Venus is a planet, the second one from our sun; it is roughly the same size as the Earth, with a diameter of 12,100km, about 1040km smaller in diameter than our planet. After the moon, it is generally the brightest object in the night sky.
The planet is named after a goddess, specifically the Roman goddess of love and beauty, who is the equivalent of the Greek goddess Aphrodite and whose myths are largely shared.
There are four songs that start with the word Venus that charted on the US pop charts between 1955 and 2000.
Venus by Frankie Avalon, which went to #1 in 1959. I did not know that a disco version of this same song by Avalon went to #46 in 1976.
Venus in Blue Jeans by Jimmy Clayton, which reached #7 in 1962.
Venus by Shocking Blue went to #1 in 1970; the cover version by Bananarama also went to #1, in 1986.
Finally, Venus & Mars Rock Show by Wings – that would be one of Paul McCartney’s groups – went to #12 in 1975.
Speaking of Venus and Mars, author John Gray made a whole cottage industry of the notion that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. “John’s books have sold over 50 million copies in 50 different languages. His groundbreaking book…was the best-selling book of the 1990s. It launched his Mars Venus book series that forever changed the way men and women view their relationships.” (Feel free to discuss; I thought Gray’s message was a bit oversimplistic.)
Finally, there is the Venus flytrap. Antithetical to the goddess’ message of love, it is a carnivorous plant – see it in action! – which is native only in the Carolinas in the United States, though transplanted elsewhere around the world. Audrey II is a giant Venus flytrap that starred in various iterations of Little Shop of Horrors.
Oddly, there was a fictional radio disc jockey on the TV show called WKRP in Cincinnati with the pseudonym of Venus Flytrap, played by Tim Reid. Watch Venus Explains the Atom.
Fabulous…albeit a bit early…ABC Wednesday post! As a card-carrying Venutian (is that a word?), there is nothing simple about trying to figure out relationships! And I loved WKRP!
Lisa- The adjective is Venusian. Posted early because I have a Flag Day post, though, in fact, it has little to do with the holiday.
I loved Venus Flytrap of WKRP fame. Now that brought back memories.
Great post for the V Day, Roger. You always come up with interesting subjects! Loved WKRP! Have a great week!
Sylvia
ABC Team
Such a beautiful planet, whether it is the morning or evening star.
Great idea for V and ones I didn’t think of although I have photographs of venus flytrap. Maybe I’ll steal that idea for next go round.
How interesting Roger! Everything in the universe is aweinspiring! I was always fond of the series of Star Trek even if they were science fiction.
OH boy, WKRP in Cincinnati… It’s been a while… Fun post! Thanks.
Oh Venus….Frankie Avalon…that will be my earworm all day now!
Loved that explaination of the atom by Venus. I hadn’t thought about WKRP in ages.
Like Karen I will probably have the song Venus rolling around in my brain all day!
That’s such a open minded take on V.
lovely shots.
You always cover all the bases of your ABC Wednesday word, Rog. Fun to hear all the Venus songs again and remember with pleasure the WKPR gang and Venus Flytrap.
HelenMac,
ABC Wednesday Team
I loved WKRP, and certainly remember remember Tim Reid in the role of Venus Flytrap!
— K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel
I loved your take on Venus – great blog – thanks for all that info
Venus sure brought back a LOT of memories!
Oh my! thanks for the memories of watching every episode of WKRP. Venus & Johnny Fever :O) Tim Reid started out in standup on the Chicago southside so thanks for that reminder of my old stomping grounds too.
Great post!!
What a variety for Venus! I was expecting the planet – but you gave some great other choices as well!
Hmm..thought I remembered seeing a Venus Flytrap in the fields at Flamborough UK when I was a child.
Very versital V’s!
I remember WKRP in Cincinnati! love all the actors in it.
This is a fantastic view!
Venus, the planet of love.
Great explanation of the atom — even I got it!
wonderful take on the theme
I maybe like Venus, but don’t live on the planet, lol !
I enjoyed the carnivorous plant in ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ -‘Feed me, feeeeedddd me.’
You’ve covered all the bases, the eras in song, and deep time in the planet. I suspect I’ll be singing Bananarama the rest of the evening.
I started reading Men are form Mars and Women are from Venus and found myself nodding to the first few chapters but later on fond it tedious. I began to nod off!
Roger, I’m a Virgo, so of course I’ll weigh in. I agree with you that “Mars/Venus” was over simplistic. Any text that assigns absolutes to genders grates on my nerves. We’re all a heady mix of Xs and Ys, and not just two genes to a customer.
Thanks for mentioning Tim Reid. Loved that show… Peace, Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/v-is-for-vile-yet-vapid/
Jogging some old memory cells in my brain with Venus Flytrap from WKRP! Nice image of Venus too. Wonder if it’d look like that if we traveled to it?
Been teaching Space this term. May be you should send Venus to my country. We need lots of love with the earthquake and the volcanic ash.
Veritably viable information! Great post, as usual.
This was a fun post, Roger. WKRP! I’d forgotten…
Such an informative choice of V Roger. I also love the name Venus. Thanks a lot for the visit and comments.
“Men are from Mars and women are from Venus, and the guy who wrote that book is from Uranus.”
That’s my opinion, thank you.