I think that this song is about a person who the protagonist partly admires and partly deplores. He is sick of the way they act so depressed and are so consumed in self pity but he does really care for them despite this. He finds the bravado that they hide their issues with distasteful, but understands that they are hurting and wants to help. The hard shoulder is the side road of anguish they walked whilst they were ill.
It could also refer to people of today in general, the way they search desperatly for more even though they have so much, and are eventually brought down by their own defences which they have created to hide the pain. He is bored of these behaviours, and wishes only for somebody content who he can talk to. He is trying to tell everybody that they can take control of themselves and build a brighter future, despite the depths they have sunk to.
Anyway, a very good song.
I think that this song is about a person who the protagonist partly admires and partly deplores. He is sick of the way they act so depressed and are so consumed in self pity but he does really care for them despite this. He finds the bravado that they hide their issues with distasteful, but understands that they are hurting and wants to help. The hard shoulder is the side road of anguish they walked whilst they were ill. It could also refer to people of today in general, the way they search desperatly for more even though they have so much, and are eventually brought down by their own defences which they have created to hide the pain. He is bored of these behaviours, and wishes only for somebody content who he can talk to. He is trying to tell everybody that they can take control of themselves and build a brighter future, despite the depths they have sunk to. Anyway, a very good song.