Speed_Is_Dreaming makes a lot of good points. Also I agree that the "will he may" is a deliberate reference to "Willie Mays".
Upon first hearing this song, I thought it was fun and sweet, but further listening I think it's about complicated feelings of identity and self worth, and the inability to love until identity is accepted and established. Bear with me here.
The line which sums this up for me is "Life outside the diamond is a wrench." The diamond has two meanings, the baseball diamond, and an engagement ring, which symbolizes clear, proud, and mutual love. The "wrench" is acute emotional distress.
The baseball player mentioned experience a lot of pain off the field due to their homosexuality (Piazza) and race (Mays).
Regarding the engagement ring, homosexual athletes probably feels they can't openly proclaim their love and wear rings. The narrator can't (for whatever reason) give one to Miss Private, though he desperately longs to.
I think Miss Private is a woman. The narrator feels that she doesn't return his love and so doesn't discuss it with her, and thus can relate to ball players who suppress their feelings.
I think she does return his feelings. She, after all, has an "adoring face." But, because he thinks she's out of his league, the narrator can't see this. Hence the "maybe, but not what she deserves" line. He's baffled as to why her family thinks he can take care of her, but they realize he is actually good for her.
I think Willie Mays sees it too. He's constantly overlooking all this people in their wrenches, and it breaks his heart.
Speed_Is_Dreaming makes a lot of good points. Also I agree that the "will he may" is a deliberate reference to "Willie Mays".
Upon first hearing this song, I thought it was fun and sweet, but further listening I think it's about complicated feelings of identity and self worth, and the inability to love until identity is accepted and established. Bear with me here.
The line which sums this up for me is "Life outside the diamond is a wrench." The diamond has two meanings, the baseball diamond, and an engagement ring, which symbolizes clear, proud, and mutual love. The "wrench" is acute emotional distress.
The baseball player mentioned experience a lot of pain off the field due to their homosexuality (Piazza) and race (Mays).
Regarding the engagement ring, homosexual athletes probably feels they can't openly proclaim their love and wear rings. The narrator can't (for whatever reason) give one to Miss Private, though he desperately longs to.
I think Miss Private is a woman. The narrator feels that she doesn't return his love and so doesn't discuss it with her, and thus can relate to ball players who suppress their feelings.
I think she does return his feelings. She, after all, has an "adoring face." But, because he thinks she's out of his league, the narrator can't see this. Hence the "maybe, but not what she deserves" line. He's baffled as to why her family thinks he can take care of her, but they realize he is actually good for her.
I think Willie Mays sees it too. He's constantly overlooking all this people in their wrenches, and it breaks his heart.
thank you. thank you SO MUCH for being the first to have explained a perspective that wasn't centered solely around homosexuality.
thank you. thank you SO MUCH for being the first to have explained a perspective that wasn't centered solely around homosexuality.
i'm reading all of this first, but by time that i am done commenting, i'll have nothing left to say xD
i'm reading all of this first, but by time that i am done commenting, i'll have nothing left to say xD