This song shouts loudly of a frustrated early stage depression. The protagonist has lost or driven away his friends and intimate life partner (first mate). A ship is often used as a metaphor for life where the conditions abaord can represent the conditions of life and/or consequences of ones actions. The person is cynically defiant in his loneliness (i am the captain... fly my "very own" flag). The reference to TV dinners for one is self-deprecating. Eating in a place of honor at the captain's table but in such a lonely and meager way. He feels he is going nowhere and now just wants to withdraw socially and be left alone (repel all boarders, close the curtains). The author leaves us with the image of an unhappy person in a boat, alone, at anchor., turning away friends and family out of his defiant despair as if to say, "Fuck you, world! . I think hink the sadest part of this story is at the beginning, the protagonist feels as though he was finally abandoned by his partner (mate). Friends (crew) left him or were driven off and then finally his spouse or significant other. Just as he felt he was close to a solution to his problems (he sees land!) he turns to his mate only to find she had left him, too. To me this song clearly describes the onset of classic clincal depression. Been there, done that. It rings it as clear as a bell.
This song shouts loudly of a frustrated early stage depression. The protagonist has lost or driven away his friends and intimate life partner (first mate). A ship is often used as a metaphor for life where the conditions abaord can represent the conditions of life and/or consequences of ones actions. The person is cynically defiant in his loneliness (i am the captain... fly my "very own" flag). The reference to TV dinners for one is self-deprecating. Eating in a place of honor at the captain's table but in such a lonely and meager way. He feels he is going nowhere and now just wants to withdraw socially and be left alone (repel all boarders, close the curtains). The author leaves us with the image of an unhappy person in a boat, alone, at anchor., turning away friends and family out of his defiant despair as if to say, "Fuck you, world! . I think hink the sadest part of this story is at the beginning, the protagonist feels as though he was finally abandoned by his partner (mate). Friends (crew) left him or were driven off and then finally his spouse or significant other. Just as he felt he was close to a solution to his problems (he sees land!) he turns to his mate only to find she had left him, too. To me this song clearly describes the onset of classic clincal depression. Been there, done that. It rings it as clear as a bell.