I can see the celebrity angle that the lyrics seem to suggest but I think this song is about a guy who got married young and is expressing regret.
This would be a guy who feels 'part of the crowd' when he's out on the town. He's in the spotlight - meeting new people, having fun, and (of course) meeting new women. The guy is narcissistic - he considers himself a Romeo - a lady's man.
When he got married everything changed. Now he's part of the scenery - he's the joke of the neighborhood (his crowd). His wife thinks he's 'part of the furniture' - but 'she used to be so nice'.
'Take the long way home' would be going out on the town instead of going home to his wife and family. He's married but he's living the single life and his wife thinks he's nuts (which might suggest midlife crisis).
The lyric 'there's no way out' is the feeling this guy has being stuck in a marriage he's unhappy with.
This guy sits back and thinks what could have been if he'd had more time when he was single.
In the end, when he's ready to settle down, no one's going to be there because he never really adapted to marrried life.
Maybe i'm taking the lyrics to literally - but that's my take.
You hit the nail right on the head. If you have been in a relationship like this, you know what it's like. He is on his way to divorce and trapped in a marriage that is going down the toilet fast. Very few who I have interpreted this song to, can here what I do in the lyrics.
You hit the nail right on the head. If you have been in a relationship like this, you know what it's like. He is on his way to divorce and trapped in a marriage that is going down the toilet fast. Very few who I have interpreted this song to, can here what I do in the lyrics.
I think this analysis is spot on. I picture a guy not wanting to go home to his suburban life and wife and taking the long way home so he doesn't have to be there.
I think this analysis is spot on. I picture a guy not wanting to go home to his suburban life and wife and taking the long way home so he doesn't have to be there.
I think this analysis is spot on. I picture a guy not wanting to go home to his suburban life and wife and taking the long way home so he doesn't have to be there.
I think this analysis is spot on. I picture a guy not wanting to go home to his suburban life and wife and taking the long way home so he doesn't have to be there.
Your analysis of this song is probably the most accurate one on here, however, there are a few things I need clarified, such as what the line, "And then your wife seems to think you're part of the furniture" means. I have never been able to figure out what "part of the furniture" means; it is clearly a metaphor for something. Nor can I decipher what the metaphor "part of the scenery" means, as well as the line "All the greenery is coming down, boy."
Your analysis of this song is probably the most accurate one on here, however, there are a few things I need clarified, such as what the line, "And then your wife seems to think you're part of the furniture" means. I have never been able to figure out what "part of the furniture" means; it is clearly a metaphor for something. Nor can I decipher what the metaphor "part of the scenery" means, as well as the line "All the greenery is coming down, boy."
Also, you mention that the subject of...
Also, you mention that the subject of the song thinks about what he could have been if he'd had more time when he was single; why did he not have enough time when he was single? And does he wish he had never gotten married at all or that he had waited until he was older?
I apologize for asking so many questions here, but I am very interested to understand the full meaning of this song, as it is my favorite Supertramp song. Thanks!
@mrjobu You pretty much hit how I always imagined it. I imagined it two ways: 1. Your Way, and 2. It could be about a singer/writer who is getting burnt out with the life he's in while everyone else is wanting him to do more. But in hindsight the former is the better because it's more relateable and makes more since.
@mrjobu You pretty much hit how I always imagined it. I imagined it two ways: 1. Your Way, and 2. It could be about a singer/writer who is getting burnt out with the life he's in while everyone else is wanting him to do more. But in hindsight the former is the better because it's more relateable and makes more since.
Alx, I always took the "part of the furniture," line as a reference to the decline of the relationship. My guess is that she's tired of him and is sleeping around with someone else hence why she just ignores him....
Alx, I always took the "part of the furniture," line as a reference to the decline of the relationship. My guess is that she's tired of him and is sleeping around with someone else hence why she just ignores him. Mainly she just doesn't love him anymore; she's there to either to leech off of him or for the kids sake. Hence why he feels he's part of the scenery he's just there pretending.
He's "the joke of the neighborhood" because he's stayed around and let her do all of that stuff. However he's at his breaking point and she realizes that which references his sanity and the greenery coming down. The guy at this point's regretting even marrying her and is getting close to divorcing her and getting back out on the single scene. However he realizes his prime is gone he's old news.
