I think Merritt was delving pretty deep with this one. The comparison between the singer's ambivalence about the relationship, as well as Papa being a rodeo and Mama being a rock-and-roll band is an artful way to describe the effects of inconsistent/unavailable parents on a person's ability to develop intimate attachments.
In other words, the rodeo comparison seems to suggests that the father was mercurial, unpredictable, and perhaps volatile, thus needing to be tamed. On the other hand, the rock-and-roll comparison suggests that the mother probably was absent/distant (i.e., on the road) and unable to provide the singer with comfort and security when it was most needed (i.e., in childhood). I take the lyric: "I could play guitar and rope a steer before I learned to stand" to highlight the singer's awareness of his early attempts to deal with his inadequate parents (i.e., through attempting to tame/avoid his father's wrath and harmonize with his mother to bring her closer). It appears that the singer has learned to deal with his untenable situation through adopting some of his parent's qualities even though these qualities are not fulfilling and limit his ability to fully trust or open up to others. From this early arrangement, the singer has developed insecurities about relationships and expects to be abandoned by others. Thus, to protect himself from the pain of loss, he chooses to take control of the situation and leave others first so that they cannot abandon him after he lets his guard down and invests in them emotionally.
The singer also describes a desire to protect this other person from the pains of loss that s/he may feel in his absence when things get too intimate, unfamiliar, and emotionally overwhelming. To me, it seems as if the singer is projecting his fear of abandonment on this other person as evidenced by his attempts to deescalate the developing romance to protect this other person from the pain of loss. However, somewhat surprisingly, instead of leaving this other person, the singer has revelation: Every moment someone dies so it is time to live in the moment and live with the risk of being hurt again. Perhaps, he realized that the opportunity cost of living so cautiously is an unfulfilled existence. The singer then takes a chance and rationalizes his irrational decision (by his previous standards) through believing that he is removing this other person from a negative environment/situation (i.e., undoing what was done to him). He accepts the kiss (expressed intimacy) with some hesitation and then leaves with the other person.
In hindsight (55 years later), the singer looks back at the consequences of the chance he took in opening up to this other person and becomes emotional. He realizes that the process of engendering "the romance of a century" also entails "wrestling gators" (i.e., overcoming a painful and vicious past relationships) along the way. He also realizes that he is not alone in his struggle to achieve intimacy and is fortunate to have had a partner who was willing to take a chance on him. A partner in which he can identify; a partner who makes him feel understood from having a similar past.
Beautiful interpretation of a beautiful song. I feel that my understanding of human nature has grown having read this post, and my love of this song has grown exponentially. You articulated my inarticulatable (i know thats not a word, but it fit) sentiment for this song in perfect form. Thank you.
Beautiful interpretation of a beautiful song. I feel that my understanding of human nature has grown having read this post, and my love of this song has grown exponentially. You articulated my inarticulatable (i know thats not a word, but it fit) sentiment for this song in perfect form. Thank you.
I think Merritt was delving pretty deep with this one. The comparison between the singer's ambivalence about the relationship, as well as Papa being a rodeo and Mama being a rock-and-roll band is an artful way to describe the effects of inconsistent/unavailable parents on a person's ability to develop intimate attachments.
In other words, the rodeo comparison seems to suggests that the father was mercurial, unpredictable, and perhaps volatile, thus needing to be tamed. On the other hand, the rock-and-roll comparison suggests that the mother probably was absent/distant (i.e., on the road) and unable to provide the singer with comfort and security when it was most needed (i.e., in childhood). I take the lyric: "I could play guitar and rope a steer before I learned to stand" to highlight the singer's awareness of his early attempts to deal with his inadequate parents (i.e., through attempting to tame/avoid his father's wrath and harmonize with his mother to bring her closer). It appears that the singer has learned to deal with his untenable situation through adopting some of his parent's qualities even though these qualities are not fulfilling and limit his ability to fully trust or open up to others. From this early arrangement, the singer has developed insecurities about relationships and expects to be abandoned by others. Thus, to protect himself from the pain of loss, he chooses to take control of the situation and leave others first so that they cannot abandon him after he lets his guard down and invests in them emotionally.
The singer also describes a desire to protect this other person from the pains of loss that s/he may feel in his absence when things get too intimate, unfamiliar, and emotionally overwhelming. To me, it seems as if the singer is projecting his fear of abandonment on this other person as evidenced by his attempts to deescalate the developing romance to protect this other person from the pain of loss. However, somewhat surprisingly, instead of leaving this other person, the singer has revelation: Every moment someone dies so it is time to live in the moment and live with the risk of being hurt again. Perhaps, he realized that the opportunity cost of living so cautiously is an unfulfilled existence. The singer then takes a chance and rationalizes his irrational decision (by his previous standards) through believing that he is removing this other person from a negative environment/situation (i.e., undoing what was done to him). He accepts the kiss (expressed intimacy) with some hesitation and then leaves with the other person.
In hindsight (55 years later), the singer looks back at the consequences of the chance he took in opening up to this other person and becomes emotional. He realizes that the process of engendering "the romance of a century" also entails "wrestling gators" (i.e., overcoming a painful and vicious past relationships) along the way. He also realizes that he is not alone in his struggle to achieve intimacy and is fortunate to have had a partner who was willing to take a chance on him. A partner in which he can identify; a partner who makes him feel understood from having a similar past.
Wow - What an enlightening articulate interpretation!
Wow - What an enlightening articulate interpretation!
Beautiful interpretation of a beautiful song. I feel that my understanding of human nature has grown having read this post, and my love of this song has grown exponentially. You articulated my inarticulatable (i know thats not a word, but it fit) sentiment for this song in perfect form. Thank you.
Beautiful interpretation of a beautiful song. I feel that my understanding of human nature has grown having read this post, and my love of this song has grown exponentially. You articulated my inarticulatable (i know thats not a word, but it fit) sentiment for this song in perfect form. Thank you.