The speaker in the song-a young man evidently-realises his youthful idealism and passion and radicalism are going to be slowly eroded away by life and the passage of time. And no-ones even interested. And maybe even he doesn't really believe in it, 'buy' it, it's just another teenage angst pose, hence the overly exaggerated imagery of idealism, borrowed a bit from Jerusalem.
I think the drunken episode alluded to is one of the cracks in the facade, the first small breach in the dam. Or sex and alcohol are a means of escaping the knowledge.
I love the sly Sinatra allusion, which passed me by for years.
Fantastic song.
The speaker in the song-a young man evidently-realises his youthful idealism and passion and radicalism are going to be slowly eroded away by life and the passage of time. And no-ones even interested. And maybe even he doesn't really believe in it, 'buy' it, it's just another teenage angst pose, hence the overly exaggerated imagery of idealism, borrowed a bit from Jerusalem. I think the drunken episode alluded to is one of the cracks in the facade, the first small breach in the dam. Or sex and alcohol are a means of escaping the knowledge. I love the sly Sinatra allusion, which passed me by for years. Fantastic song.