Union Of The Snake

Album: Seven And The Ragged Tiger (1983)
Charted: 3 3
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Songfacts®:

  • Duran Duran is rarely forthcoming about the meanings behind their songs, but "Union Of The Snake" appears to be about the evil part of you taking over and consuming your body. The snake represents that other side of you. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jenny - Toronto, Canada
  • In 1984, Duran Duran released The Book Of Words, which contains lyrics to their songs. In the book, Simon Le Bon explained the lines:

    Moving up it's gonna race it's gonna break
    Through the borderline


    "Borderline might be one between the conscious and subconscious minds," Le Bon wrote. He admitted in later interviews that it was a reference to tantric sex. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Shine - Perth, Australia
  • This was inspired by Jim Morrison's lyrics for The Doors' albums. Simon Le Bon told Spinner: "There are times when I get into books and things and some of that comes up on the record or I'll get into a certain artist. An obvious example of that is 'Union of The Snake' and 'Hungry Like The Wolf' are very much related to Jim Morrison and his lyrical ideas."
  • When the band got back together in 2002, bass player John Taylor dubbed it the "reunion of the snake."

Comments: 11

  • Ckatheman from OhioI was pretty young when this came out (11), but even at that age I was heavily into MTV and music in general. Given all the fears during that time, nuclear war, etc..., the video implied to me that the Union of the Snake was some sort of opposition force to a bad government.
  • Fred from The Middle Of The Chesapeake BayMy initial association is the Greek myth of Tiesias, a man who became a woman after killing a pair of mating snakes. Tiesias lived as a woman for seven years, even marrying and having children, before killing another pair of snakes and transforming back into a man. The king and queen of the gods, Zeus and Hera, were having an argument over whether the man or the woman enjoyed sex more, and as Tiesias was the only person who had experienced sex as both a man and as a woman they asked him. He told them that sex was more pleasurable for women and, depending on which myth you read, either Hera or Zeus blinded him out of anger. However they gave him the ability to understand the singing of birds and be able to interpret the future from it.
    For me the song is about the union of man and woman not only in sex but also the coming together of the masculine and feminine that exists within, and how that union grants clarity and understanding of the self, one's partner, and the surrounding world.
  • Luz D’angelo from WonderlandFrom my perspective this song is about Kundalini Rising. His lyrics are ambiguous, so my guess is he or whomever the writer was has been Awakened. It’s the coiled up snake we all have located by our sex organs which is the 1st Chakra & rises up to the 7th chakra being our crown chakra. Once this snake (energy) passes through our 3rd eye, most people go mad. It goes by many names depending on religion, culture, etc. The Caduceus staff with a snake intertwined on it with wings up top, that’s used by most medical facilities as an icon, is in reference to this as well. The chakras are equivalent to our endocrine system in a spiritual aspect.

    John 3:14
    And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up
  • La Belle Gigi from DelanowhereWhen this album came out I was 10 or 11, and already hooked on the Go-Gos and Blondie, daydreaming of being a rocker girl too... but this was the song that cemented my preference for playing bass guitar.
  • Long Island Cereal Killer from NyThinking it was about communism union to Russia and not to get caught up in the propaganda my thoughts
  • Mr.sinister from EarthIt's about Humanity selling their souls for glory and fame. Signing a contract with the devil inked in Blood. The Reptilian races that manipulate mankind for their own benefit. Beware & be aware....cauuse they're EVERYWHERE!
  • Just A Guy from UsThis is clearly a reference to Egyptian Mythology, the Brotherhood [union] of the Snake was about the Osiris Cult Mystery Religion underlying the stories told to the profane masses. Hungry Like The Wolf may be a later part of the story from the Osiris Cult.
  • Steve from Chino HillsI wish they spent a bit more time on the lyrics and hit the chorus a few less times in the song. They could have been a bit more playful with the sexuality. It's a good song but it could have been much better.
  • Jeff from Boston, MaI always thought "Union of the Snake" was a reference to the United States - one of the early flags used in the American Revolution featured a snake with the slogan, "Don't Tread On Me". Guess I was way off!
  • Susan from Airdrie, -Isn't that snake-ist?
  • Ronnie from Huddersfield, EnglandDespite what Duran Duran sing about, there isn't actually an union established that allows snakes as members.
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