On a superficial level, yes, this song is about the "casino-style" gambling of a friend. Just as on a superficial level, "Against the Wind" is about running.
After some mild digging, we realize this song is about the friend himself. The singer sounds like he's praising the friend.
But if we dig further into the words chosen, if we look harder at the tonal changes in context, it's all but clear that the singer's praise is satirical and pitying.
Bob Seger doesn't deliver a single wasted word in this song. "Still The Same" is ambiguous only to the extent that it is too rich for -everyone- to take the time to break it apart. People are free to enjoy "Still The Same" at whatever level they choose. When I was younger, I just enjoyed the simple combination of piano & drums.
The purpose of this site, however, is to analyze each song and to develop its -full- meaning. A visitor to this site implicitly accepts that his song interpretation may be only part of that full meaning.
If you want to add to that full meaning by imparting how the song affects you, I'm not stopping you. Part of any song's meaning is the subjective reaction of each listener. Your subjective meaning is not wrong.
Nevertheless, A song's inherent meaning is only that which can be derived from the music itself. The inherent meaning will explain every single word and tone of the song. The "song is about gambling" interpretation doesn't explain the character exposition. The "comfort" interpretation doesn't explain the odd "still aim high" tonal change, or why the friend walked away.
The song's -inherent- meaning extends to a certain point and then stops. The point at which that inherent meaning stops may be short of a visitor's subjective meaning, or may go beyond the visitor's subjective meaning.
Here, the song's inherent extends past gambling. It extends past praise or comfort. It extends past those areas into the realm of satire, pity, and resignation--and then stops.
Nowadays, when I hear this song, I think of an old girlfriend of mine. But that's my subjective meaning that I -add- to the song. It's not what the song really means, it's just what it means to me.
It's inherent meaning is, pardon the pun, still the same.
@Krugkopf i have read all the comments and I am very surprised almost everybody thinks about a woman "love gambler" as for myself I think he he is talking about a friend, or brother, or father who is a lucky gambler , and he his proud of him, happy for him, also if you have imagination you can see the scene, this man turning back and go, like in so many movies .... I am sure he talks about a poker gambler !
@Krugkopf i have read all the comments and I am very surprised almost everybody thinks about a woman "love gambler" as for myself I think he he is talking about a friend, or brother, or father who is a lucky gambler , and he his proud of him, happy for him, also if you have imagination you can see the scene, this man turning back and go, like in so many movies .... I am sure he talks about a poker gambler !
Understanding, not appreciation, was my goal.
On a superficial level, yes, this song is about the "casino-style" gambling of a friend. Just as on a superficial level, "Against the Wind" is about running.
After some mild digging, we realize this song is about the friend himself. The singer sounds like he's praising the friend.
But if we dig further into the words chosen, if we look harder at the tonal changes in context, it's all but clear that the singer's praise is satirical and pitying.
Bob Seger doesn't deliver a single wasted word in this song. "Still The Same" is ambiguous only to the extent that it is too rich for -everyone- to take the time to break it apart. People are free to enjoy "Still The Same" at whatever level they choose. When I was younger, I just enjoyed the simple combination of piano & drums.
The purpose of this site, however, is to analyze each song and to develop its -full- meaning. A visitor to this site implicitly accepts that his song interpretation may be only part of that full meaning.
If you want to add to that full meaning by imparting how the song affects you, I'm not stopping you. Part of any song's meaning is the subjective reaction of each listener. Your subjective meaning is not wrong.
Nevertheless, A song's inherent meaning is only that which can be derived from the music itself. The inherent meaning will explain every single word and tone of the song. The "song is about gambling" interpretation doesn't explain the character exposition. The "comfort" interpretation doesn't explain the odd "still aim high" tonal change, or why the friend walked away.
The song's -inherent- meaning extends to a certain point and then stops. The point at which that inherent meaning stops may be short of a visitor's subjective meaning, or may go beyond the visitor's subjective meaning.
Here, the song's inherent extends past gambling. It extends past praise or comfort. It extends past those areas into the realm of satire, pity, and resignation--and then stops.
Nowadays, when I hear this song, I think of an old girlfriend of mine. But that's my subjective meaning that I -add- to the song. It's not what the song really means, it's just what it means to me.
It's inherent meaning is, pardon the pun, still the same.
@Krugkopf i have read all the comments and I am very surprised almost everybody thinks about a woman "love gambler" as for myself I think he he is talking about a friend, or brother, or father who is a lucky gambler , and he his proud of him, happy for him, also if you have imagination you can see the scene, this man turning back and go, like in so many movies .... I am sure he talks about a poker gambler !
@Krugkopf i have read all the comments and I am very surprised almost everybody thinks about a woman "love gambler" as for myself I think he he is talking about a friend, or brother, or father who is a lucky gambler , and he his proud of him, happy for him, also if you have imagination you can see the scene, this man turning back and go, like in so many movies .... I am sure he talks about a poker gambler !