Quoth Matt Day <tlhingan@imsa.edu>:

The Second verse of Turn around is obviously a homage to Frank Zappa. If one looks at the song as an analogy, where you replace the word "Dance" with "Music" or "Song" or something, then it appears that it says that Zappa was an inspiration or instructor, and also a ghost, as he is deceased. "The Ghost of my dance instructor". My reason for suspecting Zappa is the lyric: "Played a xylophone, and sang me this song." Many of Zappa's songs feature Xylophone, and I can't think of any other artist who uses them so often. The Dance instructor is referred to as female. Zappa is pictured in a dress on the cover of "We're only in it for the Money."

Quoth Phil Stanger <pstanger@argonet.co.uk>:

IN the 18th century, the idea of 'momento mori' was dead popular, certainly in England and other parts of Europe and possibly America too. Anyway, the idea was that human skulls featured on gravestones and were often left lying around as a reminder of death. So I reckon the song was written for the same purposes, hence the human skulls on the ground all over the place. The first verse serves as a reminder of the death of man who had recently been killed. The second verse is a reminder of the death of a dance instructor and seeing the ghost of someone I knew along with being pushed into an open grave would certainly make me wonder when my time is really up. The third verse as a reminder that death can strike at any time and acting in an irresponsible fashion on fast moving passenger trains may not be the wisest of ideas if life is to be prolonged.

Perhaps the white mask of evil represents the grim reaper or something who is also there to remind us that we are not immortal and our expiration date could be read at any time.

Quoth Pansuto <pansuto@mail.ohio.net>:

I noticed something when listening to "Turn Around" today. (Perhaps because I just got Apollo 18.) Anyway, it mentions a "human skull on the ground." I assume, if you're reading this, you've seen the CD of John Henry? A human skull on the ground. Sure, it happens to have "THEY" on it, but it _is_ a human skull on the ground. Coincidience?

Quoth Ryan Leach <weirdgiant@aol.com>:

As I was humming the tune to Turn Around a thought suddenly hit me. I know a little about Ancient Egyptian mythology and I realized that the ferryman's face is turned around. The ferryman is in charge of the ferry that crosses the river into the underworld, where people go when they die, and he is always facing backwards to see that only the right people get on the ferry to cross the river. I thought that since he has something that involves death and that his face is "turned around" it may have some significance to the song.