The opening lyrics aside (and perhaps the line about being "alone in the dark" was ill-advised in hindsight), the "Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon" that this song opens and closes is in reference to a girl James Pankow knew in Buckhannon (record label mistake), West Virginia. I would surmise that the opening lines are meant to signify how he is separated from his love due to the extensive touring schedule of the group (this was written largely from hotel room to hotel room as the band spent 300+ days a year on the road) and all he can do is go for a walk in the park when he gets a chance to rest, and think about the girl even though they can't be together. Even though they do seemingly end up together in "Now More Than Ever," in real life the girl ended up marrying someone else and living a separate life.
The opening lyrics aside (and perhaps the line about being "alone in the dark" was ill-advised in hindsight), the "Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon" that this song opens and closes is in reference to a girl James Pankow knew in Buckhannon (record label mistake), West Virginia. I would surmise that the opening lines are meant to signify how he is separated from his love due to the extensive touring schedule of the group (this was written largely from hotel room to hotel room as the band spent 300+ days a year on the road) and all he can do is go for a walk in the park when he gets a chance to rest, and think about the girl even though they can't be together. Even though they do seemingly end up together in "Now More Than Ever," in real life the girl ended up marrying someone else and living a separate life.