So far, I've read a lot of good interpretations on the meaning of this song, but I think everyone is looking into it too much. This song is about growth and being exposed to the real world, and let me explain why.
In the first stanza, the the narrator-(1) describes a desire to be somewhere new and also describes his setting in a new city with all of the independence that the new experience entails. One day narrator-(1) comes into contact with a person who apparently has life experience and is willing to offer some advice. However, this advice is a little callous and pessimistic, which is why the narrator-(1) isn't sure if this other person is a "friend" for offering advice or a "foe" for being somewhat negative in the advice.
The narration quickly changes to this other person for the rest of the song, whom I will now refer to as narrator-(2). From this point on, the narrator-(2) describes how the whole life experience will turn out to be anonymous and stagnant. People come and go taking turns holding this world, and you can't get out... the "traffic" is still.
In my opinion, the coolest part of this story is that the narrator-(2) needs narrator-(1) more than the other way around. I take this to mean that the older guy wants to validate his existence in his meaningless life by giving the younger guy a head start so that the younger guy doesn't fall into the traps of life. By offering valuable advice to the younger guy, the older guy can leave knowing he did something meaningful. But alas, the older guy (narrator-2) realizes that the younger guy (narrator-1) may not understand the pitfalls in life until he has experience them, by which time it is too late. When you are older you might understand.
If any of you remember the Dr. Seuss tale titled "The Lorax," then you might better understand the narration of this song.
So far, I've read a lot of good interpretations on the meaning of this song, but I think everyone is looking into it too much. This song is about growth and being exposed to the real world, and let me explain why.
In the first stanza, the the narrator-(1) describes a desire to be somewhere new and also describes his setting in a new city with all of the independence that the new experience entails. One day narrator-(1) comes into contact with a person who apparently has life experience and is willing to offer some advice. However, this advice is a little callous and pessimistic, which is why the narrator-(1) isn't sure if this other person is a "friend" for offering advice or a "foe" for being somewhat negative in the advice.
The narration quickly changes to this other person for the rest of the song, whom I will now refer to as narrator-(2). From this point on, the narrator-(2) describes how the whole life experience will turn out to be anonymous and stagnant. People come and go taking turns holding this world, and you can't get out... the "traffic" is still.
In my opinion, the coolest part of this story is that the narrator-(2) needs narrator-(1) more than the other way around. I take this to mean that the older guy wants to validate his existence in his meaningless life by giving the younger guy a head start so that the younger guy doesn't fall into the traps of life. By offering valuable advice to the younger guy, the older guy can leave knowing he did something meaningful. But alas, the older guy (narrator-2) realizes that the younger guy (narrator-1) may not understand the pitfalls in life until he has experience them, by which time it is too late. When you are older you might understand.
If any of you remember the Dr. Seuss tale titled "The Lorax," then you might better understand the narration of this song.