Wow, I had it totally backwards for 30 years. First, I heard it as "The injustice of our -breed-" and "...emptiness of ourselves". I pictured D being drunk on the beach and seeing a beautiful woman looking at him. But he can tell by the look in her eyes that he, by virtue of his upbringing ("breed") and hygiene ("dirt... of ourselves"), etc., is of a lower socioeconomic status and therefore doesn't stand a chance with her. In fact, his only value is the five cents that his empty bottle is worth.
I think psychologists would call my teenage interpretation "projection". Sounds like I got his helplessness part a little right, though, so there's that. I'm better now, thanks.
Now to go correct Lyric Genius, which has been looking at it through the Jackass lens.
Wow, I had it totally backwards for 30 years. First, I heard it as "The injustice of our -breed-" and "...emptiness of ourselves". I pictured D being drunk on the beach and seeing a beautiful woman looking at him. But he can tell by the look in her eyes that he, by virtue of his upbringing ("breed") and hygiene ("dirt... of ourselves"), etc., is of a lower socioeconomic status and therefore doesn't stand a chance with her. In fact, his only value is the five cents that his empty bottle is worth.
I think psychologists would call my teenage interpretation "projection". Sounds like I got his helplessness part a little right, though, so there's that. I'm better now, thanks.
Now to go correct Lyric Genius, which has been looking at it through the Jackass lens.