Thomas Monroe wrote:

>   While on the
> subject of astrology, how about numerology.  Anyone
> ever figured out Joni's numbers.  I'm a one.

I don't know what her numbers are, but she mentions the
number 5 twice in her most astrologically oriented song,
Don Juan's Reckless Daughter:

Noble as a nickle chief
striking up an old jukebox

Last night the ghost of my old ideals
Reran on channel five

She mentions 2
I came out two days on your tail
Those two bald-headed days in November


and 8
As we center behind the eight ball

As to Joni's astrological chart, so far no one has been able to
come up with her exact birthtime, which means that her all-important
rising sign is not known, as well as house placement. But in DJRD she
sure sums up the Scorpio influence.
This desciption of Scorpio is from Jim Maynard's Celestial Guide
2002:
Scorpio, a fixed sign, is true to it's convictions, set in its ways.
Scorpio is ruled by energetic Mars and by Pluto, the planet of intense
desires. The negative polarity gives Scorpio a very responsive
nature, with much of its Martian forcefulness hidden from view.
It is also a water sign, giving it an unstable, emotional nature.
The dichotomy of its fixity and instability often leaves the Scorpio
at war with itself. Scorpios have powerful feelings and emotions and
a strong sense of purpose. They are very imaginative, subtle, persistant

and determined. Their negative traits include being resentful, stubborn,

obstinate, secretive, suspicious and jealous. Scorpios are
self-contained
and may be self-centered. They are concentrations of vast amounts
of stored energy ready to burst forth. Whatever Scorpios wish to
achieve, they probably will. They have a great deal of personal
magnetism and healing power.
The symbols of Scorpio have a hierarchy, starting with the scorpion,
or serpent, at the first level. The Scorpio ascending to higher levels
of
consciousness is symbolized by the soaring eagle. The highest level
of Scorpio is the phoenix, the mythical bird which flew so high that
it was consumed by the fire of the Sun and then arose again from its
own ashes. This is symbolic of the Scorpio need to regenerate itself
through suffering (and often with what appears to be self-destructive
behavior). Scorpio needs to experience life in all its facets with
great depth and intensity. No other form of experience will do!

This power and dilemma are express perfectly in DJRD:

Behind my bolt locked door
The eagle and the serpent are at war in me
The serpent fighting for blind desire
The eagle for clarity

and the need to 'travel the breadth of extremity':

We're going to come up to the eyes of clarity
And we'll go down to the beads of guile
There is danger and education
In living out such a reckless life style.

The urgency and intensity is also reflected in the music, the
beautifully clear acoutic guitar strumming, and the insistent
throb of Jaco's bass, stabbing a stacatto descent throughout.
(And of course a killer vocal track!)

Joni almost seems to be channeling some kind of a spiritual
experience in the song, resonating with Maynards description of
Joni's moonsign:

Moon in Pisces
Pisces is ruled by Neptune which brings an inclination toward psychic
impressions. Imagination is strong when the Moon is in Pisces. There
is a heightened sensitivity to music and other intangible forces.
Tendencies are to be emotional, spiritual, and self-sacrificing. The
Moon in Pisces adds a developing impressionability which can create
feelings of vulnerability, drifting into withdrawal as an emotional
protection.

But as much as this song is an exploration of Joni's own native
stars, it is also about a relationship. Two references make me
wonder if it is James Taylor. She quotes the titles of two of his most
well known songs within the lyrics:

And a country road come off the wall
And swoop down on the crowd at the bar

and

Restlessness sweeps like fire and rain
Over virgin wilderness

Joni gives herself the image of the high-flying eagle,
and gives the fellow, an ex or rekindled lover, the image of the
lowly snake, and a coward

slinking down the hall to another restless night

but in the end, she says, they will both rise up to their highest
destiny.  She finishes up with images of the bottom line
duality of the universe (or the human condition):

Man to Woman
Scales to feathers
You and I

RR
Marry Joni?  Her track record is not that good,
besides my wife wouldn't like it

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