Opening line - His creative drive. The songs he can't get out of his head.
He's the lover. Louise is a distraction (his rational side). Johanna is an unachievable ideal (his irrational side). Not a girl, but greatness.
blindman's bluff - the game of creating art. The key to the ideal/art, being illusive.
The insanity is his creative side, like Van Gogh. The irrational as opposed to the rational. Johanna not there - doubting his ability to achieve true greatness. Louise is like a mirror, being less than, and revealing that about himself. The "Visions" have taken his place - obsessed by it.
Little boy lost....etc - the artist/himself. He's being a bit facetious. Taking a stab at himself. Farewell kiss - again he can't catch her/it.
Inside the museums, Infinity goes up on trial (what a line!)
But Mona Lisa musta had the highway blues, You can tell by the way she smiles
This whole stanza bringing into question many things regarding these issues - the museums and who decides what the ideal is? What a masterpiece is? Are they in the hotel with him (or da Vinci) when he's driven mad my his creativity? Do they have the right to then judge it, after all he's been through? There's a bit of pride here (and rightfully so). That's what Mona's (da Vinci) smirking about. Mona Lisa is also a nice metaphor - she's alluring and mysterious, like that creative ideal, never achieved. She symbolizes the ideal, a masterpiece by all standards, yet never fully understood. Bob likes to fancy himself the same. Modona "not showing" later in the song is the same thing, an unachieved ideal.
"Name me someone that's not a parasite", "We see this empty cage now corrode", "He writes ev'rything's been returned which was owed" and "While my conscience explodes" - All art comes from somewhere. Takes influence. Things being returned which were owed and his conscious exploding mean the things he rips off, however he's uncomfortable about it. He's obsessed with the ideal, the perfect song, art, etc.
OOOOOR....the song could be a drug induced rant. Nah!!!!! He deserves more credit than that.
If Bob DID (like some here were begging for) explain this or any other song, it would for sure be a disappointment. He knows that. That's why he doesn't tell. Picasso never engaged in the details of what cubism was about, he knew not to. And for christ's sake, this is "poetry", it's interpretive. That's the point. If he wanted to say something specific he'd write an essay.
@RVC you're so right about 'Inside the museums...' being such an outstanding line. It says so much; it certainly does to me. That one line has affected me for 40+ years at least!! I'm not saying that so many others stand out also, it's just that, for me,.
@RVC you're so right about 'Inside the museums...' being such an outstanding line. It says so much; it certainly does to me. That one line has affected me for 40+ years at least!! I'm not saying that so many others stand out also, it's just that, for me,.
Opening line - His creative drive. The songs he can't get out of his head.
He's the lover. Louise is a distraction (his rational side). Johanna is an unachievable ideal (his irrational side). Not a girl, but greatness.
blindman's bluff - the game of creating art. The key to the ideal/art, being illusive.
The insanity is his creative side, like Van Gogh. The irrational as opposed to the rational. Johanna not there - doubting his ability to achieve true greatness. Louise is like a mirror, being less than, and revealing that about himself. The "Visions" have taken his place - obsessed by it.
Little boy lost....etc - the artist/himself. He's being a bit facetious. Taking a stab at himself. Farewell kiss - again he can't catch her/it.
Inside the museums, Infinity goes up on trial (what a line!) But Mona Lisa musta had the highway blues, You can tell by the way she smiles This whole stanza bringing into question many things regarding these issues - the museums and who decides what the ideal is? What a masterpiece is? Are they in the hotel with him (or da Vinci) when he's driven mad my his creativity? Do they have the right to then judge it, after all he's been through? There's a bit of pride here (and rightfully so). That's what Mona's (da Vinci) smirking about. Mona Lisa is also a nice metaphor - she's alluring and mysterious, like that creative ideal, never achieved. She symbolizes the ideal, a masterpiece by all standards, yet never fully understood. Bob likes to fancy himself the same. Modona "not showing" later in the song is the same thing, an unachieved ideal.
"Name me someone that's not a parasite", "We see this empty cage now corrode", "He writes ev'rything's been returned which was owed" and "While my conscience explodes" - All art comes from somewhere. Takes influence. Things being returned which were owed and his conscious exploding mean the things he rips off, however he's uncomfortable about it. He's obsessed with the ideal, the perfect song, art, etc.
OOOOOR....the song could be a drug induced rant. Nah!!!!! He deserves more credit than that.
If Bob DID (like some here were begging for) explain this or any other song, it would for sure be a disappointment. He knows that. That's why he doesn't tell. Picasso never engaged in the details of what cubism was about, he knew not to. And for christ's sake, this is "poetry", it's interpretive. That's the point. If he wanted to say something specific he'd write an essay.
@RVC you're so right about 'Inside the museums...' being such an outstanding line. It says so much; it certainly does to me. That one line has affected me for 40+ years at least!! I'm not saying that so many others stand out also, it's just that, for me,.
@RVC you're so right about 'Inside the museums...' being such an outstanding line. It says so much; it certainly does to me. That one line has affected me for 40+ years at least!! I'm not saying that so many others stand out also, it's just that, for me,.