To me, this song speaks of the challenges of being the USA. "He" is America, born of rebellion and just running/pushing into the future with no red light to stop him and full of romantic idealism married with ambition to become the pre-eminent power. Understanding he'll have problems, he also knows/believes he can overcome anything.
The "old world man" are the old European powers of yesteryear that resent the new kid on the block but expect that new kid to behave with deference and be their saviour when needed. Obviously, the "third world man" are emerging countries - their resentment of what America possesses underlying the need and expectation that America will assist them too.
Peart sees the good and bad in America - wisdom and foolishness, nobility and weakness, intellecualism and bellicosity, the desire to do the right thing but the reality of sometimes just not choosing the right path. The lyric "a radio receiver tuned to factories and farms, he's a writer" refers to a nation of great diversity and broad understanding capable of scripting its future but the line "ranger and a young boy bearing arms" infers an impulsive and inexperienced nation that sometimes just charges ahead without thought. This nation is great enough to win the world but just might lose it all through foolish decisions.
Speaking as a Canadian observing, appreciating and sometimes deriding America from north of the 49th parallel, I thing Neil pretty much nailed this one straight on. America is great and full of promise, worthy of admiration ... but somehow, it just never seems to realize all it could be.
I'm not sure if the rest of the world sees America with the same affection and concern for where it might end up in the long run, so my interpretation might be coloured by my nationality. Then again, this IS a Canadian band ...
@GWNMusing, you're thinking so much deeper than most of us do. And I say: more power to you. I'm American, but not typical, due to being globally-travelled and fluent in three languages. So I've gained a rather "outside" perspective of my country, and everything you said above is, IMO, spot on. And thanks for giving such an extensive, in-depth analysis of a fantastic song...whose lyrics were written by one of the deepest thinkers in recent times.
@GWNMusing, you're thinking so much deeper than most of us do. And I say: more power to you. I'm American, but not typical, due to being globally-travelled and fluent in three languages. So I've gained a rather "outside" perspective of my country, and everything you said above is, IMO, spot on. And thanks for giving such an extensive, in-depth analysis of a fantastic song...whose lyrics were written by one of the deepest thinkers in recent times.
@GWNMusing Yes, that is exactly how I always interpreted the lyrics. A young nation that has accumulated an enormous amount of power in a relatively short period. What will this "young boy" do with all this power? The verses and chorus refer to positive and negative signs.
@GWNMusing Yes, that is exactly how I always interpreted the lyrics. A young nation that has accumulated an enormous amount of power in a relatively short period. What will this "young boy" do with all this power? The verses and chorus refer to positive and negative signs.
To me, this song speaks of the challenges of being the USA. "He" is America, born of rebellion and just running/pushing into the future with no red light to stop him and full of romantic idealism married with ambition to become the pre-eminent power. Understanding he'll have problems, he also knows/believes he can overcome anything.
The "old world man" are the old European powers of yesteryear that resent the new kid on the block but expect that new kid to behave with deference and be their saviour when needed. Obviously, the "third world man" are emerging countries - their resentment of what America possesses underlying the need and expectation that America will assist them too.
Peart sees the good and bad in America - wisdom and foolishness, nobility and weakness, intellecualism and bellicosity, the desire to do the right thing but the reality of sometimes just not choosing the right path. The lyric "a radio receiver tuned to factories and farms, he's a writer" refers to a nation of great diversity and broad understanding capable of scripting its future but the line "ranger and a young boy bearing arms" infers an impulsive and inexperienced nation that sometimes just charges ahead without thought. This nation is great enough to win the world but just might lose it all through foolish decisions.
Speaking as a Canadian observing, appreciating and sometimes deriding America from north of the 49th parallel, I thing Neil pretty much nailed this one straight on. America is great and full of promise, worthy of admiration ... but somehow, it just never seems to realize all it could be.
I'm not sure if the rest of the world sees America with the same affection and concern for where it might end up in the long run, so my interpretation might be coloured by my nationality. Then again, this IS a Canadian band ...
@GWNMusing, you're thinking so much deeper than most of us do. And I say: more power to you. I'm American, but not typical, due to being globally-travelled and fluent in three languages. So I've gained a rather "outside" perspective of my country, and everything you said above is, IMO, spot on. And thanks for giving such an extensive, in-depth analysis of a fantastic song...whose lyrics were written by one of the deepest thinkers in recent times.
@GWNMusing, you're thinking so much deeper than most of us do. And I say: more power to you. I'm American, but not typical, due to being globally-travelled and fluent in three languages. So I've gained a rather "outside" perspective of my country, and everything you said above is, IMO, spot on. And thanks for giving such an extensive, in-depth analysis of a fantastic song...whose lyrics were written by one of the deepest thinkers in recent times.
@GWNMusing Yes, that is exactly how I always interpreted the lyrics. A young nation that has accumulated an enormous amount of power in a relatively short period. What will this "young boy" do with all this power? The verses and chorus refer to positive and negative signs.
@GWNMusing Yes, that is exactly how I always interpreted the lyrics. A young nation that has accumulated an enormous amount of power in a relatively short period. What will this "young boy" do with all this power? The verses and chorus refer to positive and negative signs.