Maybe I'm looking too deep into it, but I see it as a kind of repeating sadly ironic story. I think the song is a meditation on how he paradoxically claims to want freedom and independence, but also wants to be truly loved and cared for; and how he wants to be forgiven for seemingly always hurting the only ones who show him any compassion, but denies culpability by blaming external factors like people, the world and even fate to a degree- as if that's just the way he is. Sort of like a battle between freedom/aimlessness vs. stillness/peace
the first two lines has two things that don't traditionally belong together. A bird on a wire can come and go as it pleases and no one notices. The drunk in the choir I think signifies a despondent, miserable person that wants to be saved, but won't improve himself. The way he stays free is by anonymity or by lack of commitment.
Next stanza I think deals with denying the importance of the past and wanting to have a pre-determined happy ending with a romantic interest. The worm on the hook I think is saying he just trying to get out, but she caught she went for him, and the Knight in a book suggests he wants fairy tale happy ending. The ribbons are a reference to gifts ladies gave their knights as tokens of devotion, meaning there's been other women before that he's probably spun the same story to. He almost expects her to forget whatever bad he's done, and that she's the only one he wouldn't really betray
Third stanza talks about how he's helpless and longs to be cherished like a baby, but is inherently unlovable and repulsive like a stillborn, and that he cant help but hurt others, but goes on to promise that he'll find a way to make up for what seems to be a long history of hurting others if he can get just another chance.
The fourth has him running into a stranger that seems to be a walking contradiction like himself- but seems to be a sign for him stop waiting for someone to "fix" him. The beggar who seems to be worse off in life, tells him basically that he expects too much from others- I'm guessing a sign to stop drifting through life as if he's doomed to loneliness and needs to be saved by someone. But then the pretty woman invites him to her room which will probably start his whole cycle of desperately trying to get someone to give him the security and true love that he's been unable to find in himself.
Maybe I'm looking too deep into it, but I see it as a kind of repeating sadly ironic story. I think the song is a meditation on how he paradoxically claims to want freedom and independence, but also wants to be truly loved and cared for; and how he wants to be forgiven for seemingly always hurting the only ones who show him any compassion, but denies culpability by blaming external factors like people, the world and even fate to a degree- as if that's just the way he is. Sort of like a battle between freedom/aimlessness vs. stillness/peace
the first two lines has two things that don't traditionally belong together. A bird on a wire can come and go as it pleases and no one notices. The drunk in the choir I think signifies a despondent, miserable person that wants to be saved, but won't improve himself. The way he stays free is by anonymity or by lack of commitment.
Next stanza I think deals with denying the importance of the past and wanting to have a pre-determined happy ending with a romantic interest. The worm on the hook I think is saying he just trying to get out, but she caught she went for him, and the Knight in a book suggests he wants fairy tale happy ending. The ribbons are a reference to gifts ladies gave their knights as tokens of devotion, meaning there's been other women before that he's probably spun the same story to. He almost expects her to forget whatever bad he's done, and that she's the only one he wouldn't really betray
Third stanza talks about how he's helpless and longs to be cherished like a baby, but is inherently unlovable and repulsive like a stillborn, and that he cant help but hurt others, but goes on to promise that he'll find a way to make up for what seems to be a long history of hurting others if he can get just another chance.
The fourth has him running into a stranger that seems to be a walking contradiction like himself- but seems to be a sign for him stop waiting for someone to "fix" him. The beggar who seems to be worse off in life, tells him basically that he expects too much from others- I'm guessing a sign to stop drifting through life as if he's doomed to loneliness and needs to be saved by someone. But then the pretty woman invites him to her room which will probably start his whole cycle of desperately trying to get someone to give him the security and true love that he's been unable to find in himself.