This is an amazing song. It tells a whole story.
There's a mother who apparently wants to shield her child from the corruption of the world around him. They live underneath the weight of this "river of sin" but she has built "dam walls" to keep him from it.
But, like all sons of such a story, he longs for freedom. One day he takes his opportunity. "Down came her tail when the boy learned to swim."
She fears the worst for him, that he'll be taken by wolves or bears.
Meanwhile, he continues swimming. "Everything new and beautiful." He marvels at this new=found freedom. And he's been through rough times, as is told by the "scars on his back, but his strength was near gone."
"The scars were mere evidence of the freedom he felt in his life, but not in his heart."
Marvelous words, these. He's regretting his behavior because he no longer feels free in his heart, though his freedom to go where he likes is now complete.
I wonder if this song is about a real person? Someone who was raised on 32nd street in New York by an over-possessive mother trying to keep him from the evil of the world. That would make sense for the subtitle "32nd street swamp."
I totally agree with your interpretation.
I think he's using a metaphor of a mother beaver and her pup to display his (possibly) personal story. The tittle just extends the metaphor; the 32nd Street swamp is the place where the beavers live, an actual place in Anacortes, WA.
I totally agree with your interpretation.
I think he's using a metaphor of a mother beaver and her pup to display his (possibly) personal story. The tittle just extends the metaphor; the 32nd Street swamp is the place where the beavers live, an actual place in Anacortes, WA.
This is an amazing song. It tells a whole story. There's a mother who apparently wants to shield her child from the corruption of the world around him. They live underneath the weight of this "river of sin" but she has built "dam walls" to keep him from it. But, like all sons of such a story, he longs for freedom. One day he takes his opportunity. "Down came her tail when the boy learned to swim." She fears the worst for him, that he'll be taken by wolves or bears. Meanwhile, he continues swimming. "Everything new and beautiful." He marvels at this new=found freedom. And he's been through rough times, as is told by the "scars on his back, but his strength was near gone." "The scars were mere evidence of the freedom he felt in his life, but not in his heart." Marvelous words, these. He's regretting his behavior because he no longer feels free in his heart, though his freedom to go where he likes is now complete. I wonder if this song is about a real person? Someone who was raised on 32nd street in New York by an over-possessive mother trying to keep him from the evil of the world. That would make sense for the subtitle "32nd street swamp."
I totally agree with your interpretation. I think he's using a metaphor of a mother beaver and her pup to display his (possibly) personal story. The tittle just extends the metaphor; the 32nd Street swamp is the place where the beavers live, an actual place in Anacortes, WA.
I totally agree with your interpretation. I think he's using a metaphor of a mother beaver and her pup to display his (possibly) personal story. The tittle just extends the metaphor; the 32nd Street swamp is the place where the beavers live, an actual place in Anacortes, WA.