Venus in Scorpio (and music)

Sleeping Venus by Giorgione

Take a Water (feminine) sign and mix it with two (masculine) planet rulers with the calibre of Mars (god of War) and Pluto (god of Death). Then apply this mix into a feminine planet representing the way people love and their feminine side (Venus) and it all sounds a bit too heavy, don't you think?

And it is! With this position love is never a light and fun thing, but a deep, life-changing experience that usually leaves some scarrs (for better or worse). Take Bruce Springsteen (Sun in Libra) whose lyrics could write a seminar on Venus in Scorpio and his iconic song I'm on fire: Sometimes it's like someone took a knife baby, edgy and dull and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul. Tormented is a good description.

Scorpio is the sign most connected to the dark side of things, being very aware of the most underground tendencies within each human being and recognizing that there's both Good and Evil in everyone. Take Jeff Buckley's (Sun in Scorpio) lyrics for instance: dark, mysterious, always mentioning death, life, embers, being reborn, angels and ghosts. Scorpios are experts at identifying your own secret side and exposing it in direct light, even if you are not aware of this side yourself. Scary, huh? But remember that were still talking about a Water sign, very susceptible to feelings, very emphatic and compassionate. Usually it's their intensity and their aptitude for intimacy that draws people to them.

It isn't easy to start a relationship with someone with Venus in Scorpio - they might appear like loners because they don't like to relate to a great number of people and are very discriminative of whom they relate to. Maybe they won't even give you the chance to introduce yourself because they have a general mistrust of people. Bruce Springsteen sings: Girl, ain't no kindness in the face of strangers, Ain't gonna find no miracles here. They are always allert and expecting the worst from others and life (the price to pay for knowing the dark side).

It's the same thing with love: Beth Orton (Sagittarius Sun) sings: Love is a one way train, comes on gentle as a hurricane, it's got p.a.i.n. written all the way through. Mike Skinner from The Streets (Sagittarius Sun as well) in one of his songs about love, comments: It weren't supposed to be easy, surely. These people are no romantics. Springsteen sings: True love can't be no fairytale and Ain't no church bells ringing, Ain't no flags unfurled, It's just me and you and the love we're bringing into the real world. Like other Water signs, they are oversensitive and take measures to protect themselves. Natalie Merchant (Sun in Scorpio) is metaphorical: Gotta build yourself a levee deep inside, Build yourself a levee girl when the waters run high.

In fact, when they're entering a relationship they're pessimistic to a fault. Listen to Natalie Merchant for example: So you're in love, it's so good for you, live it up girl cause it never lasted long, it's heaven for now but not for long, it's gonna hurt, it's gonna make you feel so bad. Maybe it's others who ruin it: Mike Skinner asks - Can you rely on anyone in this World? No you can't, is his answer. Or maybe it's themselves: Nelly Furtado (Sun in Sagittarius) warns:...I will only cause you pain (I promise that); Beth Orton agrees: Yeah, we only hurt the ones we love, while...we don't need a reason. Jeff Buckley shared the same problem: I've loved so many times and I've drowned them all. Or maybe it's something else: It ought to be easy (..) simple enough, man meets a woman and they fall in love, but the house is haunted and the ride gets rough, and you've gotto learn to live with what you can't rise above.

Scorpio's biggest fear is losing control of themselves and their lives. They won't find it funny if a loved one attempts to change them - they take it upon themselves to transform periodically, just like the snake shades its skin or the phoenix is reborn from the embers (two symbols of this sign). Having Mars as a co-ruler makes Scorpio extremely individualistic and building their own path in life (being the only god of their soul) is their biggest goal.

You won't find many of them getting drunk and making a fool of themselves or enjoying frivilous occupations. This isn't the kind of partner who will kneel on your feet with declarations of endless love. Venus in Scorpio is always dignified, always in control, always right. Natalie Merchant sings: I'm not gonna beg you for nothing, I'm not gonna beg you for love. One of Mike Skinner's songs is about a man smitten by a lady and it's called: don't mug yourself! Nelly Furtado confesses: I pretend to be cool with me, want to believe that I can do it on my own without my heart on my sleeve. Springsteen also sings: you're so afraid of being somebody's fool, not walking tough baby, not walking cool. They need a lot of daily introspection and are always seeking the explanation to everything: how they feel, how you feel (because they always know!), why you said this, why you didn't say that...You may feel like telling them to lighten up a little but they are simply too serious about love.

