To me, this song is about the impermanence of everything good and beautiful in this world, and our inability as humans to control or prevent change and loss in our lives. Nothing stays innocent and pure for very long before it becomes corrupted or irreversably altered.
It was true of the Americas that were once viewed as a prestine "New World" but often feels like an overdeveloped mess now. And it's true of we ourselves as well.
But although the meaning of this song is applicable to many things in this broad sense, I have to say that the example of the girl (Caroline) resonates with me most of all. Women always try to change themselves in an effort to be more acceptable in someone else's opinion, even if they seemed as if they were perfect the way they were in the first place. I think it's tragic, some of the things women do to themselves. Why can't they just be who they naturally are?
And from my perspective, it does feel like a betrayal of whatever personal feelings you might have invested in a girl. Even if you barely know her, it's still sad to see. In a way, it goes along with the Cranberries song, "Pretty". This is probably my favorite Beach Boys / Brian Wilson song.
@Androcles what a ridiculous, stupid, sexist comment. First, women do not change themselves anymore than men do. Second, women do to themselves exactly what they want to do, it's not your business to criticize it. Third, given the type of person you seem to be, I am pretty certain you would never actually accept a woman as she "naturally" is (no makeup at all, keeping the hair on her legs etc). And fourth, a woman does not owe you anything. Ever. Especially not due to your feelings. "Invested", as if you were doing her a favor by liking her... Yuck....
@Androcles what a ridiculous, stupid, sexist comment. First, women do not change themselves anymore than men do. Second, women do to themselves exactly what they want to do, it's not your business to criticize it. Third, given the type of person you seem to be, I am pretty certain you would never actually accept a woman as she "naturally" is (no makeup at all, keeping the hair on her legs etc). And fourth, a woman does not owe you anything. Ever. Especially not due to your feelings. "Invested", as if you were doing her a favor by liking her... Yuck.
About that song, the music is extraordinary, the lyrics not so much. They are simply a bit immature (oh no, sometimes people change their hairdo and stop relationships!). It is excusable from a young naive person, it's never fun to be dumped, but it's certainly not a masterpiece of writing.
To me, this song is about the impermanence of everything good and beautiful in this world, and our inability as humans to control or prevent change and loss in our lives. Nothing stays innocent and pure for very long before it becomes corrupted or irreversably altered.
It was true of the Americas that were once viewed as a prestine "New World" but often feels like an overdeveloped mess now. And it's true of we ourselves as well.
But although the meaning of this song is applicable to many things in this broad sense, I have to say that the example of the girl (Caroline) resonates with me most of all. Women always try to change themselves in an effort to be more acceptable in someone else's opinion, even if they seemed as if they were perfect the way they were in the first place. I think it's tragic, some of the things women do to themselves. Why can't they just be who they naturally are?
And from my perspective, it does feel like a betrayal of whatever personal feelings you might have invested in a girl. Even if you barely know her, it's still sad to see. In a way, it goes along with the Cranberries song, "Pretty". This is probably my favorite Beach Boys / Brian Wilson song.
@Androcles what a ridiculous, stupid, sexist comment. First, women do not change themselves anymore than men do. Second, women do to themselves exactly what they want to do, it's not your business to criticize it. Third, given the type of person you seem to be, I am pretty certain you would never actually accept a woman as she "naturally" is (no makeup at all, keeping the hair on her legs etc). And fourth, a woman does not owe you anything. Ever. Especially not due to your feelings. "Invested", as if you were doing her a favor by liking her... Yuck....
@Androcles what a ridiculous, stupid, sexist comment. First, women do not change themselves anymore than men do. Second, women do to themselves exactly what they want to do, it's not your business to criticize it. Third, given the type of person you seem to be, I am pretty certain you would never actually accept a woman as she "naturally" is (no makeup at all, keeping the hair on her legs etc). And fourth, a woman does not owe you anything. Ever. Especially not due to your feelings. "Invested", as if you were doing her a favor by liking her... Yuck.
About that song, the music is extraordinary, the lyrics not so much. They are simply a bit immature (oh no, sometimes people change their hairdo and stop relationships!). It is excusable from a young naive person, it's never fun to be dumped, but it's certainly not a masterpiece of writing.