I can see the celebrity angle that the lyrics seem to suggest but I think this song is about a guy who got married young and is expressing regret.
This would be a guy who feels 'part of the crowd' when he's out on the town. He's in the spotlight - meeting new people, having fun, and (of course) meeting new women. The guy is narcissistic - he considers himself a Romeo - a lady's man.
When he got married everything changed. Now he's part of the scenery - he's the joke of the neighborhood (his crowd). His wife thinks he's 'part of the furniture' - but 'she used to be so nice'.
'Take the long way home' would be going out on the town instead of going home to his wife and family. He's married but he's living the single life and his wife thinks he's nuts (which might suggest midlife crisis).
The lyric 'there's no way out' is the feeling this guy has being stuck in a marriage he's unhappy with.
This guy sits back and thinks what could have been if he'd had more time when he was single.
In the end, when he's ready to settle down, no one's going to be there because he never really adapted to marrried life.
Maybe i'm taking the lyrics to literally - but that's my take.
You hit the nail right on the head. If you have been in a relationship like this, you know what it's like. He is on his way to divorce and trapped in a marriage that is going down the toilet fast. Very few who I have interpreted this song to, can here what I do in the lyrics.
You hit the nail right on the head. If you have been in a relationship like this, you know what it's like. He is on his way to divorce and trapped in a marriage that is going down the toilet fast. Very few who I have interpreted this song to, can here what I do in the lyrics.
I think this analysis is spot on. I picture a guy not wanting to go home to his suburban life and wife and taking the long way home so he doesn't have to be there.
I think this analysis is spot on. I picture a guy not wanting to go home to his suburban life and wife and taking the long way home so he doesn't have to be there.
I think this analysis is spot on. I picture a guy not wanting to go home to his suburban life and wife and taking the long way home so he doesn't have to be there.
I think this analysis is spot on. I picture a guy not wanting to go home to his suburban life and wife and taking the long way home so he doesn't have to be there.
Your analysis of this song is probably the most accurate one on here, however, there are a few things I need clarified, such as what the line, "And then your wife seems to think you're part of the furniture" means. I have never been able to figure out what "part of the furniture" means; it is clearly a metaphor for something. Nor can I decipher what the metaphor "part of the scenery" means, as well as the line "All the greenery is coming down, boy."
Your analysis of this song is probably the most accurate one on here, however, there are a few things I need clarified, such as what the line, "And then your wife seems to think you're part of the furniture" means. I have never been able to figure out what "part of the furniture" means; it is clearly a metaphor for something. Nor can I decipher what the metaphor "part of the scenery" means, as well as the line "All the greenery is coming down, boy."
Also, you mention that the subject of...
Also, you mention that the subject of the song thinks about what he could have been if he'd had more time when he was single; why did he not have enough time when he was single? And does he wish he had never gotten married at all or that he had waited until he was older?
I apologize for asking so many questions here, but I am very interested to understand the full meaning of this song, as it is my favorite Supertramp song. Thanks!
@mrjobu You pretty much hit how I always imagined it. I imagined it two ways: 1. Your Way, and 2. It could be about a singer/writer who is getting burnt out with the life he's in while everyone else is wanting him to do more. But in hindsight the former is the better because it's more relateable and makes more since.
@mrjobu You pretty much hit how I always imagined it. I imagined it two ways: 1. Your Way, and 2. It could be about a singer/writer who is getting burnt out with the life he's in while everyone else is wanting him to do more. But in hindsight the former is the better because it's more relateable and makes more since.
Alx, I always took the "part of the furniture," line as a reference to the decline of the relationship. My guess is that she's tired of him and is sleeping around with someone else hence why she just ignores him....
Alx, I always took the "part of the furniture," line as a reference to the decline of the relationship. My guess is that she's tired of him and is sleeping around with someone else hence why she just ignores him. Mainly she just doesn't love him anymore; she's there to either to leech off of him or for the kids sake. Hence why he feels he's part of the scenery he's just there pretending.
He's "the joke of the neighborhood" because he's stayed around and let her do all of that stuff. However he's at his breaking point and she realizes that which references his sanity and the greenery coming down. The guy at this point's regretting even marrying her and is getting close to divorcing her and getting back out on the single scene. However he realizes his prime is gone he's old news.
@mrjobu good interpretation!
@mrjobu good interpretation!