisces), it can be something crystal clear: John Lennon explains Love has opened my eyes, Love has blown right through, Wherever you are, you are here. That sounds very practical.

But before we go further, let's consider the fact that this isn't the type of Venus that needs to be in a relationship to breathe (e.g. Libra). Venus in Virgo is reserved, careful and will often prefer to be alone before they get into a relationship. This happens because they need to feel a sense of self-sufficiency, so instead of looking for their complementary parts in someone else, they find them within. This sense of independence is essential to them, even when they're in a relationship. Some examples: Can't see nobody, leave me alone (Lennon); Made up my mind not to love again, live my life a single man (Bryan Adams, Sun in Scorpio); Once I stood alone so proud, held myself above the crowd (Suzanne Vega).

Once their self-suffiency is secured, they'll carefully assess their potential partners (are they good enough?). If the answer is yes, they'll consider taking the innitiative but only if they're certain that they're appreciated back. Being very realistic, Venus in Virgo is very conscious of their flaws (and yours, for that matter) and this may lead them to be somewhat insecure. But when they're sure, they'll work on you with patience and discreetness.

You haven't noticed? Well, yes, perhaps they're not overtly flirting with you, but haven't you noticed how they listen to everything you say with interest? Weren't you delighted when they remembered a little detail about you that you mentioned a while ago? Weren't you happy when they considered to quit playing annoying computer games just to spend more time with you? Yeees, I thought so too. Bryan Adams sings: To really love a woman, to understand her, you gotta know her deep inside, hear her every thought, see every dream... Gwen Stefani adds: I think I know you inside out/ And we're together most days but I still love to have you around.

So make sure you notice and value these little things they do for you because that's all they need in return. If they feel valued by you, you'll have someone there who is willing to work on the relationship. Gwen Stefani portrays a devoted woman: I’d give you everything that I am, I’m handing over everything that I’ve got, 'Cause I wanna have a really true love. In another song for No Doubt, she wrote: So I pacify problems with kisses and cuddles, diligently doubtful through all kinds of trouble.

Venus in Virgo love style isn't the exuberant kind, it may be discreet and contained (Leonard Cohen, Sun in Virgo, mentions: For now I need your hidden love.) or come in the form of constant criticism and nagging (Gwen Stefani: I find myself trying to change you, If you were meant to be my lover I wouldn’t have to or I know I can't tame you but I just keep trying). Their criticism isn't meant to hurt your feelings but to help you become a better person (if there's one thing Virgo can't stand it's unfulfilled potential!)

Your wildness scares me, so does your freedom, You say you can’t stand the restrictions - sings Gwen Stefani. Bryan Adams adds: Had enough of your crazy ways, had enough of you leaving me for days.
It seems that Venus in Virgo feels uneasy next to wild characters, in fact they're usually not into them in the first place. They are more interested in the people that sometimes go unnoticed, there has to be some potential under there. But when they're with someone who seems to have a certain past, they can feel threatened by their partner's experiences. Gwen Stefani writes about being an ex-girlfriend for No Doubt: I kinda always knew I’d end up your ex-girlfriend, I hope I hold a special place with the rest of them, and you know it makes me sick to be on that list.

Being ruled by Mercury, the mental part of the relationship is very important for Venus in Virgo; it matters that the two partners are intellectually compatible. Leonard Cohen mentions: And you know that she will trust you, For you've touched her perfect body with your mind.

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A note:

Venus represents the more feminine side of the individual. Even though men have a feminine side too, often they're not very aware of it, for various reasons (mainly of a societal nature). What happens when we're not conscious of certain parts of us is that we tend to project them unto other people. In this case, men project their Venus sign qualities into women, so we also interpret a man's Venus sign as the kind of women they attract/feel attracted to.

In the lyrics of these male songwriters I've found various descriptions of women who are very natural and somehow connected to the Earth (the collective image of the Virgin). For instance Sting sings: The spirit moves on the water, she takes the shape of this heavenly daughter, She's rising up like a river in flood, The word got made into flesh and blood / Leonard Cohen also has a few descriptions of women and nature, such as: And she's there where the light and the darkness divide, And the steam's coming off her, She's huge and she's shy, And she steps on the moon when she paws at the sky.

Interestingly enough, Suzanne Vega also portrays this kind of woman, similar to the goddess: My name is Calypso, My garden overflows, Thick and wild and hidden is the sweetness there that grows, My hair it blows long as I sing into the wind, My name is Calypso and I have lived alone, I live on an island.

Have you got Venus in Virgo? Check here.


