Such a wonderfully hypnotic and earnest song. As many others have mentioned the lyrics primarily allude to the discovery of a painful, entrapping sort of love by the singer and a personal resolution to avoid allowing oneself to become that vulnerable again but there's so much more to it than just that.
I interpret the song as a sort of progression as the singer first comes to realize that love, deep vulnerable love, is nothing like the romanticized fantasy version of it he pieced together in his mind based on society's false portrayal of it. He's loved and lost and now feels foolish, heartbroken, and exposed after the experience changed him from something wild and independent and free into something desperate, reactive, and needy. Rather than being a prison, the cage represents the comfort and stability of a long term relationship that he enjoyed being trapped in.
He then realizes that he's now not who he used to be and knows that he needs to move on rather than wallowing in pity and depression but his tone betrays his words. He knows that he's emotionally crippled and wants to move on but there's an undeniable weakness in his voice as if he's still trapped in the throes of emotion and trying to convince himself of these independent things that he's capable of.
The third stanza begins with a memory of the two of them but then turns the scenario on himself alone as if to show that he's starting to realize (or actually believe) that he doesn't need her by his side in order to live the sort of life he'd concocted in his mind for the two of them. Eventually the symbol of love as a comforting cage takes on a new meaning and begins to represent the cage of emotional heartache which he still finds himself trapped inside despite coming to his previous revelations. Friends and family see the pain he's enduring but are unable to truly empathize with him. Though well meaning, their pity causes him to feel like an animal behind a wall of glass at the zoo which he detests. He knows that he's temporarily weak but resents their pity and knows that he's stronger than they think and once he's had time to mourn and heal his wounds he'll be back out on racing on the desert plains.
Such a wonderfully hypnotic and earnest song. As many others have mentioned the lyrics primarily allude to the discovery of a painful, entrapping sort of love by the singer and a personal resolution to avoid allowing oneself to become that vulnerable again but there's so much more to it than just that.
I interpret the song as a sort of progression as the singer first comes to realize that love, deep vulnerable love, is nothing like the romanticized fantasy version of it he pieced together in his mind based on society's false portrayal of it. He's loved and lost and now feels foolish, heartbroken, and exposed after the experience changed him from something wild and independent and free into something desperate, reactive, and needy. Rather than being a prison, the cage represents the comfort and stability of a long term relationship that he enjoyed being trapped in.
He then realizes that he's now not who he used to be and knows that he needs to move on rather than wallowing in pity and depression but his tone betrays his words. He knows that he's emotionally crippled and wants to move on but there's an undeniable weakness in his voice as if he's still trapped in the throes of emotion and trying to convince himself of these independent things that he's capable of.
The third stanza begins with a memory of the two of them but then turns the scenario on himself alone as if to show that he's starting to realize (or actually believe) that he doesn't need her by his side in order to live the sort of life he'd concocted in his mind for the two of them. Eventually the symbol of love as a comforting cage takes on a new meaning and begins to represent the cage of emotional heartache which he still finds himself trapped inside despite coming to his previous revelations. Friends and family see the pain he's enduring but are unable to truly empathize with him. Though well meaning, their pity causes him to feel like an animal behind a wall of glass at the zoo which he detests. He knows that he's temporarily weak but resents their pity and knows that he's stronger than they think and once he's had time to mourn and heal his wounds he'll be back out on racing on the desert plains.