"They" - society/establishment - "want pigeons on a stool" - they want unintelligent subservient vermin who won't challenge the status quo.
"They don't want poets" - society wants functional cogs who make active contribution's to society "house painter", "defending criminals" i.e. lawyer etc. as opposed to creative thinkers. The house painter's solace is photographing models i.e. he is unhappy with his functional role in society and takes solace in creativity.
"Sisphyus in the sun" - S was an ancient Greek king who perpetually pushed a boulder up a hill only to watch it roll back down again - the narrator sees no point in teaching children, fostering creativity and intellect when this isn't what society wants (or, as part of society, the children want).
"The devil" - the evil in society? America? the establishment? I liked jasonthomas88's idea about hypnotism and also about wealth. Looking past the veneer of a functional society, you can find evil in the "details" but we are hypnotised or perhaps too blinded by wealth to see this evil.
"Can't work in politics or be in the circus" You must either choose to be part of society and function within its restrictions, or be an outcast - the idea of running away to the circus.
"Goodbye valedictoriasn goodbye punks" - I'm English but I looked it up and I think a valedictorian is the best student graduating from a university in a year. So basically, we're losing our academics and rebels, because they're not deemed desirable by a society that favours pigeons on stools.
A criticism of society and the establishment?
"They" - society/establishment - "want pigeons on a stool" - they want unintelligent subservient vermin who won't challenge the status quo.
"They don't want poets" - society wants functional cogs who make active contribution's to society "house painter", "defending criminals" i.e. lawyer etc. as opposed to creative thinkers. The house painter's solace is photographing models i.e. he is unhappy with his functional role in society and takes solace in creativity.
"Sisphyus in the sun" - S was an ancient Greek king who perpetually pushed a boulder up a hill only to watch it roll back down again - the narrator sees no point in teaching children, fostering creativity and intellect when this isn't what society wants (or, as part of society, the children want).
"The devil" - the evil in society? America? the establishment? I liked jasonthomas88's idea about hypnotism and also about wealth. Looking past the veneer of a functional society, you can find evil in the "details" but we are hypnotised or perhaps too blinded by wealth to see this evil.
"Can't work in politics or be in the circus" You must either choose to be part of society and function within its restrictions, or be an outcast - the idea of running away to the circus.
"Goodbye valedictoriasn goodbye punks" - I'm English but I looked it up and I think a valedictorian is the best student graduating from a university in a year. So basically, we're losing our academics and rebels, because they're not deemed desirable by a society that favours pigeons on stools.
Mint song. :)