Great song. I kind of view the meaning of this song to be pretty straight forward.
The first verse talks about the narrator/singer being a ticket taker for a boat (or Ark ?). He essentially admits that he can not afford a ticket himself for the ride but instead can just dream about it as he counts the passers by.
The chorus makes me think that he once had a love interest (Mary Anne) who boarded the ship. He knows he doesn't have much of chance with her, but he has some hope that she will choose to stay with him rather than board the ark. Being a "gambling man" he decides to wait for her as she does leave. He also talks about how he is prepared to spend the rest of his life protecting and taking care of Mary Anne (has weapons, oil, gold), should she ever decide to return from her trip back to him.
Great song. I kind of view the meaning of this song to be pretty straight forward.
The first verse talks about the narrator/singer being a ticket taker for a boat (or Ark ?). He essentially admits that he can not afford a ticket himself for the ride but instead can just dream about it as he counts the passers by.
The chorus makes me think that he once had a love interest (Mary Anne) who boarded the ship. He knows he doesn't have much of chance with her, but he has some hope that she will choose to stay with him rather than board the ark. Being a "gambling man" he decides to wait for her as she does leave. He also talks about how he is prepared to spend the rest of his life protecting and taking care of Mary Anne (has weapons, oil, gold), should she ever decide to return from her trip back to him.