Despite their individualism, Venus in Scorpio is extremely willing to commit to a serious relationship (Alone buddy there ain't no peace of mind, that's why I'll keep searching till I find my special one) and when they do they are completely focused and dedicated to their partner. You can be sure that the relationship is their absolute top priority. Natalie Merchant remembers: for seven years you were loved, (...) you were all I could see. A tad obsessed, perhaps. Obviously, for someone who seeks a body and soul intimacy with someone, a lighthearted relationship just won't do (Honey, I want the heart, I want the soul, I want control right now)!

Because they give so much, they expect the same from their partner and have high standards when it comes to love. (Cheap romance, it's all just a crutch, You don't want nothin' that anybody can touch). When they enter a relationship they are entirely sure that it's what they want (when it comes to love there ain't no doubt) because their feelings about people are extreme: they either like them a lot or not at all. Bruce Springsteen explains: you got to give it all or nothing at all, if what you're thinking of is love, I want it all or nothing at all. Beth Orton thinks: I’d rather have no love than messing with the wrong stuff.

Which leads us to one of the greatest myths associated with Scorpio: Sex. Following common astrological knowledge, you might think you're dealing with a bunch of perverted maniacs, when it's quite the contrary. Yes, Scorpio is very connected to sex but as a transcendental body and soul experience, an expression of love. So, in general and if they're emotionally stable, this isn't a sign to take sex lightly, because, like love, they take it seriously.

Venus in Scorpio's feelings are known to be very intense, probably why they sing things like: I wanna die with you, Wendy, on the streets tonight in an everlasting kiss, or It's never over, all my blood for the sweetness of her laughter. Beth Orton asks: I told you I loved you now what more can I do? Do you want me to lay down and die for you? Carla Bruni (Sun in Capricorn) explains the phenomenon in her song Le Excessive: c'est que l'existence, Sans un peu d'extrême, est inacceptable (meaning that existence, without some extreme, is unnacceptable). She goes on: Je suis excessive, quand tout explose, quand la vie s'exhibe, c'est une transe exquise, basically saying that the explosions and life make for an exquisite trance. Nelly Furtado shares the feeling: I don't want ambivalence no more. (these people are keen on double-negatives, it seems).

When you enter a relationship with someone with Venus in Scorpio you must be prepared:
a) to be stripped naked of all of your secrets; (I've got my sight now, I see everything you hid);
b) to not find out about your partner's secrets because they simply won't tell (She weaves secrets in her hair, The whispers are not hers to share, She's deep as a well);
c) to deal with your partner's need for control. (Baby, let me be your soul driver). This one in particular might be tricky: Scorpio is reported as the most jealous of all signs. (I wish I were blind when I see you with your man; see also Natalie Merchant's song: O Jealousy).

Not only are they possessive but they're also constantly tormented by an underlying negativity when everything should be running smoothly, a haunting feeling (for instance, that their partner will cheat on them). This causes them a great deal of suffering and added need for control. Natalie Merchant sings: Once I could love, I could trust, I could not doubt, but that was the worst thing that I could do. She adds: never again, not in this life will I be taken twice.

This need for control leads to a lot of struggling and fights in their relationships (see The Streets' Get Out of my House song, for a row), as they're not prepared to give the other person the upper hand or admit they're wrong but at the same time they do not respect those who don't stand up to them. Scorpio has a great empathy for human suffering but none for weakness of character. This happens because they are extremely brave emotionally and are willing to make tremendous sacrifices for love, but not everyone has the same ability, which is what they fail to understand.

They also won't put up with betrayal. An eye for an eye...is another of the myths associated with the sign - vengeance. The truth is they won't attack unless they've been attacked themselves. They have a great concern for justice, not the impartial justice of Libra, no, but a personal one: Did you really think that you'd get away, escape my justice until your dying day? asks Natalie Merchant. She states: All the wrong you did, I might forget you, but never forgive.
Mike Skinner has a song about a lost love when need for revenge is visible: I know you want to make her see how much this pain hurts but you've got to walk away now. In the end dignity seems to have won the battle here.

If you're willing to deal with all of the above, you'll gain a partner capable of extreme (what else?) loyalty and support (Now our luck may have died and our love may be cold but with you forever I'll stay).

Venus in Scorpio? You?