Twenty-Seven Angels From the Great Beyond

[Yankovic]

Tower of Song

Does the number 27 have any biblical significance. What's the story here? Why 27? Did it just fit the meter for that portion of the song?

Is this like the Muslim religion where the men will have 17 virgins waiting for them in heaven after they die?

[John Etherington]

Hi Yankovic,

The only biblical significance that I know regarding this number, is that there are 27 books in the New Testament. However, with Leonard, I would have thought the number was more likely to have Kabbalistic links. Another loose association are the artists known as the Club of 27 or 27 Club (those who died at age 27)- namely Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Janis Joplin.

All good things, John E

[david birkett]

I may be exposing my lack of eruditon but I think, apart from the metrical considerations, it's a humorous gambit mocking the singer's own vanity and playing on the absurdity of the idea that there should be any specific number of angels necessary to bestow the gift.

David

[Duncan799]

My take on this is that it refers to the 26 letters of the alphabet (which comprise the lyrics) and one more (the music) to make 27 "Angels" born together with a "golden voice" with which you pay your rent in the "Tower of Song".

[Paste-Pot Pete]

I've always taken it as a "trinity of trinities" (3 X 3 X 3), with whatever connotations one cares to ascribe.

[Quasand]

Has Leonard ever been asked this question?

[seadove]

Tower of Song


Is this like the Muslim religion where the men will have 17 virgins waiting for them in heaven after they die?

It's not 17 virgins. It's 72 virgins. Leonard must hace switched the numbers so he won't get rapped by Islamist activists, Lol.

[seadove]

Tower of Song


Is this like the Muslim religion where the men will have 17 virgins waiting for them in heaven after they die?

It's not 17 virgins. It's 72 virgins. Leonard must hace switched the numbers so he won't get rapped by Islamist activists, Lol.

And btw his recent book which is translated and published into Hebrew (dedicated to Larka and Adam Cohen) the the translater mentioned it as 32 angels. Go figure this one out.

[Cate]

I liked the "trinity of trinities" idea, there's something very nice about that.

[hydriot]

Is it anything to do with the great religious debate about the number of angels who can balance on the head of a pin?

[seadove]

Is it anything to do with the great religious debate about the number of angels who can balance on the head of a pin?

I can hardly swallow 72 virgins and now they do a balance stunt on a pin?

[holydove]

The hebrew word that means "riddle" is made up of letters that add up to the number 27 in numerology (so I've been told).

[Lilifyre]

I asked my Rabbi yesterday if she knew of any Biblical/Kabalistic/Gematria significance to the number 27 or 27 angels. She had no knowledge of such. She did offer some ideas such as: add the 2 and the 7 to get 9 which is half of Chai (the Hebrew number for "Life"); or take 27 as Chai (18) and half Chai...a life and a half. She said you could probably play with the numbers many different ways and come up with several different ideas. I would say that Leonard is the only one who really knows what, if anything, he meant by choosing that particular number. Interesting concept to play with, however.

Lili

[david birkett]

Cf Godley & Creme's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godley_&_Creme final and brilliant album (that's prehistoric speak for 'downloadable digital music content entity') Goodbe Blue Sky, and the track '10,000 Angels'. Now there's value for money.

David

[Evie B]

Personally, I imagine it was some fondly recollected substance-enhanced dream Leonard enjoyed where he was tied to a table somewhere by 27 angels...

Evie B