The protagonist in this song thinks he wants to settle down and be the main man (i.e., kingpin, bigwig) to his lover, living in Pekin (a small town in Illinois, but really any small town in the U.S.). However, the lure of the big city calls for him to give up the small-town life for hustle and bustle. He has "the flu," or itch, to seek bigger and better things, perhaps a faster life of drugs and music (hand claps). He realizes, though, that he only gets one chance at such a life, as suggested by the Statue of Liberty play--a trick play in football where the quarterback fakes a throw but hands off the ball to a running back, fooling the defense.
So, the protagonist is in a conundrum: Should he stay in the stability of a relationship in small-town Pekin or seek greener pastures in the city? The last verse insinuates he doesn't know which choice to make. However, the name of the song is "Kingpin," meaning he will likely forgo the fast life and be the kingpin of his relationship in Pekin.
The protagonist in this song thinks he wants to settle down and be the main man (i.e., kingpin, bigwig) to his lover, living in Pekin (a small town in Illinois, but really any small town in the U.S.). However, the lure of the big city calls for him to give up the small-town life for hustle and bustle. He has "the flu," or itch, to seek bigger and better things, perhaps a faster life of drugs and music (hand claps). He realizes, though, that he only gets one chance at such a life, as suggested by the Statue of Liberty play--a trick play in football where the quarterback fakes a throw but hands off the ball to a running back, fooling the defense.
So, the protagonist is in a conundrum: Should he stay in the stability of a relationship in small-town Pekin or seek greener pastures in the city? The last verse insinuates he doesn't know which choice to make. However, the name of the song is "Kingpin," meaning he will likely forgo the fast life and be the kingpin of his relationship in Pekin.