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Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Last Goodbye Lyrics 11 years ago
..."rusted chains
Busted walls and barb wire cage
Tried to hold me down"

He's saying that his woman keeps him in a gloomy half - assed emotional prison. She likely manipulates him by making him feel sorry for her and brings him down when he gets too happy. By using his desire to make her happy (which is likely not possible) she keeps him trying over and over only to fail. She might view this as a tactic to keep him "in check."

.."time was just a fist of change
Tossed in the water just in case
You ever came around"

When you're young, you have all the time in the world. You can waste it like a fist full of pennies tossed into a wishing well. I'm assuming the wish is that she "comes around" not physically, but he's hoping she comes around to realizing that being happy is a decision. He burns a lot of time with her hoping she finally gets it.

"Long before"...
"I could lose myself
I could curse like hell"

Before the above 2 sections, he had a temper, but his life had passion and energy. He felt deeply about things and apparently cussed a lot. Haha. This might reflect his breakups with other women.

"But I've lost the will to even try
If you ever doubt
Listen to the sound
No lies 
No no no
This is my last goodbye"

He's dead inside. He's emotionally worn out. He just wants it over and done.

"Now pardon me if I appear
To see beyond the now and here
To try to save myself"

I think point he makes here is that when he considers what life will be like in future, he doesn't view them as a happy couple. He's excusing himself for what she might take to be an insult. She may be perfectly OK with the way things were going.

"I'm not the kind to pin the blame
But I can't take more of the same
Livin on your shelf"

He doesn't care who's fault it is and he doesn't even want to discuss blame. He just wants out. He obviously feels used, like an object stored on a shelf until needed.

"Door closes 
Another one opens
I feel the cold wind blowin
Over me"

Obviously, he already senses new opportunities that come from freeing himself from her.

"Long gone
But not forgotten
I might be lost
I might be finally free"

It's over, but the time spent is a lesson learned and is to be remembered as such. More than losing a woman, he gained his freedom.
_____________

I hope that fills in some blanks for some. It's merely my perspective. I had the biggest problem figuring out the "fist of change" because I was thinking of change outside of the definition of currency.

Thanks

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