xOnix did a great interpretation. It is the song I feel like listening to most at the moment. To me it's just about growing up, growing out of things, coming to realise that everything is different and not as simple, that your 'mama' was right, even though you never believed her because you spent the whole time dreaming
I think this whole song is about realizing that life does have intrinsic value, and the lyrics are written through the eyes of one who just doesn't get it, talking to "the boy next door," modelled after Plant or anyone who feels that way, probably the listener in general, which is why he changed it to "girl next door" on the live DVD version. In the end, it's kind of a bitter irony, "is that the way it oughtta stay? yes, mama said that's the way it oughtta be." Kind of second-guessing what he was told and then...
I think this whole song is about realizing that life does have intrinsic value, and the lyrics are written through the eyes of one who just doesn't get it, talking to "the boy next door," modelled after Plant or anyone who feels that way, probably the listener in general, which is why he changed it to "girl next door" on the live DVD version. In the end, it's kind of a bitter irony, "is that the way it oughtta stay? yes, mama said that's the way it oughtta be." Kind of second-guessing what he was told and then re-assuring himself about what his parents said to him about the world, and working all day for a few bucks and neglecting life as it is. Some people just won't ever change... it's like Plant had found a power to convey pitiful emotions towards the character he was playing, which makes it twice as emotional, being in the first person like that. Easilly one of Robert's top five songwriting efforts of all time.
xOnix did a great interpretation. It is the song I feel like listening to most at the moment. To me it's just about growing up, growing out of things, coming to realise that everything is different and not as simple, that your 'mama' was right, even though you never believed her because you spent the whole time dreaming
I think this whole song is about realizing that life does have intrinsic value, and the lyrics are written through the eyes of one who just doesn't get it, talking to "the boy next door," modelled after Plant or anyone who feels that way, probably the listener in general, which is why he changed it to "girl next door" on the live DVD version. In the end, it's kind of a bitter irony, "is that the way it oughtta stay? yes, mama said that's the way it oughtta be." Kind of second-guessing what he was told and then...
I think this whole song is about realizing that life does have intrinsic value, and the lyrics are written through the eyes of one who just doesn't get it, talking to "the boy next door," modelled after Plant or anyone who feels that way, probably the listener in general, which is why he changed it to "girl next door" on the live DVD version. In the end, it's kind of a bitter irony, "is that the way it oughtta stay? yes, mama said that's the way it oughtta be." Kind of second-guessing what he was told and then re-assuring himself about what his parents said to him about the world, and working all day for a few bucks and neglecting life as it is. Some people just won't ever change... it's like Plant had found a power to convey pitiful emotions towards the character he was playing, which makes it twice as emotional, being in the first person like that. Easilly one of Robert's top five songwriting efforts of all time.