Modern Times Lyrics

Lyric discussion by BigAlStewartFan 

Cover art for Modern Times lyrics by Al Stewart

This song is about a man who finds his old friend in a bar but when he tries to remember old times with him he finds out that he has given up the city life and went to seek Transcendence and purpose. He goes to find it in Buddisium in Nepal but comes out empty handed. The key word is "Kerouac" Jack Kerouac wrote The Dharma Bums about himself seeling purpose and it this story he seeks this in Buddisium aswell. And when he tells the guy to leave him alone the guy gets caught with the same question and goes out side and see all the tempations in Red Light District (Amsterdam) and the song lingers with the question of, what the purpose of life or your own life?