I like this song because I think it's about something incredibly sad, be it true or not...My theory is that this song is about a breakup of some sort. He feels as if he basically has nothing left to live for, he does not even care anymore. How in the first verse, everything is picture perfect that he is noticing, yet none of it matters because he cannot find the joy in anything because of his loss of some sort. The second verse, even if he had a way to somewhat try to make himself better/happier, it would not make any difference to him, he is nothing without the possible lover he has lost in some way. The chorus is the saddest part, it's almost as if all he has left to express himself is music and he can't even enjoy that anymore because of the fact that whoever has left his life made such an impact that he can't even appreciate his other one true love. She has impacted him so sadly that he can't take in the joy of music, hence the "I am so out of tune with you" no matter what he does, no matter how perfect the song and chords will be, he will never see the perfection, he'll always see the imperfections because his mind is so preoccupied with the person who has left him. Which leads to the last chorus which sounds like he's convincing the listeners just how deeply affected he is by this because he says "I was mamed by rock and roll, I got my name from rock and roll" it's like he's saying "Hey, music is my life, it means EVERYTHING to, it defines me" and now he lost it because he has lost the person he loves dearly....
I don't know, I think this everytime I listen to the song, and be it right or not, it still sounds like it fits. Favorite song by Wilco, along with "Either Way" and "Ashes of American Flags"
I like this song because I think it's about something incredibly sad, be it true or not...My theory is that this song is about a breakup of some sort. He feels as if he basically has nothing left to live for, he does not even care anymore. How in the first verse, everything is picture perfect that he is noticing, yet none of it matters because he cannot find the joy in anything because of his loss of some sort. The second verse, even if he had a way to somewhat try to make himself better/happier, it would not make any difference to him, he is nothing without the possible lover he has lost in some way. The chorus is the saddest part, it's almost as if all he has left to express himself is music and he can't even enjoy that anymore because of the fact that whoever has left his life made such an impact that he can't even appreciate his other one true love. She has impacted him so sadly that he can't take in the joy of music, hence the "I am so out of tune with you" no matter what he does, no matter how perfect the song and chords will be, he will never see the perfection, he'll always see the imperfections because his mind is so preoccupied with the person who has left him. Which leads to the last chorus which sounds like he's convincing the listeners just how deeply affected he is by this because he says "I was mamed by rock and roll, I got my name from rock and roll" it's like he's saying "Hey, music is my life, it means EVERYTHING to, it defines me" and now he lost it because he has lost the person he loves dearly.... I don't know, I think this everytime I listen to the song, and be it right or not, it still sounds like it fits. Favorite song by Wilco, along with "Either Way" and "Ashes of American Flags"