I listened to this song many times, and it wasn't until just a few nights ago I actually thought I got it. Although the meaning I found contrasts with others; I will explain.
The young boy loves his mother completely, and was looking for something beautiful to give her; something to symbolize his affection for his mother. So he found roses in the garden and thought they were beautiful like his mother, and certainly she would love a beautiful rose. And in grabbing the rose the thorns pierced his skin and he goes running to his mother. The mother helps her son, and then later they she must've been reading to him about the Bible, where the youngboys finds a connections between him and Jesus because the thorns they both had. Where Jesus had it on his head, and the young boy had thorns in his hands.
The instrumental part of the song I believe is supposed to symbolize the child growing up and he moves out from his family's home. Then come the
"When Uncle Sam comes along.
A foregin affair, but our young men are there.
And luck had his number drawn."
These words in my opinion is when the country is in war with a foreign county, the young men being the people from the country and when it goes on to say that luck had his number drawn I believe that he was called in for the draft and had to leave to fight.
Next comes
"It wasn't that long till our hero was gone, he gave to a friend what he learned from the cross."
The young child all grown up that had been sent to war was killed or he is no longer living. But in time before the boy's death he preached to his friends about Jesus.
The end..
Either way it means that a child's love, so simple, would never be forgotten.
And that he hurt his hands by trying so hard to tell his mother he loved her, and they both knew that the love was there, and this fact never needed anything else but the mother and child.
I listened to this song many times, and it wasn't until just a few nights ago I actually thought I got it. Although the meaning I found contrasts with others; I will explain.
The young boy loves his mother completely, and was looking for something beautiful to give her; something to symbolize his affection for his mother. So he found roses in the garden and thought they were beautiful like his mother, and certainly she would love a beautiful rose. And in grabbing the rose the thorns pierced his skin and he goes running to his mother. The mother helps her son, and then later they she must've been reading to him about the Bible, where the youngboys finds a connections between him and Jesus because the thorns they both had. Where Jesus had it on his head, and the young boy had thorns in his hands. The instrumental part of the song I believe is supposed to symbolize the child growing up and he moves out from his family's home. Then come the "When Uncle Sam comes along. A foregin affair, but our young men are there. And luck had his number drawn."
These words in my opinion is when the country is in war with a foreign county, the young men being the people from the country and when it goes on to say that luck had his number drawn I believe that he was called in for the draft and had to leave to fight.
Next comes "It wasn't that long till our hero was gone, he gave to a friend what he learned from the cross."
The young child all grown up that had been sent to war was killed or he is no longer living. But in time before the boy's death he preached to his friends about Jesus.
The end..
Either way it means that a child's love, so simple, would never be forgotten. And that he hurt his hands by trying so hard to tell his mother he loved her, and they both knew that the love was there, and this fact never needed anything else but the mother and child.
That's my take on it. :]