It's such a clever song. The guy is in denial. He has secluded himself in his dark room and his life boils down to insomnia, watching children's programs, smoking, and playing solitaire, but he's obviously not playing with a full deck ("deck of 51"). People keep trying to get him out in the real world and he resists.
The tune reflects his inner turmoil: the verses are all very chipper and upbeat, with the singer telling you how great he is. But then the chorus kicks in with that ominous drum as he tells you exactly what he does by himself, hinting that something is not quite right.
I used to think this song was about a person who didn't realize he was crazy, but the older I get the more I think he just doesn't know how to be okay anymore. This routine is the only coping mechanism he knows and over time it has become normal to him.
Overall it's a masterclass in songwriting.
Notes:
counting flowers the wall = bored and obsessive
playing solitaire till dawn = alone by himself and not sleeping
deck of 51 = not playing with a full deck
Captain Kangaroo = a children's show
last night I put on tails, pretended I was on the town = living in a fantasy world
eyes not accustomed to this light = always dark where he's at
my feet are not used to this hard concrete = he's used to a padded room (like in a mental institution)
(Oh yeah, and the title reminds me of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" where the wallpaper makes the main character crazy.)
It's such a clever song. The guy is in denial. He has secluded himself in his dark room and his life boils down to insomnia, watching children's programs, smoking, and playing solitaire, but he's obviously not playing with a full deck ("deck of 51"). People keep trying to get him out in the real world and he resists.
The tune reflects his inner turmoil: the verses are all very chipper and upbeat, with the singer telling you how great he is. But then the chorus kicks in with that ominous drum as he tells you exactly what he does by himself, hinting that something is not quite right.
I used to think this song was about a person who didn't realize he was crazy, but the older I get the more I think he just doesn't know how to be okay anymore. This routine is the only coping mechanism he knows and over time it has become normal to him.
Overall it's a masterclass in songwriting.
Notes:
(Oh yeah, and the title reminds me of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" where the wallpaper makes the main character crazy.)