Sarah McLachlan: The Rainbow Connection Meaning

1. anonymous

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   Sep 29th 2015 !⃝

   Why are there so many songs about rainbows
   And what is on the other side?
   (Meaning: Life is full of mystery and questions, and the beauty of it all is that we always want to know what happens next, how the world works, and the plan God has for our lives. Like rainbows, the possibilities are infinite. We can never stop discovering.)
   Rainbows are visions, but only illusions
   And rainbows have nothing to hide
   (Meaning: Some people may argue that in this line, Kermit is talking negatively about rainbows. But, I think Kermit is referring to one's dreams and goals, and how others may say that one's dreams will never come true, because dreams are something you think about visually, but regardless, they're still false.)
   So we've been told and some choose to believe it
   I know they're wrong, wait and see
   (Meaning: Perhaps the person, or people, who said the second line in the song, were people that don't want you to succeed, and in return, we take it as a personal defeat on our part, and we don't want to reach our goals. But, Kermit, being the wonderer, isn't going to quit on his dream, just because of what others think. So, there's a lot of self-confidence behind this.)
   Who said that every wish would be heard and answered
   When wished on the morning star?
   (Meaning: According to Kermit, the only reason why people wish on stars in the first place is because somebody made it up. At one point of our lives or another, we all wish to have what we want at an exact time. But, sometimes, we have to step back and continue to trust God, even when we feel our prayers aren't being heard and answered. Wishes can't come true overnight.)
   Somebody thought of that, and someone believed it
   Look what it's done so far
   (Meaning: This goes back to the previous verse, in which Kermit, being the philosopher, claims that somebody came up with the idea of wishing on a star. That somebody can be anybody, perhaps one of the world's greatest scientists. Then, another person believed this theory was true, and took it to mean that it's a man-made rule. Now, we can feel good when we pray, don't misunderstand me, because it can bring us comfort, it can be our escape, and it gives us time to connect with God and voice our concerns to him. However, regardless of the prayers we prayed and the wishes we wished, we can often be still left puzzled or confused, as Kermit is in the song.)
   What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing
   And what do we think we might see?
   (Meaning: This one is pretty self explanatory. It's a reference to dreams, in terms of: What do I want to share with the world? Why was I placed on this earth? What are my talents? Typical things someone would ask themselves. The next part in the song, which is "What do we think we might see?," refers to what someone's vision is for the future, what's their action plan, what you might see yourself 10 years or more in the future.)
   All of us under its spell
   We know that it's probably magic
   (Meaning: We may not notice it, but we are all under this spell Kermit is talking about, and that spell is life. Like I said before, life's full of mystery, and who knows? Sometimes the unknown will alter our lives forever, and force us to take risks, and do things we never even imagined doing. That's the beauty of this spell we're under.)
   Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices
   I heard them calling my name
   (Meaning: In a way, this line ties into the previous one, because the voices we hear when we're half asleep are, in my opinion, the internal thoughts of one person, which in this case is the internal thoughts of Kermit's, wanting to escape, and convince him to be a little more adventurous. However, he does not understand what these voices are, and why they're calling his name. Is he dreaming? Is he hallucinating? He doesn't know.)
   Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors
   The voice might be one and the same
   (Meaning: Just like rainbows in this song are a metaphor to life, this phrase is a metaphor for the call to adventure. As Kermit thinks, the voices he's hearing might be the same as the open seas calling to a sailor, to do something with his life, and go on his own path to success.)
   I've heard it too many times to ignore it
   It's something that I'm supposed to be
   (Meaning: The voices could be repeated over and over again every night when you go to sleep. You can't ignore them any longer. Kermit is starting to realize that the voices are real, not a figment of his imagination. Hence the line, "It's something that I'm supposed to be," if you ever saw the 1979 Muppet Movie, Kermit leaves the swamp with a huge desire in his heart to make a name for himself. This refers to the determination and the confidence of one to follow their dreams, and discover their own rainbow connection.)
   
   Now that we're on the subject of rainbows, we can finally get into analyzing the chorus, which is:
   
   Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection
   The lovers, the dreamers, and me
   
   Now, there can be many interpretations as to what the rainbow connection means, but in my opinion, it's a combination of the American Dream, relationships, and just soul searching in general.
   - The American Dream, because in the finale of the Muppet Movie, Kermit has finally made his dreams come true, and found his rainbow connection.
   - Relationships, because throughout the movie, Kermit is befriending the other Muppets, like Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear, and building what are now lifelong friendships with them;
   - Soul searching, because throughout the movie, Kermit is determined to find his purpose in the world and not just be an ordinary frog
   
   As for "the lovers, the dreamers, and me," as far as I am concerned, lovers and dreamers aren't in their own separate category. Lovers and dreamers are technically the same thing, because in terms of the American Dream, if you're passionate about something, that means you are 100% committed to it, and you love it like it's your baby. This is similar to dreaming, because every company you could think of, Apple, PC Richard and Son, Popeye's, you name it, started out as a vision in someone's head.

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