I’ve always interpreted this song as an old man about to die visiting his now grown child. I’ve always pictured the grown child as a daughter but I don’t see that in the lyrics. He let himself in through an unlocked door. He warns her of someone bad getting in, suggesting that he is such a bad person. He notices how much his daughter now looks like her mother, adding to the menace she feels. I think he murdered the daughter’s mother and dumped her in the lake. When the police find the body, he disappears. Before he disappeared, she figured...
I’ve always interpreted this song as an old man about to die visiting his now grown child. I’ve always pictured the grown child as a daughter but I don’t see that in the lyrics. He let himself in through an unlocked door. He warns her of someone bad getting in, suggesting that he is such a bad person. He notices how much his daughter now looks like her mother, adding to the menace she feels. I think he murdered the daughter’s mother and dumped her in the lake. When the police find the body, he disappears. Before he disappeared, she figured out that he murdered her mother and told him he’s made of stone. He leaves the way he came in and tells the daughter to lock the door. He couldn’t be about to be executed, as someone else suggested, because he’s out alone I think the only reason he could know he’s about to die is from an illness. The chorus is the killer being sarcastic about getting away with murder and staying on the lam for several years, then getting to see his daughter one last time. It shows that he truly is made of stone, as the daughter said.
It’s about an as yet unrequited love. That’s the biggest irony about this song. People choose it as their first dance wedding song because of the title/chorus. Nothing has happened between the singer and the object of their affection yet. There is nothing to suggest that the object of affection feels the same way. They’re literally just coming together for the first time with the singer having more advanced feelings.
It’s about an as yet unrequited love. That’s the biggest irony about this song. People choose it as their first dance wedding song because of the title/chorus. Nothing has happened between the singer and the object of their affection yet. There is nothing to suggest that the object of affection feels the same way. They’re literally just coming together for the first time with the singer having more advanced feelings.
Norfolk, VA and Navy life. Hornsby's hometown and a large naval base. The lyrics are full of local references, starting with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, (the diesel rolls in silhouette) as it does on the photo on the album, trying to make it with the Admiral's daughter (cross her battle line is a naval war technique) and setting up on the bandstand refers to his early music career. Sailors hear the whistle blow, violence in the afterglow is a great line!
Norfolk, VA and Navy life. Hornsby's hometown and a large naval base. The lyrics are full of local references, starting with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, (the diesel rolls in silhouette) as it does on the photo on the album, trying to make it with the Admiral's daughter (cross her battle line is a naval war technique) and setting up on the bandstand refers to his early music career. Sailors hear the whistle blow, violence in the afterglow is a great line!
it's probably about his wedding. but can also be interpreted as a guy who watches his old love getting married to sb else and dreams about her being with himself instead.
it's probably about his wedding. but can also be interpreted as a guy who watches his old love getting married to sb else and dreams about her being with himself instead.
You shot through my anger and rage- To show me my prison was just an open cage- There were no keys, no guards- Oh, just one frightened man and some old shadows for bars- these lines are pure treasure. who else but he could put them so simple yet elegant, beautiful?
You shot through my anger and rage- To show me my prison was just an open cage- There were no keys, no guards- Oh, just one frightened man and some old shadows for bars- these lines are pure treasure. who else but he could put them so simple yet elegant, beautiful?
It's at least partially about being from the central valley of CA. For reference, read lyrics of "Everything beautiful is far away" You don't need deep interpretations when you're deep in it.
It's at least partially about being from the central valley of CA. For reference, read lyrics of "Everything beautiful is far away" You don't need deep interpretations when you're deep in it.
very graphic language! only he can sexualize the bible to this great effect!
very graphic language! only he can sexualize the bible to this great effect!
I think this song is about the narrator not appreciating what she already has. She says that her boyfriend was "sweet", but she would rather fantasize about a stranger. And maybe the stranger was only appealing because he left and she never learned more about him.
I think this song is about the narrator not appreciating what she already has. She says that her boyfriend was "sweet", but she would rather fantasize about a stranger. And maybe the stranger was only appealing because he left and she never learned more about him.
Luv this song.❤️ Like has anyone seen the music video.
Luv this song.❤️ Like has anyone seen the music video.
I think people have a knee jerk reaction to it without even reading the lyrics and seeing the context.
I think people have a knee jerk reaction to it without even reading the lyrics and seeing the context.
Let's take the word "savage". Both times the word is used it is talking about white people or "civilized people" at least, could be any race. The context is clear, the people yelling at him like savages (not actual savages, it's a simile), are likely those same missionaries that are mentioned as advertising civilization trying to get him to leave his home.
Let's take the word "savage". Both times the word is used it is talking about white people or "civilized people" at least, could be any race. The context is clear, the people yelling at him like savages (not actual savages, it's a simile), are likely those same missionaries that are mentioned as advertising civilization trying to get him to leave his home.
The next use of the word is "They hurry like savages to get aboard an iron train". This is not talking about any natives. The "they" is talking about people in civilization, which would be the so called white folk if we're assuming all whites are the civilized ones. And again it's a simile, not calling them savages either just saying they hurry LIKE savages. It's just to give us the idea of how they behave. It's not calling any particular group a savage.
And the mention of the word spear, OMG they committed the cardinal sin of assuming every African has a spear? No, this particular one uses a spear to do fishing, which he just got done mentioning in the previous verse. A lot of people use spears when fishing. Not just stereotypes.
And let's remember Danny Kaye was a famous comedian, and a lot of the wording is comedic and trying to force a rhyme in some places. And even when he's saying fake foreign language words, those words seem to be attributed to the "civilized" people in the story this song is telling.
So, in my opinion, this song is not racist at all and is anti-civilization and pro staying in a remote area instead. and I agree, modern "civilization" is largely a prison for people who think the government loves them and has their best interest at heart.