The Heinrich Maneuver

Let's do this the mountain man way and analyzeit line by line. Overall, I'd say it's about a girl who has moved away and he once had feelings for. Perhaps the feelings were mutual, perhaps not, perhaps it seemed they were and he later found it was not so. Either way the girl has hurt him and led him down the wrong path one too many times and he is finally moving on. So let's take a look: "How are things on the West Coast? I hear you movin' real fine" -Clearly the girl has moved or at least been away for quite some time. It appears this may be the first time they have talked in quite some time as he begins with the usual awkward small talk one might experience with a former object of affection. He has heard she's doing well, whether "moving" is meant as literally changing location or is used as a metaphor for basically handling life.

"You wear those shoes like a dove Now strut those shoes We'll go roaming in the night" -He begins to feel those old feelings of attraction again. It's her shoes that spark this. He compares her to the grace and beauty of a dove. He starts to think about them dating (perhaps again), spending their nights together on the town as many couples do.

"Well how are things on the West Coast? You keep it movin' to your soul's delight" -He remembers that it's not right for them to be together and snaps himself back out of his infatuated daze by returning to the original subject. He realizes that she is doing what she wants and isn't restricted by his needs (or ever was?). There seems to be a bit of bitterness in this line, to me at least.

"Now I've tried the brakes I've tried but you know it's a lonely ride" -He's tried before to break himself away from her because she either (a) has hurt him too many times, (b) he can't have her, or (c) she is simply not right for him and leads him to do things that he doesn't see as good for him. All of them are possible motivations. I'm going to use (a) for the rest of the interpretation as it fits quite nicely.

"How are things on the West Coast? Oh and move heaven behind those eyes..." -Snap back once again to reality, but he can't help but be attracted to her. He puts this heavenly and wonderful aura about her and is overwhelmed by it when he looks into her eyes, even though he knows she's hurt him over and over. Perhaps he believes she doesn't mean to.

"Today my heart swings Yeah today my heart swings" -He regains his strength and begins to see the situation clearly. She's screwed around with his heart one too many times and he finally decides that it's time he moves on and swings his affections away from her.

"But I don't want to take your heart" -Obvious. He no longer feels the need to get the feelings he once had mutually as he's lost them. "And I don't want a piece of history" -He doesn't want back the past, in which perhaps they had had a better relationship. "No I don't want to read your thoughts any more My God" -He doesn't care how she feels about him anymore and is amazed/proud of himself.

"Yeah, but you're an actress I don't identify" -She has changed from the girl he had once loved. She's suddenly gained a false sense of superiority in her time away and is no longer the sweet girl he once knew. He's never seen her this way before and thus no longer identifies.

"Let it come" -Let life take it's course and let this mess of a relationship end. "'Cause I've got a chance for a sweet saint life" -He's got the chance to live a better life without the constant struggle and stress of trying to make her his. "I said I've gotta dance and you'll do just fine" -He has to leave her behind and move on happily. If she tries to stop, whether consciously or subconsciously, he knows she'll do alright without him. He says this smugly. "Well I've got a plan, look forward in my eyes" -He's finally got it all figured out and he has a new sense of anticipation for the future.

Sorry if it sounds like a story without much evidence to back it up, but I think you'll all be able to see the basic idea I'm communicating.