While maybe its not the complete picture, this song is basically a description of that time in your life when you stop and wonder about everything in life and you just can't really put things together, like why you're agreeing to live the way everybody else does. (This happened for me after my first year in college)
"In search of some rest, in search of a break
From a life of tests where something's always at stake
Where something's always so far
What about my broken car?"
He's sick of being tied down to commitments and the hardships of life. The car line illustrates this- anytime he needs to get somewhere far, his "car" is broken. Life isn't easy now.
"What about my life so far?
What about my dream?
What about--"
He hasn't done the things he thought he would have. His childhood dreams aren't coming to fruition
"Before time takes each year-- like a knife cuts it clear
It's school, then work and then life that just sharpens the blade"
The blade isn't about suicide- the blade is time. The things we commit to, like school and work, take up our "free time" and only shorten the the years we actually get to use for ourselves.
"I think about time for fun, I think about time for play
Then I think about being done, with no resume
With no one left to blame
What about fortune and fame?
What about your love to obtain?
What about the ring?
What about--"
At first he contemplates just leaving it all so he can have his fun, but then he realizes if he does this, he won't have anything to show for it. He can't become successful, win over the girl, and afford the ring and their lifestyle if he abandons his future.
"The sailboats clatter in vain
Holiday sky, midnight clear, wind is high on this pier
I find it hard to complain when compared with what about--
[Chorus]"
The leaves and the sailboats clattering in vain are like him...they face high winds rattle...to no avail. He realizes that it's hard to complain when he compares it to the things in life that arent so trivial- the complication of airplanes, the ships (and sailors) who sank at sea, the moon and stars (that are so much bigger and mysterious than the things in life).
The lyric "soldier battle scars and the anger that they eat" is used to show real wounds. The problems and mental pain that he feels are nothing compared to real battle wounds.
He says "I am not in need" because he realizes that in the big picture, his suffering is smaller than the period in this sentence and he's making a big deal about it.
He caps it off with the things that are bigger in life-
"What about aliens? What about you and me and
What about gold beneath the sea?
What about when buildings fall? What about that midnight phone call,
The one that wakes you from your peace?
Well, I am not in need."
the "well" is used to concede his complaints. Note that the "midnight phone call" does not wake him from sleep, but peace. This suggests that its the kind of midnight phone call that nobody wants to get and changes life forever.
While maybe its not the complete picture, this song is basically a description of that time in your life when you stop and wonder about everything in life and you just can't really put things together, like why you're agreeing to live the way everybody else does. (This happened for me after my first year in college)
"In search of some rest, in search of a break From a life of tests where something's always at stake Where something's always so far What about my broken car?"
He's sick of being tied down to commitments and the hardships of life. The car line illustrates this- anytime he needs to get somewhere far, his "car" is broken. Life isn't easy now.
"What about my life so far? What about my dream? What about--"
He hasn't done the things he thought he would have. His childhood dreams aren't coming to fruition
"Before time takes each year-- like a knife cuts it clear It's school, then work and then life that just sharpens the blade"
The blade isn't about suicide- the blade is time. The things we commit to, like school and work, take up our "free time" and only shorten the the years we actually get to use for ourselves.
"I think about time for fun, I think about time for play Then I think about being done, with no resume With no one left to blame What about fortune and fame? What about your love to obtain? What about the ring? What about--"
At first he contemplates just leaving it all so he can have his fun, but then he realizes if he does this, he won't have anything to show for it. He can't become successful, win over the girl, and afford the ring and their lifestyle if he abandons his future.
"The sailboats clatter in vain Holiday sky, midnight clear, wind is high on this pier I find it hard to complain when compared with what about--
[Chorus]"
The leaves and the sailboats clattering in vain are like him...they face high winds rattle...to no avail. He realizes that it's hard to complain when he compares it to the things in life that arent so trivial- the complication of airplanes, the ships (and sailors) who sank at sea, the moon and stars (that are so much bigger and mysterious than the things in life).
The lyric "soldier battle scars and the anger that they eat" is used to show real wounds. The problems and mental pain that he feels are nothing compared to real battle wounds.
He says "I am not in need" because he realizes that in the big picture, his suffering is smaller than the period in this sentence and he's making a big deal about it.
He caps it off with the things that are bigger in life-
"What about aliens? What about you and me and What about gold beneath the sea? What about when buildings fall? What about that midnight phone call, The one that wakes you from your peace? Well, I am not in need."
the "well" is used to concede his complaints. Note that the "midnight phone call" does not wake him from sleep, but peace. This suggests that its the kind of midnight phone call that nobody wants to get and changes life forever.