Re: Cloudbusting

[uli@zoodle.robin.de (Ulrich Grepel)]

Hi Ishir,

> Could someone tell me what the song "Cloudbusting" is about?

Of course, do you know the video? It helps understanding the story about it.

Kate plays (and sings) from the view of Peter Reich (author of the book
'A Book Of Dreams' that inspirated Kate to write the song and that can
be seen in the pocket of Donald Sutherland (who plays Wilhelm Reich, Peter's
father) in the video).

Wilhelm Reich was a 'scientist' (the quotes are set by purpose) who 

researched on 'Orgone Energy', something that could - besides many other 

seemingly supernatural things - make it rain. Because of some promises he 

made and could not hold with his research (actually Orgone Energy seems not 

to work as it should...), he got some difficulties with the law/government 

("I can't hide you from the government"). A fact that Peter Reich who was 

just a kid then of course couldn't understand. Wilhelm Reich actually died in 

prison, this must have been a big trauma for Peter. Peter later wrote the 

book 'A Book Of Dreams' to cope with the experience.

Now the song 'Cloudbusting' is about the moment when Wilhelm got arrested.
He just had 'made rain' together with Peter, went home, Peter saw the
car with the men going to arrest Wilhelm coming and tried to warn Wilhelm
but didn't succeed.

Another passage in the lyrics that may be difficult to understand without
further hints is the yo-yo: In the fifties (when the whole story took place)
there were yo-yo's "That glowed in the dark". Wilhelm believed (and told
Peter) that the glowing stuff was 'Deadly Orgone Energy', and shouldn't be
used/played with/etc. Peter liked his yo-yo, and so he buried it to dig
it out when he wasn't observed.

Bye,

Uli

P.S.: Ishir: I send you another message about Wilhelm Reich's 'scientific
reputation' that is availlable in the archives. Does anyone else need it?