to me this song is about the loss of innocence and childhood...coming to age
a stereotypical hippie is spiritually attuned with a free mind, like an innocent child, before his mind is filled with societies crap.
there is also some tragic self awareness where Gram realizes that even though he is a hippie type at heart, he is very different from this character. gram is a grown up and can earn a dollar. this kid isn't addicted to money, sex, drugs, he seems pure.
the box represents money (now working to earn money), cruelty of the real world (this simple chore was more than he bargained for as he got lost), sex (box is a metaphor for vagina, which gram slyly mentions is beneath his arm), and its also a reference to drugs and sting operations (never carry more than you can eat). while the hippie boy might have been stoned on weed or lsd, non addictive ego shattering drugs, the box represents addictive egotistical drugs like opiates or speed and inevitable addiction that will take over his life, like sex and money.
to me this song is about the loss of innocence and childhood...coming to age
a stereotypical hippie is spiritually attuned with a free mind, like an innocent child, before his mind is filled with societies crap.
there is also some tragic self awareness where Gram realizes that even though he is a hippie type at heart, he is very different from this character. gram is a grown up and can earn a dollar. this kid isn't addicted to money, sex, drugs, he seems pure.
the box represents money (now working to earn money), cruelty of the real world (this simple chore was more than he bargained for as he got lost), sex (box is a metaphor for vagina, which gram slyly mentions is beneath his arm), and its also a reference to drugs and sting operations (never carry more than you can eat). while the hippie boy might have been stoned on weed or lsd, non addictive ego shattering drugs, the box represents addictive egotistical drugs like opiates or speed and inevitable addiction that will take over his life, like sex and money.