Good ideas so far, but this song is actually about the fear of being drafted to fight in Vietnam. It came out in 1970 when the conflict was still raging. The ship can be thought of as the soldier's freedom or his life. He doesn't want that life to be taken away by a "stranger." That's all I have to say about the song's meaning. This song really rocks, it's one of the best classic rock songs ever, right up there with Stairway, Comfortably Numb, Hotel California, Hey Jude, etc
Good ideas so far, but this song is actually about the fear of being drafted to fight in Vietnam. It came out in 1970 when the conflict was still raging. The ship can be thought of as the soldier's freedom or his life. He doesn't want that life to be taken away by a "stranger." That's all I have to say about the song's meaning. This song really rocks, it's one of the best classic rock songs ever, right up there with Stairway, Comfortably Numb, Hotel California, Hey Jude, etc