This is just my first impression of the lyrics and I could be totally wrong. However here I go anyway.
I think that this song is about a totally antisocial guy, maybe something happend to him in the past (should I just get along with myself? I never did get along with everybody else) and I agree with the river being used as a metaphor for life, although I think that instead of looking at the river with distain, and therfore wanting to end his life, I think that he is wondering if he should jump into the river, and become part of life. I think this not because of anything in the actual lyrics, but more from listening to the song. The tone that is used in the line "this river is wild" is not one of distain, one rather I would say of amazement. Also I do not think that the "man in red" is satan, but rather the ringmaster. I think that the circus is used alot in this album as a metaphor for life, and so the ringmaster could actually be seen as god, and the ringmaster wants him to become part of the world "boy I think you'd better get along" The main reason I see the ring master as a good force is that I think the second part is still supposed to be the ringmaster talking
"But you always hold your head up high, cause it’s a long, long, long way down. This town was meant for passing through, boy it ain’t nothin’ new, now go and show ‘em that the world stayed round. But it’s a long, long, long way down" it's like he's saying, be careful, but stay proud, believe in yourself. Anyway, getting back to the point, I think the guy is definately wondering wheather or not he should enter the world again, become part of society, or maybe to start a relationship. This is shown in the lines " listen to the sound of the world, don’t watch it turn. I just want to show you what I know and catch you when the current lets you go." The first part of that set of lines would refer to jumping in, the need to be part of the world "don't watch it turn" the second part is the narrator's wish to be part of the world, he yearns to take care of someone, but he doesn't know if he should. The narrator's problems with people are shown in the lines " Sometimes I’m nervous when I talk, shake a little. Sometimes I hate the line I walk. " I think the shake a little part is kind of refering to fear.
so that was my long winding thought process , sorry if it was kind of random, I just typed what I thought as I thought it.
This is just my first impression of the lyrics and I could be totally wrong. However here I go anyway.
I think that this song is about a totally antisocial guy, maybe something happend to him in the past (should I just get along with myself? I never did get along with everybody else) and I agree with the river being used as a metaphor for life, although I think that instead of looking at the river with distain, and therfore wanting to end his life, I think that he is wondering if he should jump into the river, and become part of life. I think this not because of anything in the actual lyrics, but more from listening to the song. The tone that is used in the line "this river is wild" is not one of distain, one rather I would say of amazement. Also I do not think that the "man in red" is satan, but rather the ringmaster. I think that the circus is used alot in this album as a metaphor for life, and so the ringmaster could actually be seen as god, and the ringmaster wants him to become part of the world "boy I think you'd better get along" The main reason I see the ring master as a good force is that I think the second part is still supposed to be the ringmaster talking "But you always hold your head up high, cause it’s a long, long, long way down. This town was meant for passing through, boy it ain’t nothin’ new, now go and show ‘em that the world stayed round. But it’s a long, long, long way down" it's like he's saying, be careful, but stay proud, believe in yourself. Anyway, getting back to the point, I think the guy is definately wondering wheather or not he should enter the world again, become part of society, or maybe to start a relationship. This is shown in the lines " listen to the sound of the world, don’t watch it turn. I just want to show you what I know and catch you when the current lets you go." The first part of that set of lines would refer to jumping in, the need to be part of the world "don't watch it turn" the second part is the narrator's wish to be part of the world, he yearns to take care of someone, but he doesn't know if he should. The narrator's problems with people are shown in the lines " Sometimes I’m nervous when I talk, shake a little. Sometimes I hate the line I walk. " I think the shake a little part is kind of refering to fear.
so that was my long winding thought process , sorry if it was kind of random, I just typed what I thought as I thought it.