Dearly Beloved,
I have heard the interviews with Greg about this song, and understand from what he said in the interview this song is mostly about a traveling man's relationship with a woman back home. However, I also hear a spiritual side to the words and the images in the song. I particularly wonder about love, and Melissa, in life and in death, especially at the end of the song with all of the after life questions and statements.
I see the song as an allegory. Now I know that I will loose a lot of you on this bit, but could Melissa be a reference to the Messiah?
In life, while doing a lot of what seems to be cool stuff and living free, there is very little comfort or fun for the traveling gypsy. There are three to one negative to positive images of his life on the road, except when Melissa is in his presence or thoughts.
At the end of the song he questions a dead man's journey and condition. He asks the Crossroads, where Robert Johnson encounters the Devil, to be set free from his former sorry living condition. When he comes to the end of his long and winding road (another spirit filled song) he evokes the name of the Lord, and asks if the Crossroads will keep his soul, or will the worms just take over, or will he ascend to a better place. Where will the traveling gypsy go now?
The man is sure that where ever he goes after death, it could not be Heaven for him, and he would not want to stay without Melissa. His love is so strong that he feels for it to be Heaven it should also have Melissa. Please Lord, it is all the same, I need to love and be loved by Melissa to be at peace.
"Crossroads, will you ever let him go? Lord, Lord.
Or will you hide the dead man's ghost?
Or will he lie, beneath the clay?
Or will his spirit float away?
But, I know that he won't stay,
Without Melissa.
Yes, I know that he won't stay, yeah,
Without Melissa.
Lord, Lord, it's all the same."
Dearly Beloved, I have heard the interviews with Greg about this song, and understand from what he said in the interview this song is mostly about a traveling man's relationship with a woman back home. However, I also hear a spiritual side to the words and the images in the song. I particularly wonder about love, and Melissa, in life and in death, especially at the end of the song with all of the after life questions and statements.
I see the song as an allegory. Now I know that I will loose a lot of you on this bit, but could Melissa be a reference to the Messiah?
In life, while doing a lot of what seems to be cool stuff and living free, there is very little comfort or fun for the traveling gypsy. There are three to one negative to positive images of his life on the road, except when Melissa is in his presence or thoughts.
At the end of the song he questions a dead man's journey and condition. He asks the Crossroads, where Robert Johnson encounters the Devil, to be set free from his former sorry living condition. When he comes to the end of his long and winding road (another spirit filled song) he evokes the name of the Lord, and asks if the Crossroads will keep his soul, or will the worms just take over, or will he ascend to a better place. Where will the traveling gypsy go now?
The man is sure that where ever he goes after death, it could not be Heaven for him, and he would not want to stay without Melissa. His love is so strong that he feels for it to be Heaven it should also have Melissa. Please Lord, it is all the same, I need to love and be loved by Melissa to be at peace.
"Crossroads, will you ever let him go? Lord, Lord. Or will you hide the dead man's ghost? Or will he lie, beneath the clay? Or will his spirit float away? But, I know that he won't stay, Without Melissa. Yes, I know that he won't stay, yeah, Without Melissa. Lord, Lord, it's all the same."
Yours truly, Rocket88