I feel like this song is about retirement. "I've never been this bored before. Is this the prize I've waited for?" People spend their whole working lives looking forward to retirement, but often find themselves suddenly without a place in the world once it finally comes. It goes on to talk about the hours passing, having nothing left here to insure, and how he "weakens with each voice that sings."
I know a lot of seniors who sit on their porches and just try to occupy their time, and I can definitely see how a person who is new to retirement might perceive life as just "hours passing." I also think that a lot of the things you need to function as a working person suddenly lose their importance in retirement; you no longer depend on having a daily commute, tools for your trade, etc. and the things you have accumulated become outdated (think of VHS, cassettes, records, polaroid cameras). So all those material things in life you strove to maintain no longer need to be, or even can be, if they've worn out or lost their utility. Hence, he looks around him and notices there's "nothing left here to insure" - a fairly creative way of putting it. I also think the fact he finds himself "weakening" gives a strong hint about his situation (aging).
I think the lines about finding the messenger, buying back memories and awakening some old qualities abstractly depict his intent to reconnect with his past and revisit what had meaning to him... which is why he has a very good long way to run.
@cadences yet the more we invent for ourselves, the less we do ourselves. When everything we create does everything for us, what is there left to do but watch time pass?
@cadences yet the more we invent for ourselves, the less we do ourselves. When everything we create does everything for us, what is there left to do but watch time pass?
I feel like this song is about retirement. "I've never been this bored before. Is this the prize I've waited for?" People spend their whole working lives looking forward to retirement, but often find themselves suddenly without a place in the world once it finally comes. It goes on to talk about the hours passing, having nothing left here to insure, and how he "weakens with each voice that sings."
I know a lot of seniors who sit on their porches and just try to occupy their time, and I can definitely see how a person who is new to retirement might perceive life as just "hours passing." I also think that a lot of the things you need to function as a working person suddenly lose their importance in retirement; you no longer depend on having a daily commute, tools for your trade, etc. and the things you have accumulated become outdated (think of VHS, cassettes, records, polaroid cameras). So all those material things in life you strove to maintain no longer need to be, or even can be, if they've worn out or lost their utility. Hence, he looks around him and notices there's "nothing left here to insure" - a fairly creative way of putting it. I also think the fact he finds himself "weakening" gives a strong hint about his situation (aging).
I think the lines about finding the messenger, buying back memories and awakening some old qualities abstractly depict his intent to reconnect with his past and revisit what had meaning to him... which is why he has a very good long way to run.
@cadences yet the more we invent for ourselves, the less we do ourselves. When everything we create does everything for us, what is there left to do but watch time pass?
@cadences yet the more we invent for ourselves, the less we do ourselves. When everything we create does everything for us, what is there left to do but watch time pass?