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Single by The 5th Dimension from the album The Age of Aquarius Released March 1969 Length 4:49 Label Soul City Writer(s) James Rado Gerome Ragni Galt MacDermot Producer Bones Howe “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In“ (commonly called “The Age of Aquarius“ or “Let the Sunshine In“) is a medley of two songs written for the 1967 musical Hair by James Rado & Gerome Ragni (lyrics), and Galt MacDermot (music), released as a single by The 5th Dimension. The lyrics of this song were based on the astrological belief that the world would soon be entering the “Age of Aquarius“, an age of love, light, and humanity, unlike the current “Age of Pisces“. The exact circumstances for the change are “When the moon is in the seventh house, and Jupiter aligns with Mars.“ This change was presumed to occur at the end of the 20th century; however, major astrologers differ extremely widely as to when. Their proposed dates range from 2062 to 2680. “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In“ was ranked thirty-third on the 2004 AFI's 100 Songs. (musical) Hair was conceived by actors James Rado and Gerome Ragni. The two met in 1964 when they performed together in the Off-Broadway flop Hang Down Your Head and Die, and they began writing Hair together in late 1964. The main characters were autobiographical, with Rado's Claude being a pensive romantic and Ragni's Berger an extrovert. Their close relationship, including its volatility, was reflected in the musical. Rado explained, “We were great friends. It was a passionate kind of relationship that we directed into creativity, into writing, into creating this piece. We put the drama between us on stage.“ The tribe link together LBJ (President Lyndon B. Johnson), FBI (the Federal Bureau of Investigation), CIA (the Central Intelligence Agency) and LSD . Six members of the tribe appear dressed as Claude's parents, berating him for his various transgressions -- he does not have a job, and he collects “mountains of paper“ clippings. They say that they will not give him any more money, and “the army'll make a man out of you“. In defiance, Claude leads the tribe in celebrating their vitality (“I Got Life“). After handing out imaginary pills to the tribe members, saying the pills are for high profile people such as Richard Nixon, the Pope, and “Alabama Wallace“, Berger relates how he was expelled from high school (“Goin' Down“). Claude returns from his draft board physical, which he passed. He pretends to burn his Vietnam War draft card, which Berger reveals as a library card. Claude agonizes about what to do about being drafted. Songs like “Good Morning, Starshine“ and “Aquarius“ reflect the 1960s cultural interest in astrological and cosmic concepts.“Aquarius“ was the result of Rado's research into his own astrological sign. The company's astrologer, Maria Crummere, was consulted about casting:Sheila was usually played by a Libra or Capricorn and Berger by a Leo, although Ragni, the original Berger, was a Virgo. Crummere was also consulted when deciding when the show would open on Broadway and in other 1971 Broadway Playbill reported that she chose April 29, 1968 for the Broadway premiere. “The 29th was auspicious ... because the moon was high, indicating that people would attend in masses. The position of the 'history makers' (Pluto, Uranus, Jupiter) in the 10th house made the show unique, powerful and a money-maker. And the fact that Neptune was on the ascendancy foretold that Hair would develop a reputation involving sex.“ (song) When the moon is in the Seventh House And Jupiter aligns with Mars Then peace will guide the planets And love will steer the stars This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius Age of Aquarius Aquarius! Aquarius! Harmony and understanding Sympathy and trust abounding No more falsehoods or derisions Golden living dreams of visions Mystic crystal revelation And the mind's true liberation Aquarius! Aquarius! When the moon is in the Seventh House And Jupiter aligns with Mars Then peace will guide the planets And love will steer the stars This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius Age of Aquarius Aquarius! Aquarius! Aquarius! Aquarius! Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in Oh, let it shine, c'mon Now everybody just sing along Let the sun shine in Open up your heart and let it shine on in When you are lonely, let it shine on Got to open up your heart and let it shine on in And when you feel like you've been mistreated And your friends turn away Just open your heart, and shine it on in
