This is gonna sound harsh, and I doubt this is what Serge had in mind when writing this, but the lyrics really sound like someone finally realising that his views of the world don't lead anywhere. I'm reading a book on how modern man is at a point of tension: on the one hand, he doesn't believe in God and believes in blind chance etc, but on the other hand he cannot deal with the logical consequence of that worldview. He believes in feelings and meaning and things like love and beauty, when he actually has no basis for such feelings. By amazing coincidence I found that same message in this song.
The chorus is powerful support:
Here I go once again trying hard to pretend
There's a future in your man made rules
I'll be governed by the road, get to shed this heavy load
I see no future, so leave me alone in the past
By the modern man's worldview, rules are indeed man made. But if everything is a result of blind chance, then the rules don't really make a difference - hence there's no future in them, as the man in the song realises. He sees no future - quite rightly, since his worldview doesn't support a glorious future. That's why he wishes to be left alone in the past, in a tone that to me at least sounds quite sombre and dark (as it well should, following my interpretation).
Also this blends in nicely:
I am told, the world is nearly ending
But when I look outside the birds are always singing
There's all this talk of the world ending and everything finishing in chaos with no ultimate meaning. However, the man in the song notices that there is beauty and meaning in nature (birds singing). This is interesting because it contradicts with his worldview of meaninglessness brought about by chance and randomness.
Go on, let the righteous guide you home to where you belong
I'll stay, listen to my favorite tunes, that's where I belong
You won't take me for a ride, you won't take me for a ride
The song closes with an arrogant attitude of not wanting to change and wishing to stick to the paradox that he is in. Nothing has meaning, but still the nature around him proves otherwise. Nevertheless, the person here chooses to ignore any possibility to mend the situation he is in.
Awesome song. I hope it makes listeners think about the situation they are in, too.
This is gonna sound harsh, and I doubt this is what Serge had in mind when writing this, but the lyrics really sound like someone finally realising that his views of the world don't lead anywhere. I'm reading a book on how modern man is at a point of tension: on the one hand, he doesn't believe in God and believes in blind chance etc, but on the other hand he cannot deal with the logical consequence of that worldview. He believes in feelings and meaning and things like love and beauty, when he actually has no basis for such feelings. By amazing coincidence I found that same message in this song.
The chorus is powerful support: Here I go once again trying hard to pretend There's a future in your man made rules I'll be governed by the road, get to shed this heavy load I see no future, so leave me alone in the past
By the modern man's worldview, rules are indeed man made. But if everything is a result of blind chance, then the rules don't really make a difference - hence there's no future in them, as the man in the song realises. He sees no future - quite rightly, since his worldview doesn't support a glorious future. That's why he wishes to be left alone in the past, in a tone that to me at least sounds quite sombre and dark (as it well should, following my interpretation).
Also this blends in nicely: I am told, the world is nearly ending But when I look outside the birds are always singing
There's all this talk of the world ending and everything finishing in chaos with no ultimate meaning. However, the man in the song notices that there is beauty and meaning in nature (birds singing). This is interesting because it contradicts with his worldview of meaninglessness brought about by chance and randomness.
Go on, let the righteous guide you home to where you belong I'll stay, listen to my favorite tunes, that's where I belong You won't take me for a ride, you won't take me for a ride
The song closes with an arrogant attitude of not wanting to change and wishing to stick to the paradox that he is in. Nothing has meaning, but still the nature around him proves otherwise. Nevertheless, the person here chooses to ignore any possibility to mend the situation he is in.
Awesome song. I hope it makes listeners think about the situation they are in, too.