Quick Escape

[Jaeti]

More praise for phrasing in this one: "Living life on the back porch, lifting rocks to make a wage" is probably my favorite vocal moment.

[Ms Harmless]

"lifting rocks to make a wage" is kind of embarrassing; who does that except for slaves and prisoners?

[Strat]

"lifting rocks to make a wage" is kind of embarrassing; who does that except for slaves and prisoners?

Uh. Tons of people. Construction, landscapers, manual labor jobs. That is what it is referring to.

[Monkey_Driven]

Lifting rocks can mean a lot of different things. I don't think it is intended to only be read in a literal way.

[Bammer]

Lifting rocks can mean a lot of different things. I don't think it is intended to only be read in a literal way.

[stip]

Lifting rocks can mean a lot of different things. I don't think it is intended to only be read in a literal way.

like sysiphus I move the rock

[Ms Harmless]

"lifting rocks to make a wage" is kind of embarrassing; who does that except for slaves and prisoners?

Uh. Tons of people. Construction, landscapers, manual labor jobs. That is what it is referring to.

OK, that makes sense

[Bammer]

"lifting rocks to make a wage" is kind of embarrassing; who does that except for slaves and prisoners?

Uh. Tons of people. Construction, landscapers, manual labor jobs. That is what it is referring to.

OK, that makes sense

It’s not even just that. It’s for anyone struggling through life even a minimum wage burger flipper.

[Ms Harmless]

"lifting rocks to make a wage" is kind of embarrassing; who does that except for slaves and prisoners?

Uh. Tons of people. Construction, landscapers, manual labor jobs. That is what it is referring to.

OK, that makes sense

It’s not even just that. It’s for anyone struggling through life even a minimum wage burger flipper.

yeah, I don't like it as a metaphor for all that personally

[guitar_davey]

"lifting rocks to make a wage" is kind of embarrassing; who does that except for slaves and prisoners?

I take it as very metaphorical and a tip of the cap to the hard-working 99%.

[Ms Harmless]

"lifting rocks to make a wage" is kind of embarrassing; who does that except for slaves and prisoners?

I take it as very metaphorical and a tip of the cap to the hard-working 99%.

yeah I think it calls to mind that term "wage slave", one I've never been too comfortable with... but hey no biggie

[Tj]

"lifting rocks to make a wage" is kind of embarrassing; who does that except for slaves and prisoners?

I take it as very metaphorical and a tip of the cap to the hard-working 99%.

yeah I think it calls to mind that term "wage slave", one I've never been too comfortable with... but hey no biggie

I support myself and family well being a rock flipper. It like Springsteen singing about the various people in his songs. The difference is Springsteen knows he is a fraud and Ed hasn't figured it out yet.

[Ms Harmless]

"lifting rocks to make a wage" is kind of embarrassing; who does that except for slaves and prisoners?

I take it as very metaphorical and a tip of the cap to the hard-working 99%.

yeah I think it calls to mind that term "wage slave", one I've never been too comfortable with... but hey no biggie

I support myself and family well being a rock flipper. It like Springsteen singing about the various people in his songs. The difference is Springsteen knows he is a fraud and Ed hasn't figured it out yet.

yeah that's a lot to do with it

[Kevin Davis]

I listened to this today, with this lyrical discussion in mind, and I think that, taken in the context of the verse, Ed actually intends a positive meaning of "lifting rocks to make a wage."

Living life on the back porch
Lifting rocks to make a wage
Every sunset paid attention to
Not a starry night went to waste

He's effectively describing a kind of pressure free "simple life," where the rock-lifting represents "an honest day's work" before coming home and reveling in the small pleasures of everyday life, now enlightened enough to take none of them for granted. All in the context of this sort of Utopian retreat from whatever horrors are being visited upon the rest of the civilized world.

Thematically this song is basically "In Hiding" on a global level.

[LikeLukin]

I listened to this today, with this lyrical discussion in mind, and I think that, taken in the context of the verse, Ed actually intends a positive meaning of "lifting rocks to make a wage."

Living life on the back porch
Lifting rocks to make a wage
Every sunset paid attention to
Not a starry night went to waste

He's effectively describing a kind of pressure free "simple life," where the rock-lifting represents "an honest day's work" before coming home and reveling in the small pleasures of everyday life, now enlightened enough to take none of them for granted. All in the context of this sort of Utopian retreat from whatever horrors are being visited upon the rest of the civilized world.

Thematically this song is basically "In Hiding" on a global level.

This is how I took it as well.

[RockPusher]

Lifting rocks can mean a lot of different things. I don't think it is intended to only be read in a literal way.

like sysiphus I move the rock

I resemble this thread

[Jaeti]

I listened to this today, with this lyrical discussion in mind, and I think that, taken in the context of the verse, Ed actually intends a positive meaning of "lifting rocks to make a wage."

Living life on the back porch
Lifting rocks to make a wage
Every sunset paid attention to
Not a starry night went to waste

He's effectively describing a kind of pressure free "simple life," where the rock-lifting represents "an honest day's work" before coming home and reveling in the small pleasures of everyday life, now enlightened enough to take none of them for granted. All in the context of this sort of Utopian retreat from whatever horrors are being visited upon the rest of the civilized world.

Thematically this song is basically "In Hiding" on a global level.

This is how I took it as well.

Likewise.

[Hatfield]

I listened to this today, with this lyrical discussion in mind, and I think that, taken in the context of the verse, Ed actually intends a positive meaning of "lifting rocks to make a wage."

Living life on the back porch
Lifting rocks to make a wage
Every sunset paid attention to
Not a starry night went to waste

He's effectively describing a kind of pressure free "simple life," where the rock-lifting represents "an honest day's work" before coming home and reveling in the small pleasures of everyday life, now enlightened enough to take none of them for granted. All in the context of this sort of Utopian retreat from whatever horrors are being visited upon the rest of the civilized world.

Thematically this song is basically "In Hiding" on a global level.

This is how I took it as well.

Likewise.

[epilogue]

I listened to this today, with this lyrical discussion in mind, and I think that, taken in the context of the verse, Ed actually intends a positive meaning of "lifting rocks to make a wage."

Living life on the back porch
Lifting rocks to make a wage
Every sunset paid attention to
Not a starry night went to waste

He's effectively describing a kind of pressure free "simple life," where the rock-lifting represents "an honest day's work" before coming home and reveling in the small pleasures of everyday life, now enlightened enough to take none of them for granted. All in the context of this sort of Utopian retreat from whatever horrors are being visited upon the rest of the civilized world.

Thematically this song is basically "In Hiding" on a global level.

Well said, as usual. I just wanted to lend my voice to the choir agreeing with you here. I was trying to formulate a post that said this same basic thing but it wasn't coming out the right way. So thank you.

[Monkey_Driven]

"lifting rocks to make a wage" is kind of embarrassing; who does that except for slaves and prisoners?

I take it as very metaphorical and a tip of the cap to the hard-working 99%.

yeah I think it calls to mind that term "wage slave", one I've never been too comfortable with... but hey no biggie

I support myself and family well being a rock flipper. It like Springsteen singing about the various people in his songs. The difference is Springsteen knows he is a fraud and Ed hasn't figured it out yet.

yeah that's a lot to do with it

I reject the notion that one must be required to have a specific experience or background to write from that perspective. Both Springsteen and Ed can be very empathetic writers.