I think many people have correct interpretations, especially pertaining to the baseball and homosexual references. I do, however, think many people are missing the mark.
The male in this song is obviously gay. I think many people are overlooking the female's sexuality. For starters, he calls her his "wayward girl". While this can have several meanings, especially as they pertain to sailing across the world, I believe it is also a reference to her ambiguous, perhaps bisexuality. She's wayward in the sense that she can't make up her mind, or rather that she is attracted to both sexes.
Further, he calls her Miss Private. From this we know she isn't married, but also that some part of her life is kept secret to some extent- her sexuality. Now look at the third stanza. Her family, in a friendly yet assertive manner, is telling the male that he will be good for her. Perhaps they know about her sexuality- he will be better for her than another female. What's really important in this stanza, however, is the last line: "Maybe, but not what she deserves." He realizes that he may care for her well, but in reality she deserves someone that can truly love her, and someone that she can truly love as well. He can't give her this.
On a different note, look at the very first stanza. "How many nights of talking in hotel rooms can you take?" They've eloped; they're supposed to be madly in love, yet they are simply talking in the hotel room. I think this is a reference to the "pretend" nature of their relationship, in that, while they may care for each other, neither is in it for love.
This is further explained in the last line in the fourth stanza, where the bedroom they share is "virginal". Lastly, look at the spelling of "heroine". He is not referring to the drug, which is spelled "heroin", but rather an important, courageous woman: "heroine". More importantly, she is his "heroine pretend", meaning that she is not the love of his life, the woman who has captured his attention, but rather simply a cover-up of sorts.
At first I thought this song was about love. Now I believe this song is about a relationship between two individuals, neither heterosexual, who are about to enter into a phony romantic relationship. They still may care for each other and be friends, but they are not truly in love.
@thoughts3 I love reading the interpretations on this song. Some are trying hard but stretching too far. I think this one is the most spot on. If you add Willie Mays being the statue and the word play there, I think you've got 95% of the picture Stuart paints here. Or, at least you can connect the dots from here. Thank you for your analysis!
@thoughts3 I love reading the interpretations on this song. Some are trying hard but stretching too far. I think this one is the most spot on. If you add Willie Mays being the statue and the word play there, I think you've got 95% of the picture Stuart paints here. Or, at least you can connect the dots from here. Thank you for your analysis!
@thoughts3 I love this interpretation - it's very clever, but I don't think it's likely what was intended from Murdoch's perspective (or that it's completely supported by the text).
@thoughts3 I love this interpretation - it's very clever, but I don't think it's likely what was intended from Murdoch's perspective (or that it's completely supported by the text).
I believe Murdoch has said the song is about his wife (Marisa Privitera), which is why the narrator refers to the second character as "Miss Private" - a play on her name. They weren't married yet and she was living in America while he was a touring musician, hence the references to baseball, American cities and traveling.
I believe Murdoch has said the song is about his wife (Marisa Privitera), which is why the narrator refers to the second character as "Miss Private" - a play on her name. They weren't married yet and she was living in America while he was a touring musician, hence the references to baseball, American cities and traveling.
I think the references to "eloping", "talking in hotel rooms", "virginal" bedrooms etc. are more likely to be, as others have noted, some evidence that they're sneaking around a bit because one, or both, of them are not entirely single. (I don't know if this lines up with what happened in real life between Murdoch and his wife. It wouldn't be shocking, but it could also just be a bit of romantic flair.)
I think the clandestine relationship reading is further supported though by the reference in the last stanza referencing "Walk Away Renee," which is a song by the Left Banke about one of the band members secretly being in love with the bass player's girlfriend.
But, again, I love this interpretation and it's the sign of a brilliant writer to be able to craft lyrics deep enough to inspire several plausible readings.
@thoughts3 the reference "I will be your Ferdinand and you my wayward girl" is to the Tempest. That\'s a story where two young people who didn\'t know any better fell in love with each other and engaged within hours of meeting. \r\nWhen I was listening to the song I got the impression that the girl is gay or bisexual and the guy wants to be with her, but likely because of repressing his own homosexuality. -not necessarily saying this is what it means but that\'s what I thought of.
@thoughts3 the reference "I will be your Ferdinand and you my wayward girl" is to the Tempest. That\'s a story where two young people who didn\'t know any better fell in love with each other and engaged within hours of meeting. \r\nWhen I was listening to the song I got the impression that the girl is gay or bisexual and the guy wants to be with her, but likely because of repressing his own homosexuality. -not necessarily saying this is what it means but that\'s what I thought of.