Random notes:

[1] I may be influenced by the connection between Virgo and Health but I noticed that every single one of these songwriters refer to illness, doctors and perscriptions in their songs. Just to cite a couple of examples: Gwen Stefani (Call the doctor cause I am sick in love); Leonard Cohen (I showed my heart to the doctor: he said I just have to quit. Then he wrote himself a prescription, And your name was mentioned in it! ).

[2] Venus in Virgo lyrics are rich in detail, which isn't a surprise really. I found a lot of them in Suzanne Vega's songs: The beams and bridges cut the light on the ground into little triangles and the rails run round, through the rust and the heat, the light and sweet coffee color of her skin.

31 comments:

kimananda said...

Hey, a post for me! ;-) I find it pretty much how it is at first glance, but may need to come back later to read it again with a bit more focus.

Aroj said...

just as i guessed..u r a sagi too...is intuition and recognizing signs a sagi thing?

madelyn said...

seriously great post ~
i love the musical quotes and
references ~ you are entirely
original and fresh my wonderful
girl:)

Devil Mood said...

Kim: Yes, it is for you! Do come back as you're the expert on this particular trait. ;)

Aroj: Yes, intuition really is a sagi thing! We seem to know things nobody told us about. How cool are we,huh?

Madelyn: Oh thanks you :) But I do need to reduce these posts to a readable size ihih

Anonymous said...

wow what a great job! I'm feeling a little anti-Virgo these days (which sounds terribly mean, doesn't it).

I always want to break free from the analysis it can bring.

But this? This is so great! It is sweet to be listened to, to have someone that actually pays attention (as opposed to me with my ADD Venus in Aries).

I'm a month or so from finishing the school year, which I'm really excited about. More time for writing to my friends!

take care

Anonymous said...

oh, and I JUST started listening to Gwen Stefani for the first time ever...she's pretty fabulous, eh?

Miladysa said...

Amazing post!

I had to check the link to see where my Venus was and.... it is in Virgo! Can you believe it!

Now... can you guess my star sign? ;-D

Devil Mood said...

Chrispito: Ooh the analysis, I definitely understand. My progressed moon is in Pisces now so I'm not keen on analysing neither.
Yes, it's wonderful when people listen to you, especially for us with a strong Aries ;)
It means a lot to me that you liked this post!
Good luck with the school, will you have exams?
I really like Gwen's lyrics, particularly for No Doubt.

Miladysa: Oh spot on, heh? ;) Since I've only just met you, it wouldn't be right to guess, but it'll have to be a sign between Cancer and Scorpio. Given your interest for your DNA heritage I'd say Cancer but it's a long shot. How about Libra?

Diane L said...

Yay!! Another wonderful post on Venus & music! And love the Rossetti painting, great choice for this post.

You have nailed Venus in Virgo too through this process. I'm impressed! :-D

Gledwood said...

I love the preRaphaelite artwork!

Those Rosettis were FAR more adept with the paintbrush than at some of that rather hackneyed old poetry I seem to recall them churning out (where did I read it? cant rememember? as I remember it was like Wordsworth but even less talented ugh!)

Gledwood said...

ps Suzanne Vega = fantastic

i love that song "ironbound"...

Devil Mood said...

Neith: I'm so delighted you think so. Yes, I thought this painting was good for Virgo, then I found out it was the "changer of hearts", fitting for a mutable sign ;)

Gledwood: Hello! Painters who were poets too? I didn't know that, but I really like this Lady. Suzanne Vega is fabulous - I just found out she played a gig on Second Life, a virtual concert. Is she cool or what? :)

dharmabum said...

wow, thats a very insightful post. you're doing a lot of astrology, way to go.

my parents are both virgos. i can see the way they've both mellowed with age, its a wonderful experience. and being an earth sign myself, i only get along too well with them! :)

Stephanie said...

I'm Venus in Virgo too. At the start of the post, I was thinking, this isn't me at all....then... :)

Devil Mood said...

Dharmabum: Oh really? That's sweet. You do know a thing or two about Astrology, I see :)

Stephanie: It's only natural that it's not entirely you because my post doesn't take into account the aspects of other planets to Venus, neither other influences. Plus having so much Libra like you do, it may be difficult to get out from that influence.

Anonymous said...

Oh, no complaints about the length of this post! How could you have shortened it? So much good stuff! Again, I LOVE the comparisons of the sign characteristics with the musicians’ lyrics!!! I love that you’ve compiled this that’s so interesting, and I don’t have to! I can just sit here, read, and be amused, amazed, see the pattern more clearly, easily with your examples.
I liked the paragraph about Venus in Virgo finding complementary parts in themselves as opposed to looking for completeness in another! That is not my nature (definitely no Venus in Virgo here!), but someone told me that, and it made so much sense that I worked hard to gain that independence, the knowing that everything I need is within. I had to learn that I’m OK in and by myself and that having a relationship with another is just icing on the cake!
Very, extremely well put together—your knowledge interspersed with examples in the form of lyrics!

