I think this song is about how the world has always been corrupted and full of hatred and wars, but that we need to keep the hope for a better tomorrow.
Joe can't say when things went wrong, or who's to blame "Was it all the amphetamine presidents and their busy wives; or did Manhattan crumble the day Marlyn died?"
In the last verse he speaks of the firemen who went into the world trade centre, into the fire. "Takin' the freight elevator to the incinerator. The hopped up G-men riding..." and seeing that this tragedy is like all the tragedies before it. They see the "Faces of the civil wars" in these people, "and holograms holding 44's"- the ghosts of the soldiers can be seen by them. In the end he sarcastically says to bring out the banners of Stalingrad and celebrate with a marching band, of the underhand.
The second verse, I believe, is Joe explaining how people avoid the problems - the wars, and famine and hatred- by escaping into a paradise and dreaming of something better. We don't do this because we are ignorant, or blind to the injustices, but because we need a little time to escape in order to get through life, and to feel like we matter, "every dog must have his day."
We need to celebrate life, and everyone who has ever lived- "Of all those lost, unborn, and unmade"- with a parade, even if it is a ramshackle day parade, just so that we can get though things. "We're going on through."
I think this song is about how the world has always been corrupted and full of hatred and wars, but that we need to keep the hope for a better tomorrow.
Joe can't say when things went wrong, or who's to blame "Was it all the amphetamine presidents and their busy wives; or did Manhattan crumble the day Marlyn died?"
In the last verse he speaks of the firemen who went into the world trade centre, into the fire. "Takin' the freight elevator to the incinerator. The hopped up G-men riding..." and seeing that this tragedy is like all the tragedies before it. They see the "Faces of the civil wars" in these people, "and holograms holding 44's"- the ghosts of the soldiers can be seen by them. In the end he sarcastically says to bring out the banners of Stalingrad and celebrate with a marching band, of the underhand.
The second verse, I believe, is Joe explaining how people avoid the problems - the wars, and famine and hatred- by escaping into a paradise and dreaming of something better. We don't do this because we are ignorant, or blind to the injustices, but because we need a little time to escape in order to get through life, and to feel like we matter, "every dog must have his day."
We need to celebrate life, and everyone who has ever lived- "Of all those lost, unborn, and unmade"- with a parade, even if it is a ramshackle day parade, just so that we can get though things. "We're going on through."
@phoebe9261 thanks for this. you nailed it. This song is a masterpiece and I’m thankful Joe got to share it before he left us to lead the parade.
@phoebe9261 thanks for this. you nailed it. This song is a masterpiece and I’m thankful Joe got to share it before he left us to lead the parade.