I think many people have correct interpretations, especially pertaining to the baseball and homosexual references. I do, however, think many people are missing the mark.
The male in this song is obviously gay. I think many people are overlooking the female's sexuality. For starters, he calls her his "wayward girl". While this can have several meanings, especially as they pertain to sailing across the world, I believe it is also a reference to her ambiguous, perhaps bisexuality. She's wayward in the sense that she can't make up her mind, or rather that she is attracted to both sexes.
Further, he calls her Miss Private. From this we know she isn't married, but also that some part of her life is kept secret to some extent- her sexuality. Now look at the third stanza. Her family, in a friendly yet assertive manner, is telling the male that he will be good for her. Perhaps they know about her sexuality- he will be better for her than another female. What's really important in this stanza, however, is the last line: "Maybe, but not what she deserves." He realizes that he may care for her well, but in reality she deserves someone that can truly love her, and someone that she can truly love as well. He can't give her this.
On a different note, look at the very first stanza. "How many nights of talking in hotel rooms can you take?" They've eloped; they're supposed to be madly in love, yet they are simply talking in the hotel room. I think this is a reference to the "pretend" nature of their relationship, in that, while they may care for each other, neither is in it for love.
This is further explained in the last line in the fourth stanza, where the bedroom they share is "virginal". Lastly, look at the spelling of "heroine". He is not referring to the drug, which is spelled "heroin", but rather an important, courageous woman: "heroine". More importantly, she is his "heroine pretend", meaning that she is not the love of his life, the woman who has captured his attention, but rather simply a cover-up of sorts.
At first I thought this song was about love. Now I believe this song is about a relationship between two individuals, neither heterosexual, who are about to enter into a phony romantic relationship. They still may care for each other and be friends, but they are not truly in love.
@thoughts3 I love reading the interpretations on this song. Some are trying hard but stretching too far. I think this one is the most spot on. If you add Willie Mays being the statue and the word play there, I think you've got 95% of the picture Stuart paints here. Or, at least you can connect the dots from here. Thank you for your analysis!
@thoughts3 I love reading the interpretations on this song. Some are trying hard but stretching too far. I think this one is the most spot on. If you add Willie Mays being the statue and the word play there, I think you've got 95% of the picture Stuart paints here. Or, at least you can connect the dots from here. Thank you for your analysis!
@thoughts3 I love this interpretation - it's very clever, but I don't think it's likely what was intended from Murdoch's perspective (or that it's completely supported by the text).
@thoughts3 I love this interpretation - it's very clever, but I don't think it's likely what was intended from Murdoch's perspective (or that it's completely supported by the text).
I believe Murdoch has said the song is about his wife (Marisa Privitera), which is why the narrator refers to the second character as "Miss Private" - a play on her name. They weren't married yet and she was living in America while he was a touring musician, hence the references to baseball, American cities and traveling.
I believe Murdoch has said the song is about his wife (Marisa Privitera), which is why the narrator refers to the second character as "Miss Private" - a play on her name. They weren't married yet and she was living in America while he was a touring musician, hence the references to baseball, American cities and traveling.
I think the references to "eloping", "talking in hotel rooms", "virginal" bedrooms etc. are more likely to be, as others have noted, some evidence that they're sneaking around a bit because one, or both, of them are not entirely single. (I don't know if this lines up with what happened in real life between Murdoch and his wife. It wouldn't be shocking, but it could also just be a bit of romantic flair.)
I think the clandestine relationship reading is further supported though by the reference in the last stanza referencing "Walk Away Renee," which is a song by the Left Banke about one of the band members secretly being in love with the bass player's girlfriend.
But, again, I love this interpretation and it's the sign of a brilliant writer to be able to craft lyrics deep enough to inspire several plausible readings.
@thoughts3 the reference "I will be your Ferdinand and you my wayward girl" is to the Tempest. That\'s a story where two young people who didn\'t know any better fell in love with each other and engaged within hours of meeting. \r\nWhen I was listening to the song I got the impression that the girl is gay or bisexual and the guy wants to be with her, but likely because of repressing his own homosexuality. -not necessarily saying this is what it means but that\'s what I thought of.
@thoughts3 the reference "I will be your Ferdinand and you my wayward girl" is to the Tempest. That\'s a story where two young people who didn\'t know any better fell in love with each other and engaged within hours of meeting. \r\nWhen I was listening to the song I got the impression that the girl is gay or bisexual and the guy wants to be with her, but likely because of repressing his own homosexuality. -not necessarily saying this is what it means but that\'s what I thought of.