All the people saying this song makes no sense, or is just meant to be a nonsense song are putting no thought or effort into it and don't do this minimalist masterpiece any justice.
I like the interpretation in the Doolittle book that likens it to a surrealist film about a soldier at war whose been separated from the rest of his army and is yelling out of a trench through the smoke to find anyone "Yoo-hoo!" Problem is he's so on-edge and nervous he shoots first and asks questions later: "There goes my gun." Again he thinks he hears/sees someone, "Look at me!" he yells, but again, as the person gets closer his nerves get the better of him and "There goes my gun." Once again he sees someone so calls out "Friendsa Foe?" but before he realises that the other soldier is on his own side—BANG! There goes his gun.
Could be a commentary on the trigger-happy attitude of many Americans, people being mistaken for an intruder in their own home, and accidently being gunned down by a relative etc. Or how guns can just as easily take the lives of friends or foes if the person with the gun feels threatened enough.
All the people saying this song makes no sense, or is just meant to be a nonsense song are putting no thought or effort into it and don't do this minimalist masterpiece any justice.
I like the interpretation in the Doolittle book that likens it to a surrealist film about a soldier at war whose been separated from the rest of his army and is yelling out of a trench through the smoke to find anyone "Yoo-hoo!" Problem is he's so on-edge and nervous he shoots first and asks questions later: "There goes my gun." Again he thinks he hears/sees someone, "Look at me!" he yells, but again, as the person gets closer his nerves get the better of him and "There goes my gun." Once again he sees someone so calls out "Friendsa Foe?" but before he realises that the other soldier is on his own side—BANG! There goes his gun.
Could be a commentary on the trigger-happy attitude of many Americans, people being mistaken for an intruder in their own home, and accidently being gunned down by a relative etc. Or how guns can just as easily take the lives of friends or foes if the person with the gun feels threatened enough.