Post by Nickleby on Nov 3, 2004 20:46:44 GMT -5
I was listening to this song today and it got me thinking. I know that the accepted interpretation of this song is that it is about a couple that has just broken up. If that is the interpretation, which I don't doubt is the generally accepted interpretation, than the narrator of the song is kind of self-important and a little bit chauvenist.
However, I remember hearing this song as a kid and thinking it was about a dad saying goodbye to a disobedient child. Kind of a prodigal son story. In that context, the kind of preachy moralizing is more palatable to me. After all, a caring loving parent would be grieved about the child's behavior, give the child advice about what the world is really like, but would eventually let that child find his or her own way.
Just thought I'd share my thoughts on this one.
However, I remember hearing this song as a kid and thinking it was about a dad saying goodbye to a disobedient child. Kind of a prodigal son story. In that context, the kind of preachy moralizing is more palatable to me. After all, a caring loving parent would be grieved about the child's behavior, give the child advice about what the world is really like, but would eventually let that child find his or her own way.
Just thought I'd share my thoughts on this one.