High life
"mmmmmmm"
In a small fishing village
Northeast of Guam
Sits a fine young chap
Holding hands with his mom
As the fish swim by
So does Joe
For his body is in Guam
But his mind is in Kokomo
"Kokomo, Indiana
Kokomo, Indiana"
"mmmmmmmm"
I long to be
Inside my home
Where the rafters are thick
With mens cologne
"mens cologne"
For if I were a tree
I know where I would grow
But my body is in Guam
My mind is in Kokomo
"Kokomo, Indiana
Kokomo, Indiana"
"mmmmmmmm"
It?s a large swimming pool
That will light up at night
With cigarette girl
And groom dressed in white
"dressed in white"
As the organ plays a song
The crowd doesn?t know
For their bodies are in Guam
But their minds are in Kokomo.
"Kokomo, Indiana
Kokomo, Indiana"
In a small fishing village
Northeast of Guam
Sits a fine young chap
Holding hands with his mom
As the fish swim by
So does Joe
For his body is in Guam
But his mind is in Kokomo
"Kokomo, Indiana
Kokomo, Indiana"
"mmmmmmmm"
I long to be
Inside my home
Where the rafters are thick
With mens cologne
"mens cologne"
For if I were a tree
I know where I would grow
But my body is in Guam
My mind is in Kokomo
"Kokomo, Indiana
Kokomo, Indiana"
"mmmmmmmm"
It?s a large swimming pool
That will light up at night
With cigarette girl
And groom dressed in white
"dressed in white"
As the organ plays a song
The crowd doesn?t know
For their bodies are in Guam
But their minds are in Kokomo.
"Kokomo, Indiana
Kokomo, Indiana"
Lyrics submitted by Bobo192
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
I haven't actually heard this song, but just judging by the lyrics, I'd say that that is sort of the point- there isn't anything special about Kokomo, Indiana at all. But since it is Joe's home, it is the most important place in the world to him. He may not even realize how much he loves the place until he is away from it. He wants to be back and return to his life, maybe even get married, but instead he's a lifeless corpse floating down a river in Southeast Asia, and he probably doesn't even know why. (He might not be dead, but I interpret it that way. "Bodies" is too impersonal a word to describe a living person.)
John Prine does a very good job of being "for the common man." Many of his songs show a deep respect for people in general, whether it be the little boy and his mother in Guam or the soldier (who is just a person like you or me) who has to be there. Even using words like "mom" instead of "mother" keep it from having a pretentious tone, and help you realize that they are just everyday people too- it's a song for people about people.
And, of course, whether they are families in Guam or soldiers from America, their lives are probably going to be ravaged by war (specifically, Vietnam.)