speedlimitdriver's comments and overall interpretation of the theme seem the most spot on. I would add to his interpretation that the last verse is a recount of after the marriage.
I think the "calling the bluffs" line is the woman calling the man's bluff and his tough talk, which fits with the 'goodbye to the ugly steeple fear' (they get married). Then he reminds her that he's not anymore complex then a typical guy- 'bind with my hooks' shows he is emotional and physically co-dependent on her; 'open the books' indicates that in spite of that co-dependence, he needs to push her away, explore his own interests and be an independent man sometimes.
The 'dirty black cars' and 'angel of Corpus Christi' is imagery of a funeral. The cars are probably hearses. Corpus Christi is not just a city, but the Latin translation of the body of Christ. So the end of the song is a prayer that the man will be saved by heaven/religion and/or the love of his wife. "Tell me what I want to hear" has a double meaning: tell me there is life after death and tell me you will be there (here's where the selfishness comes in- does he love her and really want to spend eternity with her, or does he just not want to be alone?).
The repetition of "leaning in to the end" is the narrator's acknowledgment of this existential crisis. The crisis is that he may be getting married not for love but to hedge his bets against an eternal loneliness.
yr interpretation is really interesting but it's the last bit of yr interpretation (leaning in to the end0 that caught my eye. hm... thanks, it's helped me out loads.
yr interpretation is really interesting but it's the last bit of yr interpretation (leaning in to the end0 that caught my eye. hm... thanks, it's helped me out loads.
speedlimitdriver's comments and overall interpretation of the theme seem the most spot on. I would add to his interpretation that the last verse is a recount of after the marriage.
I think the "calling the bluffs" line is the woman calling the man's bluff and his tough talk, which fits with the 'goodbye to the ugly steeple fear' (they get married). Then he reminds her that he's not anymore complex then a typical guy- 'bind with my hooks' shows he is emotional and physically co-dependent on her; 'open the books' indicates that in spite of that co-dependence, he needs to push her away, explore his own interests and be an independent man sometimes.
The 'dirty black cars' and 'angel of Corpus Christi' is imagery of a funeral. The cars are probably hearses. Corpus Christi is not just a city, but the Latin translation of the body of Christ. So the end of the song is a prayer that the man will be saved by heaven/religion and/or the love of his wife. "Tell me what I want to hear" has a double meaning: tell me there is life after death and tell me you will be there (here's where the selfishness comes in- does he love her and really want to spend eternity with her, or does he just not want to be alone?).
The repetition of "leaning in to the end" is the narrator's acknowledgment of this existential crisis. The crisis is that he may be getting married not for love but to hedge his bets against an eternal loneliness.
yr interpretation is really interesting but it's the last bit of yr interpretation (leaning in to the end0 that caught my eye. hm... thanks, it's helped me out loads.
yr interpretation is really interesting but it's the last bit of yr interpretation (leaning in to the end0 that caught my eye. hm... thanks, it's helped me out loads.