I think this song is about idealistic liberal artists, who tried to change the world through their artwork, but failed when the movement collapsed (both because no one was truly listening and because the movement fell apart from the inside out). This was written in the early 70s, around the same time that Hunter Thompson was writing about the collapse of the populist hippie movement - they "tried to sing of love" until the stage fell apart, either dying of overdose or succumbing to hedonism, nihilism, and/or capitalism. Using the theatre as a metaphor could also be a reference to earlier Bohemian movements.
Dreamer has a similar theme, but a much lighter tone. I'm not sure the CotC is a concept album per say, but there are definitely some recurring and interrelated ideas. I like the take by bookends as well, I think that message is there - they compliment the potential of singing of love, lament the fact that people aren't/weren't truly listening, and criticize the artists for failing to see their own role in the downfall of their movement.
As an aside, I have to say that this is a great song off a truly classic album - a timeless masterpiece, I say.
I think this song is about idealistic liberal artists, who tried to change the world through their artwork, but failed when the movement collapsed (both because no one was truly listening and because the movement fell apart from the inside out). This was written in the early 70s, around the same time that Hunter Thompson was writing about the collapse of the populist hippie movement - they "tried to sing of love" until the stage fell apart, either dying of overdose or succumbing to hedonism, nihilism, and/or capitalism. Using the theatre as a metaphor could also be a reference to earlier Bohemian movements.
Dreamer has a similar theme, but a much lighter tone. I'm not sure the CotC is a concept album per say, but there are definitely some recurring and interrelated ideas. I like the take by bookends as well, I think that message is there - they compliment the potential of singing of love, lament the fact that people aren't/weren't truly listening, and criticize the artists for failing to see their own role in the downfall of their movement.
As an aside, I have to say that this is a great song off a truly classic album - a timeless masterpiece, I say.