"A trick they do with mirrors and with chemicals" -- a trick with mirrors refers to old-fashioned magic acts performed on stage (such as in Vaudeville) where mirrors were often the basis of the illusion. Chemicals refers to technology (If this song were more recent, I'd say it refers to pharmaceuticals specifically, but I am not sure how commonplace anti-depressants, etc. were when the song was written.) So, the two things that America excels at, entertainment and technology prevent us from noticing the boulevard of broken dreams.
"The words of love in whispers, And the acts of love in screams" - In popular culture and many individual lives, sex is given far more attention and emphasis than feelings or romance. This line reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel's lyric And whisper'd in the sounds of silence."
"A trick they do with mirrors and with chemicals" -- a trick with mirrors refers to old-fashioned magic acts performed on stage (such as in Vaudeville) where mirrors were often the basis of the illusion. Chemicals refers to technology (If this song were more recent, I'd say it refers to pharmaceuticals specifically, but I am not sure how commonplace anti-depressants, etc. were when the song was written.) So, the two things that America excels at, entertainment and technology prevent us from noticing the boulevard of broken dreams.
"The words of love in whispers, And the acts of love in screams" - In popular culture and many individual lives, sex is given far more attention and emphasis than feelings or romance. This line reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel's lyric And whisper'd in the sounds of silence."