I think there's a tad too much focus on the military imagery of the song.
I find the opening stanza the most clear basis for the song's antithetical depiction of human "nature". Several animals of (I assume) docile natures in their habitats, holding some vague universal belief.
Meanwhile, man is faced with increasing troubles that hinder our ability to relate to, or even know, [each other and] that which we were hardwired to be. So we stare at the smoke, the spectacle, accepting the absurdity of human culture, whalebones crushing the body (for who's aesthetic pleasure?), one's value being defined by their untimely death in combat without real reason.
While Joanna never seems to be too "timely", the clear focus on war could possibly, just a bit, relate to the War on Terrorism the western world is obligated to be in currently. Since the song was first released studio recording in 2003, it's possible.
I'm sick and my brain is stale. But the phrase, We know not now what we have known, is ringing pretty true in college right now. Why is it so hard to shake off the incongruities we're taught as custom in the teenage years and ... whatever. It starts with personal authenticity.
I think there's a tad too much focus on the military imagery of the song.
I find the opening stanza the most clear basis for the song's antithetical depiction of human "nature". Several animals of (I assume) docile natures in their habitats, holding some vague universal belief.
Meanwhile, man is faced with increasing troubles that hinder our ability to relate to, or even know, [each other and] that which we were hardwired to be. So we stare at the smoke, the spectacle, accepting the absurdity of human culture, whalebones crushing the body (for who's aesthetic pleasure?), one's value being defined by their untimely death in combat without real reason.
While Joanna never seems to be too "timely", the clear focus on war could possibly, just a bit, relate to the War on Terrorism the western world is obligated to be in currently. Since the song was first released studio recording in 2003, it's possible.
I'm sick and my brain is stale. But the phrase, We know not now what we have known, is ringing pretty true in college right now. Why is it so hard to shake off the incongruities we're taught as custom in the teenage years and ... whatever. It starts with personal authenticity.