Music is often universal with messages and interpretations that can span across generations.

In my professional tarot readings, song lyrics may come to mind as the best way to convey a message that may have personal meaning to the querent.

Have you ever had a song lyric in your head while doing a tarot or psychic reading?

A song or lyric that repeats itself in your mind may have a message for you or someone else that needs to be noted.

If you have a broad taste in music, you’ll have a larger so-called ‘database’ of songs and lyrics to draw your messages from.

A lyric may come to your mind that you’re not familiar with and you’ll have to look up the rest of the lyrics or the name of the song / artist! (Thanks, Google!)

Keep in mind that there may be only a specific line or part of a song that applies to the reading and not the entire song. This may be the message and not the rest of the song.

Here are 27 songs and lyric excerpts for a selection of tarot cards that may sum up or relate to the meaning or interpretation of the card.

Let’s begin!

27 Songs for Tarot Cards

The High Priestess

Mysterious Ways by U2

Lyric excerpt:

It’s all right, it’s all right, it’s all right

She moves in mysterious ways

It’s all right, it’s all right, it’s all right

She moves in mysterious ways, oh

Move you, spirits move you (It’s all right, it’s all right, it’s all right)

Move, spirits move you, oh, yeah (She moves in mysterious ways)

Does it move you, she moves with it (It’s all right, it’s all right, it’s all right)

Lift my days, and light up my nights, oh

Here’s another for anyone who associate the High Priestess card with witchcraft:

Witchy Woman by the Eagles

Lyric excerpt:

Raven hair and ruby lips
Sparks fly from her fingertips
Echoed voices in the night
She’s a restless spirit on an endless flight

Woo-hoo, witchy woman
See how high she flies
Woo-hoo, witchy woman

She got the moon in her eyes
She held me spellbound in the night
Dancing shadows and firelight
Crazy laughter in another room
And she drove herself to madness with a silver spoon

The Empress

Stefania by Kalush Orchestra

This song is the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest winner by a Ukrainian group. Watch the official music video with English subtitles which was filmed in parts of Ukraine that were under attack during the war.

The song is about a mother, particularly about the mother of one of the members of the music group.

Lyric excerpt (chorus):

Ukrainian:

Стефанія мамо, мамо Стефанія

Розквітає поле, а вона сивіє

Заспівай мені, мамо, колискову

Хочу ще почути твоє рідне слово

English:

Stefania mom, mom Stefania

The field is blooming, and she is turning gray

Sing me a lullaby, mom

I want to hear your dear word

The Hierophant

While some music lovers write that this song is about love and sex that goes badly, other music lovers will have a different interpretation.

Needless to say, the song has been admired for it’s spiritual tone, used as part of the soundtrack in numerous films and many covers performed by other record artists, yet is still a song that has deep and complicated undertones that can only be left to the interpretation of the listener.

‘Tis the beauty of this song by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen (1934 – 2016).

Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen

Lyric excerpt:

Now, I’ve heard there was a secret chord

That David played, and it pleased the Lord

But you don’t really care for music, do you?

It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth

The minor fall, the major lift

The baffled king composing hallelujah

Hallelujah

The Lovers

Because there are probably a million songs about love throughout the centuries, it was difficult to narrow down a choice song for The Lovers.

Here are two favourite songs for The Lovers card:

Something to Talk About by Bonnie Raitt

Lyric excerpt:

Let’s give them something to talk about

How about love?

Here’s our second choice for The Lovers card:

Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden

Lyric excerpt:

I’ll be your dream, I’ll be your wish, I’ll be your fantasy

I’ll be your hope, I’ll be your love, be everything that you need

I’ll love you more with every breath truly, madly, deeply do

I wanna stand with you on a mountain

I wanna bathe with you in the sea

I wanna lay like this forever

Until the sky falls down on me

Strength

Looking back on this song and reflecting the unexpected passing of Whitney Houston (1963 – 2012) and hearing this song, as the world followed her life in the tabloids – this song gives a glimpse into the great deal of strength that she had to endure.

