I never thought the lyrics amounted to anything more than what they are. So I don't think the road is the motif, I think it is the whole song!
It sounds to me like a straight-forward ode to touring, probably penned after an especially bad show. They shake off their lumps knowing that there's another show tomorrow for all new faces, and then another one the day after that.
On the road, you have a bad show, get over it, go to the next one, and try again. The critics have no idea what happens to a band backstage or before a show ("funny, but I've bet you never left home" is an obvious FU to fans/critics that write-off a band for a bad performance when they could have been through a $#!+storm to even make the show) so, by comparison, the critics are none-the-wiser.
I never thought the lyrics amounted to anything more than what they are. So I don't think the road is the motif, I think it is the whole song!
It sounds to me like a straight-forward ode to touring, probably penned after an especially bad show. They shake off their lumps knowing that there's another show tomorrow for all new faces, and then another one the day after that.
On the road, you have a bad show, get over it, go to the next one, and try again. The critics have no idea what happens to a band backstage or before a show ("funny, but I've bet you never left home" is an obvious FU to fans/critics that write-off a band for a bad performance when they could have been through a $#!+storm to even make the show) so, by comparison, the critics are none-the-wiser.
I agree with this interpretation. Definitely a song about life as a band on the road and having ups and downs from one show to the next.
I agree with this interpretation. Definitely a song about life as a band on the road and having ups and downs from one show to the next.