Devil Mood said...

Oh Missalister, I want to kiss you!! You are the best reader one could ever have :)
I'm so glad you liked it. This is actually an important post for you because Virgo opposites Pisces and in astrology the oppositions are complementary and indissoluble. Basically both signs address the same issues but in opposite ways, almost in the extremes of the issues. So I like it that you recognized it with a "that's not me!" reaction :) It's not.
Pisces is all about 'being the World, being the whole' having no frontiers between ego and the rest and Virgo, as you've seen, the opposite.

Niall young said...

Incredible DM!!!You write in such a way as to bring everything to life..

Gwen Steffani has a lot to say...I've always admired her creativity and singleminded approach to expression..

Niall young said...

PS..Rosetti's pic is great..I'm big PRB fan!

Devil Mood said...

Niall, wow I'm so happy you enjoyed it! :) I hadn't heard of this painter's name, but the colours are gorgeous.

Miladysa said...

Leo ;-D

Anonymous said...

Sylvia Plath had Venus in Virgo. She wrote some really heavy hospital / sickness poems like Tulips and Fever 103. Both those poems emphasize the word pure too hmmm.

-- Jilly (also Venus in Virgo)

Devil Mood said...

Jilly, thanks for telling me that. Really interesting. I didn't go into poets yet(to analyse their Venus positions) but I imagine what a rich project that would be!
I also need to read more of Plath in the future :)

NR said...

I adore your blog and I'm really enjoying your Venus series.

I have a Virgo Venus. And I love this, "And you know that she will trust you, For you've touched her perfect body with your mind."

Incidentally, that theme about illness and love for a Virgo Venus...there is truth there.

::hug::

Devil Mood said...

Hi NR!
Thank you so much, I'm really happy that you enjoyed this post. I do remember that Venus in Virgo was one of the posts I most enjoyed writing, hence why it is so long, I just couldn't stop. haha

Phil said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Phil said...

Hi, I stumbled onto this great entry a couple months ago. And I keep returning to re-read it because it's so fascinating.

Anyway, as a V-in-V, I can relate to just about everything stated. I even wrote a song about the particular alignment, which I finally recorded.

If you're interested, the link below contains a song called "Venus In Virgo." The production isn't pretty, but that's just my m.o.

http://www.myspace.com/clickclickclique

Devil Mood said...

Phil, hi!!

I love your song! I'm so happy you liked the article and that it is meaningful to you. It is especially interesting since you're a songwriter too. :)
I'm listening to your other songs now. Thanks so much for leaving this comment, it made my day!

Anonymous said...

Love hearing and reading lyrics about love despite the fact that I have never felt the feelings of love....
This blog describes me to the tee and actually most Venus in Virgo blogs or sources describe me 100%. I've always wondered if I was literally the most precise/strict example of a Venus in Virgo due to the fact that I am a single 29 year old female, have NEVER fallen in love and I am a real virgin(yes, that is due to my morals and values, however a generalization of Virgos is that they have morals and values right?) and I have nver been described as social. I only have two planets in Virgo, my Venus and my Jupiter in Virgo. I feel quite Virgoan than most despite the fact that I am a Libra sun with a Scorpio rising(no other personal planets in Libra). Perhaps what largely contributes to my strict earthiness is my Capricorn MOON and in addition my Venus in Virgo is placed in the 10th house.

Anonymous said...

wow. i'm speechless. all that you've said about vrnus in virgos describe my love to a tee! this is exactly how he's been when it comes to our relationship; slow and practical, rationalizing and analyzing each step to be absolutely certain of our union. if it weren't for his leo sun, i would have died of boredom and impatience! but that leo sun takes his romantic moments (those "little things" they are so thoughtful enough to consider and remember) and multiplies it by a thousand! and more! i am a virgo sun with venus in leo and i wonder if our reversed signs are what makes things work so beautifully and so fantastically in our relationship. i've heard people tell me time and time again that my virgo sun will be so frightened off by his leo sun and his leo sun would be so bored with my virgo sun, but all we've ever done was spend our days laughing heartily and enjoying anything and everything that we do together. i absolutely love my venus in virgo man!

Devil Mood said...

Anonymous x 2,

always glad to get feedback and know a bit more about your experiences and how you relate to what I wrote.
Good luck!