Whether you believe in astrology or not, it’s undeniable that the Saturn return has become a hot topic in pop music. From Stevie Wonder’s classic album “Songs in the Key of Life” to No Doubt’s “Tragic Kingdom,” musicians have been exploring the astrological phenomenon that occurs when the planet Saturn returns to the same place in the sky that it was in when a person was born.
The first Saturn return typically occurs between the ages of 27 and 31, and it represents the moment when a person reaches full adult maturity and faces significant challenges and responsibilities. According to astrologer Susan Miller, the Saturn return is “a time of reckoning, a time to take stock of your life and make changes.”
Musicians have tended to focus on the first Saturn return, perhaps because so many of them start their careers so young. By the time they hit 27, they’ve already seen it all. Stevie Wonder’s “Saturn” from his classic album “Songs in the Key of Life” isn’t explicitly about a Saturn return, but the lyrics paint a picture of a place where life is slower and people are less impulsive. “Packing my bags, going away / To a place where the air is clean / On Saturn / There’s no sense to sit and watch the people die,” Wonder sings. “We don’t fight our wars the way you do / We put back all the things we use / On Saturn / There’s no sense to keep on doing such crimes.”
For millennials of a certain age, the phrase “Saturn return” calls to mind one thing only: No Doubt’s fourth studio album, “Tragic Kingdom.” After becoming superstars thanks to 1995’s “Just a Girl,” the band reconvened for a darker exploration of young adulthood, spurred in part by frontwoman Gwen Stefani’s own Saturn return. On “Simple Kind of Life,” she sings about her conflicted thoughts on becoming a mother and a wife, while “Six Feet Under” is a deceptively peppy consideration of how birthdays are also a reminder of death. “Artificial Sweetener” actually references astrology directly, with Stefani crooning, “The return of Saturn / Assessing my life / Second guessing.”
In recent years, the Saturn return has been referenced in songs by Katy Perry, Adele, and SZA. Perry sang about her Saturn return on the track “By the Grace of God,” which begins with the lyrics, “Was 27, surviving my return to Saturn / A long vacation didn’t sound so bad / Was full of secrets, locked up tight like Iron Mountain / Running on empty, so out of gas.” Adele obliquely referenced her Saturn return while promoting her fourth album, “30,” which was largely inspired by her divorce from ex-husband Simon Konecki. During a concert at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles that aired in November 2021, Adele wore earrings in the shape of the planet Saturn. She also discussed her Saturn return in a cover story with Vogue at the time, saying, “It’s where I lost the plot. … When that comes, it can rock your life. It shakes you up a bit: Who am I? What do I want to do? What makes me truly happy? All those things.”
The Saturn return is a major astrological event that can bring about significant change and growth. For musicians, it can be a time of reflection and introspection, as they reassess their lives and careers. The Saturn return is a reminder that we are all constantly evolving, and that it’s never too late to make changes for the better.
