I reckon the second verse ("We were fighting in Egypt..".) is a reference to the Yom Kippur war, specifically the ceasefire imposed by UN resolution 338, which was broken by the Egyptian armed forces.
I know Cohan toured and played shows for Israeli soldiers during the war. Stands to reason.
In any case, it's a very good song. The last two lines really get to me sometimes.
It seems to me as being about dealing with the world, with reality, and with growing up and aging.
I'd love to read other interpretations, though.
I reckon the second verse ("We were fighting in Egypt..".) is a reference to the Yom Kippur war, specifically the ceasefire imposed by UN resolution 338, which was broken by the Egyptian armed forces. I know Cohan toured and played shows for Israeli soldiers during the war. Stands to reason.
In any case, it's a very good song. The last two lines really get to me sometimes. It seems to me as being about dealing with the world, with reality, and with growing up and aging. I'd love to read other interpretations, though.