I had always believed this song to be about the transition in ideals that comes with growing up. In the beginning of the song, the lyrics are confident and powerful: the narrator has a mission. To me, this represents exactly what every young person thinks: that they can and will change the world.
If the first part of the song is about youth, then I believe the gorgeous last lines are about growing older and coming to terms with what your revolution really was. The narrator doesn't sound regretful--but he does admit that "it wasn't bad", as opposed to "we totally won." (Which, granted wouldn't sound as good.) He now realizes that he was young and idealistic, that maybe the revolution wasn't as greaat as he had thought.
I had heard theories about the song being about the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia too, Ukobach. However, I saw Stars in concert last night and they did a word change which baffled me (and others in the audience): instead of singing "Velvet underground," they sang "Digital underground." Maybe because it's more modern? Or maybe just because they felt like it? Either way, great song, and they are EXCELLENT live.
I had always believed this song to be about the transition in ideals that comes with growing up. In the beginning of the song, the lyrics are confident and powerful: the narrator has a mission. To me, this represents exactly what every young person thinks: that they can and will change the world.
If the first part of the song is about youth, then I believe the gorgeous last lines are about growing older and coming to terms with what your revolution really was. The narrator doesn't sound regretful--but he does admit that "it wasn't bad", as opposed to "we totally won." (Which, granted wouldn't sound as good.) He now realizes that he was young and idealistic, that maybe the revolution wasn't as greaat as he had thought.
I had heard theories about the song being about the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia too, Ukobach. However, I saw Stars in concert last night and they did a word change which baffled me (and others in the audience): instead of singing "Velvet underground," they sang "Digital underground." Maybe because it's more modern? Or maybe just because they felt like it? Either way, great song, and they are EXCELLENT live.