The lyrics are pretty straightforward and not much in need of interpretation. I was thinking that the theme of the song seems like a very benevolent take on the central idea in the Stephen King novel "Christine" in that a new owner restores an old car that meant a whole lot to the deceased former owner, and finds himself accompanied by the spirit of that former owner. In the novel, the car radio even gets the oldies station better than any other, as in the song. Being a Stephen King story, the former owner has far more malignant intentions than Malone's ghost in the song.
I did think that Malone's ghost, after pulling the narrator out of the crashed car, ought to have slapped him around a bit for a) wrecking the car and b) taking advantage of Malone's naive relative (or whoever it was who sold the car) in the initial sale. ;)
The lyrics are pretty straightforward and not much in need of interpretation. I was thinking that the theme of the song seems like a very benevolent take on the central idea in the Stephen King novel "Christine" in that a new owner restores an old car that meant a whole lot to the deceased former owner, and finds himself accompanied by the spirit of that former owner. In the novel, the car radio even gets the oldies station better than any other, as in the song. Being a Stephen King story, the former owner has far more malignant intentions than Malone's ghost in the song.
I did think that Malone's ghost, after pulling the narrator out of the crashed car, ought to have slapped him around a bit for a) wrecking the car and b) taking advantage of Malone's naive relative (or whoever it was who sold the car) in the initial sale. ;)