The "gay boy" theme is interesting, but I really think it's way off. You guys are applying current themes to a song that's now 36 years old! Nobody sang about gays back then (even Elton John was still in the closet!). Plant once stated that this song was inspired by the environmental movement which was gaining popularity at the time (1970). Zeppelin wrote this song while vacationing in the wilds of northern Wales. For this reason, I've always interpreted the song thusly: The narrator is a spirit of nature; a sprite, wood nymph or fairy (original meaning!). His "mama" is MOTHER NATURE. The "boy next door" represents modern human society. Humans once lived in harmony with nature. All that's changed now. Air and water pollution, factories, automobiles and urban sprawl have pushed nature away. Nature cannot "play" with us anymore. Nature has been pushed out of sight for the vast majority of urban humanity (not for me: my wife and I actually saw a wild deer in the local park last weekend - no word of a lie! - the area is protected from development by a U.N. charter). Kids hang around malls instead of playing in the woods. We've lost touch with the harmony and cycles of nature. We're even afraid of death now; drug stores are doing a booming business, and check-out the souring costs of medical care! But nature WON'T change. It's eternally the same. "That's the Way" it ought to stay!
Dang, you are really trying hard there....meaning no disrespect. People did sing about gays then, as in this song. It just had to be disguised a little. If you think about this possibility, and what it must be like for someone back then to try to find love and self-love, and to bravely sing about it, this song becomes 100 times more meaningful and beautiful.
Dang, you are really trying hard there....meaning no disrespect. People did sing about gays then, as in this song. It just had to be disguised a little. If you think about this possibility, and what it must be like for someone back then to try to find love and self-love, and to bravely sing about it, this song becomes 100 times more meaningful and beautiful.
The "gay boy" theme is interesting, but I really think it's way off. You guys are applying current themes to a song that's now 36 years old! Nobody sang about gays back then (even Elton John was still in the closet!). Plant once stated that this song was inspired by the environmental movement which was gaining popularity at the time (1970). Zeppelin wrote this song while vacationing in the wilds of northern Wales. For this reason, I've always interpreted the song thusly: The narrator is a spirit of nature; a sprite, wood nymph or fairy (original meaning!). His "mama" is MOTHER NATURE. The "boy next door" represents modern human society. Humans once lived in harmony with nature. All that's changed now. Air and water pollution, factories, automobiles and urban sprawl have pushed nature away. Nature cannot "play" with us anymore. Nature has been pushed out of sight for the vast majority of urban humanity (not for me: my wife and I actually saw a wild deer in the local park last weekend - no word of a lie! - the area is protected from development by a U.N. charter). Kids hang around malls instead of playing in the woods. We've lost touch with the harmony and cycles of nature. We're even afraid of death now; drug stores are doing a booming business, and check-out the souring costs of medical care! But nature WON'T change. It's eternally the same. "That's the Way" it ought to stay!
Dang, you are really trying hard there....meaning no disrespect. People did sing about gays then, as in this song. It just had to be disguised a little. If you think about this possibility, and what it must be like for someone back then to try to find love and self-love, and to bravely sing about it, this song becomes 100 times more meaningful and beautiful.
Dang, you are really trying hard there....meaning no disrespect. People did sing about gays then, as in this song. It just had to be disguised a little. If you think about this possibility, and what it must be like for someone back then to try to find love and self-love, and to bravely sing about it, this song becomes 100 times more meaningful and beautiful.
David Bowie came out 1 year after That's the Way was released... even he was closeted...
David Bowie came out 1 year after That's the Way was released... even he was closeted...