I think the meaning is pretty obvious; it's a cautionary tale about fame. The lyrics begin by saying, "they made you a star," showing that it's the mood of the crowd that decides who's a star, not the person's talent or innate qualities. It goes from there to remind the person that fame is passing, and one day they'll be forgotten ("back on the shelf," "out in the cold"), so they better have a plan for the inevitable falling of their star.
As in all Gerry Rafferty's work, the tune and the words work together well to portray the feelings in the lyrics. This is a song you can listen to over and over without getting tired of it.
I think the meaning is pretty obvious; it's a cautionary tale about fame. The lyrics begin by saying, "they made you a star," showing that it's the mood of the crowd that decides who's a star, not the person's talent or innate qualities. It goes from there to remind the person that fame is passing, and one day they'll be forgotten ("back on the shelf," "out in the cold"), so they better have a plan for the inevitable falling of their star.
As in all Gerry Rafferty's work, the tune and the words work together well to portray the feelings in the lyrics. This is a song you can listen to over and over without getting tired of it.