I know that Robert Pollard was a teacher until sometime before this album came out, and he has used themes from that before ("Gold Star For Robot Boy") so I assume it's at least a bit influenced by that. Here's my personal interpretation:
This new student comes who has issues like depression, but he's never given help for it because everyone else is wrapped up in their own business ("the sunshine fund was low, we couldn't greet you with a simple hello") - "The watchers of the flood", the faculty watching his descent, are too busy with their own lives than to help this kid out.
The narrator is the only one who understands ("But I believe you"). He wants to hear from this kid and try to help him. They want to go to "higher windows", being higher standards of living.
Despite his help, the kid commits suicide in the winter ("In the winter that you left"), but no one outside his immediate circle really hears about it until later ("The word got out, it was really such a pity").
The school decides not to even acknowledge his passing ("the judges and the saints...decided you should be left out"). And now the narrator's wracked with the guilt of not having saved him from his school and himself.
That's just what I came up with - probably wrong, but the great thing about GBV lyrics is that you can make them be about anything, really.
@TheRandomGuy I think your interpretation is right on. It's similar to mine, except in your interpretation it's about a student & in mine it's about a fellow teacher. This song always reminded me of a friend of mine (xoxo & RIP Mitch) who I thought of as a teacher figure; because of that I supposed I didn't consider it might be more likely about a student. I think it's very possible your interpretation is the closest to the actual meaning.
@TheRandomGuy I think your interpretation is right on. It's similar to mine, except in your interpretation it's about a student & in mine it's about a fellow teacher. This song always reminded me of a friend of mine (xoxo & RIP Mitch) who I thought of as a teacher figure; because of that I supposed I didn't consider it might be more likely about a student. I think it's very possible your interpretation is the closest to the actual meaning.
I know that Robert Pollard was a teacher until sometime before this album came out, and he has used themes from that before ("Gold Star For Robot Boy") so I assume it's at least a bit influenced by that. Here's my personal interpretation: This new student comes who has issues like depression, but he's never given help for it because everyone else is wrapped up in their own business ("the sunshine fund was low, we couldn't greet you with a simple hello") - "The watchers of the flood", the faculty watching his descent, are too busy with their own lives than to help this kid out. The narrator is the only one who understands ("But I believe you"). He wants to hear from this kid and try to help him. They want to go to "higher windows", being higher standards of living. Despite his help, the kid commits suicide in the winter ("In the winter that you left"), but no one outside his immediate circle really hears about it until later ("The word got out, it was really such a pity"). The school decides not to even acknowledge his passing ("the judges and the saints...decided you should be left out"). And now the narrator's wracked with the guilt of not having saved him from his school and himself. That's just what I came up with - probably wrong, but the great thing about GBV lyrics is that you can make them be about anything, really.
"Random Guy must have been listening to the streets" What...?
"Random Guy must have been listening to the streets" What...?
@TheRandomGuy
@TheRandomGuy
@TheRandomGuy I think your interpretation is right on. It's similar to mine, except in your interpretation it's about a student & in mine it's about a fellow teacher. This song always reminded me of a friend of mine (xoxo & RIP Mitch) who I thought of as a teacher figure; because of that I supposed I didn't consider it might be more likely about a student. I think it's very possible your interpretation is the closest to the actual meaning.
@TheRandomGuy I think your interpretation is right on. It's similar to mine, except in your interpretation it's about a student & in mine it's about a fellow teacher. This song always reminded me of a friend of mine (xoxo & RIP Mitch) who I thought of as a teacher figure; because of that I supposed I didn't consider it might be more likely about a student. I think it's very possible your interpretation is the closest to the actual meaning.