Ok, so I've visited this site:
http://artsites.ucsc.edu/GDead/agdl/althea.html
It discusses the Hamlet allusion and the reference to Greek mythology. However, I wanted to discuss something that I cannot find on this site, or any other that I have come across.
As we speak, I am a young 22 year old wiper snapper, and an avid Grateful Dead fan. I mostly play their music on my guitar, sometimes Jazz and reggae. My father is a blooded Dead Head, going to concerts in the San Francisco area, mostly in the 80's. Anyway, he told me about this rumor that Althea was originally inspired by a ceiling fan. Haha It kinda makes since; doing acid and looking at a ceiling fan could be really inspiring (looking at anything moving on psychedelics is cool). Granted, upon inspiration, the song evolved into something much more meaningful.
So to support my dad's wild rumor, here are some quotes. The mind sees what it wants to see. Given that, I have interpreted these lines to be as related to a ceiling fan as possible haha I feel like if anything, Althea is the ceiling fan:
"Lacking in some direction" (fans are not of a single vector)
"Althea told me: now cool down boy" (fans cool)
"self centered to the extreme" (fans move about a central point)
"you know this space is getting hot" (when althea is gone, the space gets hot)
"now I'm out trying to catch her" (I thought it was funny to imagine someone, tripping, trying to chase after a single blade with their eyes)
"Can't talk to me without talking to you" (I think about talking into a fan, and you hear your own voice distorted)
Now, I know most of my interpretations are pretty far fetched. Yet, it is kinda interesting to think that an original inspiration could have been to relate a relationship to a ceiling fan.
When I more honestly dissect the song, it seams like it was developed into poetry about a somewhat dysfunctional relationship. Or maybe its about the struggle between free love and an ever lasting love. I think the point is to be a little abstract as to be open to interpretation.
http://artsites.ucsc.edu/GDead/agdl/althea.html
It discusses the Hamlet allusion and the reference to Greek mythology. However, I wanted to discuss something that I cannot find on this site, or any other that I have come across.
As we speak, I am a young 22 year old wiper snapper, and an avid Grateful Dead fan. I mostly play their music on my guitar, sometimes Jazz and reggae. My father is a blooded Dead Head, going to concerts in the San Francisco area, mostly in the 80's. Anyway, he told me about this rumor that Althea was originally inspired by a ceiling fan. Haha It kinda makes since; doing acid and looking at a ceiling fan could be really inspiring (looking at anything moving on psychedelics is cool). Granted, upon inspiration, the song evolved into something much more meaningful.
So to support my dad's wild rumor, here are some quotes. The mind sees what it wants to see. Given that, I have interpreted these lines to be as related to a ceiling fan as possible haha I feel like if anything, Althea is the ceiling fan:
"Lacking in some direction" (fans are not of a single vector)
"Althea told me: now cool down boy" (fans cool)
"self centered to the extreme" (fans move about a central point)
"you know this space is getting hot" (when althea is gone, the space gets hot)
"now I'm out trying to catch her" (I thought it was funny to imagine someone, tripping, trying to chase after a single blade with their eyes)
"Can't talk to me without talking to you" (I think about talking into a fan, and you hear your own voice distorted)
Now, I know most of my interpretations are pretty far fetched. Yet, it is kinda interesting to think that an original inspiration could have been to relate a relationship to a ceiling fan.
When I more honestly dissect the song, it seams like it was developed into poetry about a somewhat dysfunctional relationship. Or maybe its about the struggle between free love and an ever lasting love. I think the point is to be a little abstract as to be open to interpretation.