I think that this song, especially in the band's later years, was a way for Bobby to vent his frustration with never having gotten married. You can really feel his anguish during the rant at the end of the song (particularly on a View from the Vault IV, but I'm sure in other performances of the song as well). Happily, Bobby did finally get married (in 1999 I believe), but when I saw The Dead play this song over the summer, it seemed to lack that same intensity and anguish that I remember from the View from the Vault days. Just a theory, I certainly wouldn't want to "fit this song into the lines I might've drawn."
I think that this song, especially in the band's later years, was a way for Bobby to vent his frustration with never having gotten married. You can really feel his anguish during the rant at the end of the song (particularly on a View from the Vault IV, but I'm sure in other performances of the song as well). Happily, Bobby did finally get married (in 1999 I believe), but when I saw The Dead play this song over the summer, it seemed to lack that same intensity and anguish that I remember from the View from the Vault days. Just a theory, I certainly wouldn't want to "fit this song into the lines I might've drawn."