I think this song is about death and "when you get there" is heaven, probably hell. This could be a song about an estranged mother who was only known by her child from postcards he received in the mail (Mom probably left kiddo with Grandma and followed the Grateful Dead). The mother is on his deathbed regretting life ("May God strike me dead") and can't argue with her now adult son about how her absence made him feel ("Too easily you choose my version of the truth"). The versus are so metaphorical, but talk about solitude. Janovitz has a Master in English, so there's probably a few references from literature that made an indelible impression on him.
I think this song is about death and "when you get there" is heaven, probably hell. This could be a song about an estranged mother who was only known by her child from postcards he received in the mail (Mom probably left kiddo with Grandma and followed the Grateful Dead). The mother is on his deathbed regretting life ("May God strike me dead") and can't argue with her now adult son about how her absence made him feel ("Too easily you choose my version of the truth"). The versus are so metaphorical, but talk about solitude. Janovitz has a Master in English, so there's probably a few references from literature that made an indelible impression on him.