| Counting Crows – Rain King Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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The title and theme are related to the Saul Bellows' book "Henderson the Rain King". Sometimes in songs, the narrator is not a very sympathetic character. This is the case in both the song and the book. Here in the song we find man who is struggling in malaise and discontent. The source of the discontent is his earnest belief that he deserves much more from life than what he has. He sees himself as man of big ideas ("faith and sex and God"), as a man who "belongs in the service of a Queen". His ambition may or may not be admirable, but the reality is that he fluctuates between a life of fearful paralysis and loneliness (i.e. "I can't go outside, I might not make it home). Attempts he has made to create his believed destiny have resulted in failure (she's crying/he's thinking, she's lying/ he's sinking, she's dying/ he's drinking) . These may be romantic encounters or they may refer to the queen figure which is any ambitious endeavor that he believes he has entitlement to. In fact, entitlement is the key here. He is the (self-appointed) King. No one else would give him that title, and he likely will never deserve it. |
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