We all have our challenges and often don’t realise our own strength. Although Whitney Houston is no longer on this Earth, she leaves an encouraging message to know your own strength.

I Didn’t Know My Own Strength by Whitney Houston

Lyric excerpt:

There were so many times, I
Wondered how I’d get through the night, I
Thought I took all I could take

I didn’t know my own strength
And I crashed down, and I tumbled
But I did not crumble
I got through all the pain, ohh
I didn’t know my own strength
My faith kept me alive
I picked myself back up
I hold my head up high
I was not built to break
I didn’t know my own strength, mmh

I was not built to break
No, no
I got to know my own strength

The Hermit

Here I Go Again by Whitesnake

Lyric Excerpt:

And here I go again on my own
Goin’ down the only road I’ve ever known
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone

Wheel of Fortune

For this interpretation, the Wheel of Fortune can represent seasons and cycles in life.

Turn! Turn! Turn! by The Byrds

Lyric excerpt:

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose
Under heaven

Justice

I Fought the Law by The Crickets

This song was originally written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets, released in 1960. It was popularized as a cover done by the Bobby Fuller Four, becoming a top-ten hit for that band in 1966.

Various artists have recorded this well-known song over the decades by bands such as The Clash and Green Day.

Lyric excerpt:

Breakin’ rocks in the hot sun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I needed money ’cause I had none
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won

Death

(Don’t Fear) The Reaper by Blue Öyster Cult

This classic 1976 song was parodied on Saturday Night Live on April 8, 2000 featuring Christopher Walken as the host and his iconic phrase “I gotta have more cowbell!”

Lyric excerpt:

Then the door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew and then disappeared
The curtains flew and then he appeared
Saying don’t be afraid

Come on, baby (and she had no fear)
And she ran to him (then they started to fly)
They looked backward and said goodbye (she had become like they are)
She had taken his hand (she had become like they are)
Come on, baby (don’t fear the reaper)

The Devil

Songs about the Devil are just as iconic as romantic love ballads.

It was difficult to narrow the choice down to one, so for The Devil card we have three songs here (there’s so many good ones!)

Devil Inside by INXS

Lyric excerpt:

Devil inside

Every single one of us

The devil inside

Here’s our second choice for The Devil card:

You Can’t Fix This by Foo Fighters ft. Stevie Nicks

Watch Stevie Nicks and Foo Fighters perform this song on Letterman

Lyric excerpt:

We don’t talk much about it

It goes back so many years

All the times we almost didn’t make it

We stayed clear

Dancing with the devil

Call it respect, call it fear

But we never allowed the devil

To come to the party

We were careful in our own way

We walk through the darkness

We made a pact not to dance with the devil

Even when the devil seemed to have a heart

And this one too:

Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones

Pleased to meet you

Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah

But what’s confusing you

Is just the nature of my game

Just as every cop is a criminal

And all the sinners saints

As heads is tails

Just call me Lucifer

‘Cause I’m in need of some restraint

The Sun

Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles

Lyric excerpt:

Here comes the Sun
Here comes the Sun and I say
It’s all right

Sun, Sun, Sun, here it comes
Sun, Sun, Sun, here it comes
Sun, Sun, Sun, here it comes
Sun, Sun, Sun, here it comes
Sun, Sun, Sun, here it comes

The Star

Shining Star by Earth, Wind & Fire

You’re a shining star

No matter who you are

Shining bright to see

What you could truly be

Shining star for you to see

What your life can truly be

Shining star for you to see

What your life can truly be

Shining star for you to see

What your life can truly be

Judgement

Alarm Call by Björk

Lyric excerpt:

This is an alarm call

So wake up, wake up now

3 of Swords

Shot Through the Heart by Bon Jovi

Lyric excerpt:

Shot through the heart

It’s all part of the game that we call love

Would you be content to see me crying

After all those little games you put me through

After all I’ve done for you you’re lying

Wouldn’t it be nice to tell the truth

3 of Cups

Celebration by Kool & the Gang

Lyric excerpt:

