This song was inspired by the book "The Go-Between". I think it was by L.P.Hartley, and it was later made into a great movie staring Julie Christie. Anyway the Christie character is the song's voice. Her fiance went away in WWI, and she was selfish and lonely, so she took up with a groundsman (played by Alan Bates) at her estate. At that time, the class system was impenetrable, and the affair was doomed from the start. The "Go-Between" of the title is an adolescent boy, a friend of one of the boys in the family, whom Christie uses to carry letters and set up trysts with the Bates character. At the end of the book, the "Go-Between", now a young man, has obviously been damaged and emotionally stunted by the way in which Christie has used him. She however is oblivious to the harm that she's done and justifies her amoral behavior ("he (the Bates character) was fine and in the first place was around"). She sees the Go-Between as her "friend", although she treated him, and everybody else including her fiance, in a very shabby manner. The title of the song refers to a famous quote from the book-it might be the first sentence, I'm not sure-: "The past is another country. They do things differently there".
This song was inspired by the book "The Go-Between". I think it was by L.P.Hartley, and it was later made into a great movie staring Julie Christie. Anyway the Christie character is the song's voice. Her fiance went away in WWI, and she was selfish and lonely, so she took up with a groundsman (played by Alan Bates) at her estate. At that time, the class system was impenetrable, and the affair was doomed from the start. The "Go-Between" of the title is an adolescent boy, a friend of one of the boys in the family, whom Christie uses to carry letters and set up trysts with the Bates character. At the end of the book, the "Go-Between", now a young man, has obviously been damaged and emotionally stunted by the way in which Christie has used him. She however is oblivious to the harm that she's done and justifies her amoral behavior ("he (the Bates character) was fine and in the first place was around"). She sees the Go-Between as her "friend", although she treated him, and everybody else including her fiance, in a very shabby manner. The title of the song refers to a famous quote from the book-it might be the first sentence, I'm not sure-: "The past is another country. They do things differently there".
@Martinsherry16 long time ago - but thanks if you're still here. I've heard some obscure songs before but ... so I'm grateful for your interpretation
@Martinsherry16 long time ago - but thanks if you're still here. I've heard some obscure songs before but ... so I'm grateful for your interpretation