I think you are both on the right track. The subject has fallen from his ideals. He is ashamed of himself for doing so. He wishes for death, the angels say no. He wishes for support from his beloved, the angels say no. Then he just wants people to travel or search for him, the angels say no. He ends the song contemplating his existence having no purpose, the lifetime soldier always searching for his self, but never finding what he's looking for...his own personal heaven. The Angels, being representatives of heaven keep turning him away. The fact that there are 13 Angels is significant, 13 the unlucky number for the unlucky man.
Pepper is a great songwriter, I love all of his work. Beautiful song by an extraordinary band.
I think you are both on the right track. The subject has fallen from his ideals. He is ashamed of himself for doing so. He wishes for death, the angels say no. He wishes for support from his beloved, the angels say no. Then he just wants people to travel or search for him, the angels say no. He ends the song contemplating his existence having no purpose, the lifetime soldier always searching for his self, but never finding what he's looking for...his own personal heaven. The Angels, being representatives of heaven keep turning him away. The fact that there are 13 Angels is significant, 13 the unlucky number for the unlucky man.
Pepper is a great songwriter, I love all of his work. Beautiful song by an extraordinary band.