Song Analysis: Closer To Home

The maritime themes of this top-40 hit by Grand Funk Railroad from the fall of 1970 are but elaborate metaphors for the dilemmas surrounding one's sense of control over one's own existence, and over one's life overall.

Your life is your "ship", and as the "captain" how well your "ship" sails and functions depend on the loyalty and cooperation of your "crew" (the elements that make up or interact with your existence), which can be everything from your family and relatives to your associates to your own body functions to even the possessions you own or the facilities you use or do business with in some way.

You depend on each of these factions being on good terms with and favorable towards you.  But there are occasions where you can very well experience incidences of "mutiny" (bad blood, bad health, defective or worn-out items malfunctioning on you, corruption in the family or work place or community or certain businesses).

It's during times of duress, dysfunction, precariousness, and animosities that we, as the "captain" cry out to the world to "return command of" our "ship" to us, the one's who rightfully should be the ones in control (of our own lives).

Sleep
...is a lot like money and sex.   You get it if and when you can

     Uber and Lyft:

...paying out of one's own pocket to accept a ride from a total stranger and ride in their vehicle.
Didn't people use to do this same thing for free a long time ago?
Yes, they did as a matter of fact---and I believe they used the term "hitchhiking" to describe it.

              Immigration/ Health Care Fiascoes
If you want to know how I feel about the "border wall", I think it's little more than an elaborate fantasy trip.
The money allocated for it would be better invested in the creation of a 7th branch of the military, one whose specific duties would be to assist the Border Patrol agents and U.S. Customs.
A branch allowed full military authority and authorized use of lethal force if and when deemed necessary.

As for the dismantling of the Affordable Health Care Act?
First off, let me explain why, essentially, I'm in favor of some form of a universal health care system run by one's government:
It has not so much to do with how well or responsibly one takes care of their own health issues (a.k.a.: proper diet, healthy lifestyles, getting enough exercise) as it does with the fact that a lot in the world and in our lives are elements we have no control over:  being injured in accidents caused by another; viruses and contagious illnesses; dangerous conditions resulting from another's incompetence, neglect, or carelessness; inclement weather situations.

As for the Affordable Health Care Act----it was never really a universal health care system, as the insurance companies forced the Obama administration to taint it by infusing stipulations dictated by their agendas into it.
Hence, I've always had mixed emotions about it.  Although I doubt the current Trump administration is likely to come up with anything better, and, quite possibly, are liable to come up with a health care system even more inferior.  

                 Governmental Control vs Privatizing
There are many who, when observing institutions run by either state or federal government agencies (such as the Postal Service, or the prison systems, or Social Security), contend that "government is only capable of mismanagement, politicizing anything it gets its hands on, and wasting taxpayer dollars"
...then they go on about "the virtues of" the private business and corporate sectors, and express the notion that privatizing these government agencies by turning them over to those private sectors would be a solution to resolving their (alleged) failings.

...to which I say "No, not really".

For starters, panaceas almost never work nor live up to their promises (think: "Three Strikes" laws; sex offender registries; Me-Too; political correctness; quota systems; rehab programs; plans to "improve" traffic and public transit; dealing with school shootings by "arming school teachers")
...and the fact that the primary difference between governments and corporations is that governments exist mainly to regulate and control their citizens and resources, while corporations are mostly concerned with making profits and with how much they can pick from the pockets of consumers and customers in order to enhance their profit potentials.
...each under the guise of "serving the needs or desires of" the general public.

In short:  the alleged agendas of their services are, for the most part, a charade, just them going through the motions of "dutiful servitude" to their constituents, all the while covering up their true intentions, plotting how to subliminally exploit those they "serve".

Personally, I think corporate control will be just as bad as governmental control, and services and agencies will still ultimately end up just as big a mess under one as it will under the other.

More Notable Songs Whose Themes Are Obvious

Brand New Key
Melanie
Female stalker who doesn't drive or own a car

Girl
Beatles
Charlie's Shoes
Billy Walker
Guys who get the coveted "trophy cunt", only to get done in by the Catch-22s of her insatiable desires and demands

Video Killed The Radio Star
Buggles
About how the advent of television in the late 1940s/early 1950s did away with the original radio versions of dramas, variety shows, situation comedies, and soap operas---leaving the radio format to focus on either news, sports and commentaries, or promoting the latest phonograph records

The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades
Timbuk 3
Guy boasting about how secure his overall future is, as High Tech is "the wave of the future" and anyone with knowledge of and aptitude for it has a guarantee of "the good life"
...these days full apologies are owed to a lot of laid-off and underpayed employees of "Silicone Valley"

Tales Of Lucy Blue
Bob Seger System
About a fictitious hard-luck heroine in either a paperback novel or television drama script

Distant Drums
Jim Reeves
The Last Farewell
Roger Whittaker
Ongoing romance interrupted by the ominously beckoning shades of impending war

Draw Of The Cards
Kim Carnes
Fate is a lot like a game of poker.  Same kind of crapshoots and consistent inequitablenesses.

All I Really Want To Do
Cher/Byrds
About the most platonic lyrics ever written (courtesy of Bob Dylan)

Rice Is Nice
Lemon Pipers
A guy eager to get engaged to his girlfriend, with hopes of a successful marriage to follow.  His main concern?  Whether or not she will remain loyal and faithful to him in the years to come.

Drunk
Jimmy Liggins
Guy has an obvious drinking problem, but doesn't seem too concerned about it.  In fact, he's quite comfortable with it---not a problem as far as he's concerned.

  To all concerned:
I need $1 dollar bills for bus fare.
I need quarters for the coin laundry.

So, all you cashiers:
Please quit handing me back "paper shredder" bills and quarters used to scrape gum, tar, and mud off shoes as change.
-----Thanks!------




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