I've always seen this album as a concept album for some reason, despite it not intensionally being one at all. But every time I listen to this album, especially this song and 'The Yo Yo Man' I think of a ship in the 17-1800s on the way to an icy barren country, the north pole for example, but has crashed, leaving the protagonist to deal with his fallen colleagues. There is so little information out there about this album and it's conceptual intentions, but I love reading these interpretations. Needless to say this is a very theatrical and atmospheric album, and the aesthetic of the album artwork only promotes this idea of sailing to an icy wasteland. Someone commented on here that Ian McCulloch wrote these lyrics whilst on a trip to Greenland, which answers so many questions! Seeing as this isn't a conceptual album, the other interpretations about it being about love and lust seem more relevant, and despite not noticing these connotations initially, they also make so much sense. I love this album so much!
I've always seen this album as a concept album for some reason, despite it not intensionally being one at all. But every time I listen to this album, especially this song and 'The Yo Yo Man' I think of a ship in the 17-1800s on the way to an icy barren country, the north pole for example, but has crashed, leaving the protagonist to deal with his fallen colleagues. There is so little information out there about this album and it's conceptual intentions, but I love reading these interpretations. Needless to say this is a very theatrical and atmospheric album, and the aesthetic of the album artwork only promotes this idea of sailing to an icy wasteland. Someone commented on here that Ian McCulloch wrote these lyrics whilst on a trip to Greenland, which answers so many questions! Seeing as this isn't a conceptual album, the other interpretations about it being about love and lust seem more relevant, and despite not noticing these connotations initially, they also make so much sense. I love this album so much!