i've heard many different literal explanations for this song (i.e.: the factories of york, caterpillar and/or harley davidson; even waco, with my main man dave koresh), but they all have basically the same metaphorical meaning. i sort of relate this song to dave matthews band's "ants marching," because it portrays the same monotonous, regimented life to which ed alludes. the lyrics are actually fairly depressing in that sense. the only reprieve ed suggests is "medicine supposed to...make you high." very frighteningly, ed lastly says "i can't start till i'm dead." conceivably, there is really nothing he could do once dead...exempting, of course, unprovable religious beliefs. regardless, my opinion on the matter is that everything will be started for this subject, once given his freedom from the third-person tyranny he is living
i've heard many different literal explanations for this song (i.e.: the factories of york, caterpillar and/or harley davidson; even waco, with my main man dave koresh), but they all have basically the same metaphorical meaning. i sort of relate this song to dave matthews band's "ants marching," because it portrays the same monotonous, regimented life to which ed alludes. the lyrics are actually fairly depressing in that sense. the only reprieve ed suggests is "medicine supposed to...make you high." very frighteningly, ed lastly says "i can't start till i'm dead." conceivably, there is really nothing he could do once dead...exempting, of course, unprovable religious beliefs. regardless, my opinion on the matter is that everything will be started for this subject, once given his freedom from the third-person tyranny he is living