I agree with Apfel. Although the first verse describes the second person as a man "who'd been sleeping rough", that doesn't necessarily mean someone living on the street -it could be a man really down on his luck -the sort of guy most likely to pay for a prostitute.
In the fourth verse it says:
"He kissed me on the mouth
His hands they headed south..."
And in the following verse:
"...with my face pressed in the clover
I wondered when this would be over..."
It seems clear that the persona singing the song is a male prostitute. (The indication the singer is a male is the chorus line: "...rain it down on the wife and the kids...")
I agree with Apfel. Although the first verse describes the second person as a man "who'd been sleeping rough", that doesn't necessarily mean someone living on the street -it could be a man really down on his luck -the sort of guy most likely to pay for a prostitute.
In the fourth verse it says: "He kissed me on the mouth His hands they headed south..." And in the following verse: "...with my face pressed in the clover I wondered when this would be over..." It seems clear that the persona singing the song is a male prostitute. (The indication the singer is a male is the chorus line: "...rain it down on the wife and the kids...")
Such a sad song. Cave is an astounding poet.