I see the subject of the song possibly as the singer's daughter. Perhaps he is instructing his daughter, he in the metaphorical evening of his life? He sees here a very lovely girl, lovely as lilacs, but also treacherous to tread upon.
Her father also believes in her saying "What couldn't you have?"
I take the second part of the first verse to say "the pictures you ought to be in soon" which to me demonstrates the girl's vanity. She is waiting on people to give her much.
The second verse is what makes me think the subject is a daughter because she sits in the back seat fogging up a window with her worries. She believes herself completely admirable and desirable, but will anyone see her so?
In the third section, I believe the head of St. Catherine references a Catholic saint who had a great education and a very high opinion of herself. She said she would only marry one who surpassed her in reputation, wealth, beauty and wisdom. I just learned of her, but she fits very nicely with this interpretation, especially because she is known as a martyr by beheading.
It seems that she, like St. Catherine is asking for devotees worthy of her. Perhaps seeing none troubles her.
Then comes the song's titular line : "Why do you think we're here? Is that why they Call it Clear?"
I'm baffled by this line. My initial instinct is that call it clear means "obvious", but perhaps it means free from obstacles. It could be double entendre meaning both that she believes her attractiveness, perhaps in many ways, to be obvious and for the father's part that he believes her path to be free of obstacles.
For later he repeats again and again that his loved one can or can't die (it sounds like both sometimes). He believes the way is open to her. She must only decide.
When he says "delicate slip of sunshine" I get the sense that the singer refers to a possibly transient state of self-love rather than an actual life.
I'm not entirely sure what this song means.
I see the subject of the song possibly as the singer's daughter. Perhaps he is instructing his daughter, he in the metaphorical evening of his life? He sees here a very lovely girl, lovely as lilacs, but also treacherous to tread upon.
Her father also believes in her saying "What couldn't you have?"
I take the second part of the first verse to say "the pictures you ought to be in soon" which to me demonstrates the girl's vanity. She is waiting on people to give her much.
The second verse is what makes me think the subject is a daughter because she sits in the back seat fogging up a window with her worries. She believes herself completely admirable and desirable, but will anyone see her so?
In the third section, I believe the head of St. Catherine references a Catholic saint who had a great education and a very high opinion of herself. She said she would only marry one who surpassed her in reputation, wealth, beauty and wisdom. I just learned of her, but she fits very nicely with this interpretation, especially because she is known as a martyr by beheading.
It seems that she, like St. Catherine is asking for devotees worthy of her. Perhaps seeing none troubles her.
Then comes the song's titular line : "Why do you think we're here? Is that why they Call it Clear?"
I'm baffled by this line. My initial instinct is that call it clear means "obvious", but perhaps it means free from obstacles. It could be double entendre meaning both that she believes her attractiveness, perhaps in many ways, to be obvious and for the father's part that he believes her path to be free of obstacles.
For later he repeats again and again that his loved one can or can't die (it sounds like both sometimes). He believes the way is open to her. She must only decide.
When he says "delicate slip of sunshine" I get the sense that the singer refers to a possibly transient state of self-love rather than an actual life.