The key idea--the key to understanding this song--is to realize that the writing establishes this as a "self-realization anthem," like Lennon's "Across the Universe," which has the line "Nothing's gonna change my world." So the John who wrote this is saying, in effect, "Lennon turnedon/tunedin/droppedout and gave us his acid-drenched take on the Big Picture. Well, I've had my own epiphany, and this song is here to lay it on you." The choice to mutate the line with the word "clothes" is actually rather arbitrary, though it does also happen to be a little funny. Nothing wrong with a little humor!
That given, what, then, is John's insight? This is just a prophetic vision of what he sees around him. All the things he describes are actually pretty much a realistic description of the world we live in. In addition, he tries to home in on an important spritual reality; that people do tend to allow themselves to smother in closed systems, minimizing opportunities to have fresh feelings and insights, or meaningful exchanges with others; in effect, not "coming up for air." Well, notwithstanding the musical stylizing and the way he tosses this line off like nothing, it's actually very, very serious.
This is another case where the Johns couch a rather dire scenario in a happy-go-lucky, lilting little showtune. They also do this in "Son of God."
I only sort-of disagree with Sr. Larrikin.
The key idea--the key to understanding this song--is to realize that the writing establishes this as a "self-realization anthem," like Lennon's "Across the Universe," which has the line "Nothing's gonna change my world." So the John who wrote this is saying, in effect, "Lennon turnedon/tunedin/droppedout and gave us his acid-drenched take on the Big Picture. Well, I've had my own epiphany, and this song is here to lay it on you." The choice to mutate the line with the word "clothes" is actually rather arbitrary, though it does also happen to be a little funny. Nothing wrong with a little humor!
That given, what, then, is John's insight? This is just a prophetic vision of what he sees around him. All the things he describes are actually pretty much a realistic description of the world we live in. In addition, he tries to home in on an important spritual reality; that people do tend to allow themselves to smother in closed systems, minimizing opportunities to have fresh feelings and insights, or meaningful exchanges with others; in effect, not "coming up for air." Well, notwithstanding the musical stylizing and the way he tosses this line off like nothing, it's actually very, very serious.
This is another case where the Johns couch a rather dire scenario in a happy-go-lucky, lilting little showtune. They also do this in "Son of God."