There’s a party goin’ on right here

A dedication to last throughout the years

So bring your good times and your laughter too

We gonna celebrate and party with you

Come on now

6 of Cups

Summer of ’69 by Bryan Adams

Lyric Excerpt:

Oh, when I look back now

That summer seemed to last forever

And if I had the choice

Yeah, I’d always wanna be there

Those were the best days of my life

8 of Cups

Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics

Lyric excerpt:

I travel the world and the seven seas

Everybody’s looking for something

10 of Cups

We are Family by Sister Sledge

Lyric excerpt:

Living life is fun and we’ve just begun

To get our share of this world’s delights

(High) high hopes we have for the future

And our goal’s in sight

no, we don’t get depressed

Here’s what we call our golden rule

Have faith in you and the things you do

You won’t go wrong, oh no

This is our family jewel

We are family (hey, sing it to me)

I got all my sisters with me

We are family (oh, I can hear you now)

Get up everybody and sing

10 of Swords

Sweet Surrender by Sarah McLachlan

Lyric excerpt:

It doesn’t mean much
It doesn’t mean anything at all
The life I’ve left behind me is a cold room

I’ve crossed the last line
From where I can’t return
Where every step I took in faith betrayed me
And led me from my home

And sweet surrender
Is all that I have to give

4 of Pentacles

Money by Pink Floyd

Lyric excerpt:

Money
Get away
You get a good job with more pay and you’re okay
Money
It’s a gas
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash

5 of Pentacles

This song may seem appropriate if using the imagery of the card designed in the Rider Waite Smith Tarot.

While it may sound more suitable for this song to be associated with Hierophant, the hidden message of going through difficulties and seeking shelter in a church may sound like Rider Waite Smith imagery of the 5 of Pentacles.

In some tarot techniques, the Pentacles suit is considered winter while in some other techniques, the Pentacles suit is considered autumn. However, in the RWS Tarot the 5 of Pentacles depicts a wintery scene in front of what appears to be a stained window of a church.

California Dreamin’ by the Mamas and the Papas

Lyric excerpt:

All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown)
And the sky is gray (and the sky is gray)
I’ve been for a walk (I’ve been for a walk)
On a winter’s day (on a winter’s day)
I’d be safe and warm (I’d be safe and warm)
If I was in L.A. (if I was in L.A.)

California dreamin’ (California dreamin’)
On such a winter’s day

Stopped into a church
I passed along the way
Well, I got down on my knees (got down on my knees)
And I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray)
You know the preacher like the cold (preacher like the cold)
He knows I’m gonna stay (knows I’m gonna stay)

California dreamin’ (California dreamin’)
On such a winter’s day

10 of Pentacles

Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors by Alina Pash

Ukrainian Title: 《Тіні забутих предків》

This song was the original entry for Ukraine in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, however due to a technicality, the song was removed and replaced with the song Stefania by Kalush Orchestra which received the highest ever amount of points and votes, and won the contest in 2022.

The song is in Ukrainian and English – watch here the video with English subtitles.

Lyric excerpt (in Ukrainian and English):

Тіні забутих предків моїх і твоїх
В літописах, серцях, очах, крові віків на вік
Shadows of forgotten ancestors, a-a-a-a-a
In chronicles, hearts and eyes, in our blood forever

English Translation:

Shadows of the forgotten ancestors of mine and yours

In the annals, hearts, eyes, blood of ages for ages

Shadows of forgotten ancestors, a-a-a-a-a

In chronicles, hearts and eyes, in our blood forever

Knight of Swords

Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler

Lyric excerpt:

I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ’til the end of the night
He’s gotta be strong, and he’s gotta be fast
And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight

I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ’til the morning light
He’s gotta be sure, and it’s gotta be soon
And he’s gotta be larger than life

These are only a handful of songs that can be associated with tarot cards.

In tarot readings, why not associate a song with a tarot card?

What song is your favourite?

What song would you add to a tarot card?

Tell us your favourite song or lyric and match it to a tarot card in the comment section!