This song could be interpreted so many ways. I see it as a man that is going through a hard time in his life, waiting for something better to happen. Or he is simply living a life he does not enjoy. However is he not actively doing anything to change his circumstances, all he is doing is waiting for a different life to start for him.
Any minute now, my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
I'll stand on the bow, feel the waves come crashing
Come crashing down, down, down, on me
--- I think this speaks to his desperation for his life to change. He thinks it is possible that it could happen soon and keeps waiting for it. He is not actively doing anything to change his cercumstances, he is just waiting "for his ship to come in"( as the saying goes). When it happens he's convinced he'll stand at the forefront and be able to handle all the hardships that will come his way. Makes it seem as if perhaps this current life is filled with hardships that he has trouble handling. Much like people that think their troubles will change so long as certain life situations change, such as having more money, changing jobs, moving, etc., but for the most part money doesn't solve deep rooted problems, a new job doesn't always change a dissatisfaction with a career path, etc
And you say, be still my love
Open up your heart
Let the light shine in
But don't you understand
I already have a plan
I'm waiting for my real life to begin
--- I believe this is a wife, could be any person that cares about him though. They are telling him to look at what is good, that is what will help him. He is resistant and basically shrugs the advice off by saying he is not meant to live his current life and he just needs to wait for his real life to start.
When I awoke today, suddenly nothing happened
But in my dreams, I slew the dragon
--- He is not actively attempting to change his life, he is just waiting for something to miraculously change for him. When he wakes up, everything is still the same as it was, yet he seems a bit surprised that nothing happened. In his dreams he is amazing and can do anything and is the hero slaying dragons.
And down this beaten path, and up this cobbled lane
I'm walking in my old footsteps, once again
And you say, just be here now
Forget about the past, your mask is wearing thin
--- I think he could be walking in the footsteps of his younger days, when he was young and a different life seemed possible. Perhaps he is thinking through all the things he could have done. His wife tells him to stop living in the past and exist in the present. He could also be walking in the not so distant past where everything was less difficult. Maybe he had a great job and lost it and is now waiting for a great new job to come along. He is wearing a "mask", pretending everything is fine and will turn out great when this new life starts. His wife recognizes that the mask is wearing thin and he is not as able to hide his real feelings.
Let me throw one more dice
I know that I can win
I'm waiting for my real life to begin
---- his response to his wife is reminiscent of a desperate gambler. He wants just one more chance before he quits. He cannot imagine that the odds are against him, he is certain that he can win. However, like a compulsive gambler, one more roll is not going to be enough.
Any minute now, my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
And I'll check my machine, there's sure to be that call
It's gonna happen soon, soon, soon
It's just that times are lean
----- he is still waiting, but even more desperate now. He is making excuses as to why it's not occurring and depreately attempting to convince himself that it will happen soon. If he is waiting for that new job, he is sure that there will be a call on the answering machine. If there is not a message on the machine he can just tell himself that times are tough and that's why it didn't happen yet.
This song is very depressing. One can picture a man desperately attempting to change his life cercumstances almost in vain. His wife recognizes that he is sinking into depression waiting for this "real life" to start. She wants him to come back to the present and see what is good about life, but he just stares into the future, waiting for some miracle to happen and change his current circumstances.
This song could be interpreted so many ways. I see it as a man that is going through a hard time in his life, waiting for something better to happen. Or he is simply living a life he does not enjoy. However is he not actively doing anything to change his circumstances, all he is doing is waiting for a different life to start for him.
Any minute now, my ship is coming in I'll keep checking the horizon I'll stand on the bow, feel the waves come crashing Come crashing down, down, down, on me --- I think this speaks to his desperation for his life to change. He thinks it is possible that it could happen soon and keeps waiting for it. He is not actively doing anything to change his cercumstances, he is just waiting "for his ship to come in"( as the saying goes). When it happens he's convinced he'll stand at the forefront and be able to handle all the hardships that will come his way. Makes it seem as if perhaps this current life is filled with hardships that he has trouble handling. Much like people that think their troubles will change so long as certain life situations change, such as having more money, changing jobs, moving, etc., but for the most part money doesn't solve deep rooted problems, a new job doesn't always change a dissatisfaction with a career path, etc
And you say, be still my love Open up your heart Let the light shine in But don't you understand I already have a plan I'm waiting for my real life to begin --- I believe this is a wife, could be any person that cares about him though. They are telling him to look at what is good, that is what will help him. He is resistant and basically shrugs the advice off by saying he is not meant to live his current life and he just needs to wait for his real life to start.
When I awoke today, suddenly nothing happened But in my dreams, I slew the dragon --- He is not actively attempting to change his life, he is just waiting for something to miraculously change for him. When he wakes up, everything is still the same as it was, yet he seems a bit surprised that nothing happened. In his dreams he is amazing and can do anything and is the hero slaying dragons.
And down this beaten path, and up this cobbled lane I'm walking in my old footsteps, once again And you say, just be here now Forget about the past, your mask is wearing thin --- I think he could be walking in the footsteps of his younger days, when he was young and a different life seemed possible. Perhaps he is thinking through all the things he could have done. His wife tells him to stop living in the past and exist in the present. He could also be walking in the not so distant past where everything was less difficult. Maybe he had a great job and lost it and is now waiting for a great new job to come along. He is wearing a "mask", pretending everything is fine and will turn out great when this new life starts. His wife recognizes that the mask is wearing thin and he is not as able to hide his real feelings.
Let me throw one more dice I know that I can win I'm waiting for my real life to begin ---- his response to his wife is reminiscent of a desperate gambler. He wants just one more chance before he quits. He cannot imagine that the odds are against him, he is certain that he can win. However, like a compulsive gambler, one more roll is not going to be enough.
Any minute now, my ship is coming in I'll keep checking the horizon And I'll check my machine, there's sure to be that call It's gonna happen soon, soon, soon It's just that times are lean ----- he is still waiting, but even more desperate now. He is making excuses as to why it's not occurring and depreately attempting to convince himself that it will happen soon. If he is waiting for that new job, he is sure that there will be a call on the answering machine. If there is not a message on the machine he can just tell himself that times are tough and that's why it didn't happen yet.
This song is very depressing. One can picture a man desperately attempting to change his life cercumstances almost in vain. His wife recognizes that he is sinking into depression waiting for this "real life" to start. She wants him to come back to the present and see what is good about life, but he just stares into the future, waiting for some miracle to happen and change his current circumstances.