This song is fantastic! When I think about Dead American Writers (Hawthorne, Twain, Hughes, Thoreau, Fitzgerald, Salinger, Steinbeck, Morrison etc) their canonized works have in common is that they are all revolutionary social criticisms. They each put a mirror up to society and show us through humor, satire, irony and metaphor our follies. In Huck Finn, Mark Twain through Horatian satire attacks the institution of slavery and Christian hypocrisy through a lowly protagonist who in the end chooses to set out for Indian territory rather than become part of a society full of ignorance folly and greed “You've got to choose your own way out of here”. The book was and still is in some places banned, for various reasons because it “rocked the boat.” Steinbeck and Morrison do this through symbolic gestures as well. Each of these writers at one point or another has had their works banned by populations that didn’t like their social critiques.
Let us consider Fitzgerald for a moment and his great American novel, The Great Gatsby. One can’t help to think of the valley of ashes which is supposed to represent the death of the American dream. Wilson who represents the Working class American male is “waiting for a spark” and struggling just to make ends meat while the wealthy are indulging in greed and idleness. This is a classic theme of American Modernity in literature. In the end of the novel Nick, our protagonist in the book certainly leaves the reader with a final image of Gatsby who represents the American dream as “smashed up love and crime.”
Still–the chorus is a mystery to me. I would love to hear some opinions.
Mercury21, thank you for your thought-provoking interpretation of this incredible song! It means even more to me after reading your educated perspective on it. You actually made me miss my literature classes as an English major in college! ; ) Cheers to all those great writers who "rocked the boat!"
Mercury21, thank you for your thought-provoking interpretation of this incredible song! It means even more to me after reading your educated perspective on it. You actually made me miss my literature classes as an English major in college! ; ) Cheers to all those great writers who "rocked the boat!"
The chorus is what grabbed me right away when I first heard this song on the radio. Then when I learned the title, it made perfect sense to me. I believe what's missing from the lyrics is the word "If.." Maybe it's barely audible in the song, but it...
The chorus is what grabbed me right away when I first heard this song on the radio. Then when I learned the title, it made perfect sense to me. I believe what's missing from the lyrics is the word "If.." Maybe it's barely audible in the song, but it lends meaning for me. From the perspective of a "dead American writer, "If I could say anything....it would be this..." As in, if only I were still alive to tell you, I would tell you this. This one essential thing, what is truly important in life. I love that they don't come right out and say what "this" is. You described the chorus as a "mystery" to you, and indeed it is! I enjoy the mystery of it, and thinking of what "this" is for me. This essential thing I would want to tell those who come after me.
What a hauntingly beautiful song! I'm trying to learn it on guitar at the moment.
This song is fantastic! When I think about Dead American Writers (Hawthorne, Twain, Hughes, Thoreau, Fitzgerald, Salinger, Steinbeck, Morrison etc) their canonized works have in common is that they are all revolutionary social criticisms. They each put a mirror up to society and show us through humor, satire, irony and metaphor our follies. In Huck Finn, Mark Twain through Horatian satire attacks the institution of slavery and Christian hypocrisy through a lowly protagonist who in the end chooses to set out for Indian territory rather than become part of a society full of ignorance folly and greed “You've got to choose your own way out of here”. The book was and still is in some places banned, for various reasons because it “rocked the boat.” Steinbeck and Morrison do this through symbolic gestures as well. Each of these writers at one point or another has had their works banned by populations that didn’t like their social critiques.
Let us consider Fitzgerald for a moment and his great American novel, The Great Gatsby. One can’t help to think of the valley of ashes which is supposed to represent the death of the American dream. Wilson who represents the Working class American male is “waiting for a spark” and struggling just to make ends meat while the wealthy are indulging in greed and idleness. This is a classic theme of American Modernity in literature. In the end of the novel Nick, our protagonist in the book certainly leaves the reader with a final image of Gatsby who represents the American dream as “smashed up love and crime.”
Still–the chorus is a mystery to me. I would love to hear some opinions.
Mercury21, thank you for your thought-provoking interpretation of this incredible song! It means even more to me after reading your educated perspective on it. You actually made me miss my literature classes as an English major in college! ; ) Cheers to all those great writers who "rocked the boat!"
Mercury21, thank you for your thought-provoking interpretation of this incredible song! It means even more to me after reading your educated perspective on it. You actually made me miss my literature classes as an English major in college! ; ) Cheers to all those great writers who "rocked the boat!"
The chorus is what grabbed me right away when I first heard this song on the radio. Then when I learned the title, it made perfect sense to me. I believe what's missing from the lyrics is the word "If.." Maybe it's barely audible in the song, but it...
The chorus is what grabbed me right away when I first heard this song on the radio. Then when I learned the title, it made perfect sense to me. I believe what's missing from the lyrics is the word "If.." Maybe it's barely audible in the song, but it lends meaning for me. From the perspective of a "dead American writer, "If I could say anything....it would be this..." As in, if only I were still alive to tell you, I would tell you this. This one essential thing, what is truly important in life. I love that they don't come right out and say what "this" is. You described the chorus as a "mystery" to you, and indeed it is! I enjoy the mystery of it, and thinking of what "this" is for me. This essential thing I would want to tell those who come after me.
What a hauntingly beautiful song! I'm trying to learn it on guitar at the moment.