Old Coat
Unveiling Life's Tough Journey Through 'Old Coat' Wisdom
Lyrics
Take off your old coat and roll up your sleeves,
Encouragement to face challenges and hardships by shedding the old coat, symbolizing readiness.
Life is a hard road to travel, I believe.
Life is acknowledged as a difficult journey that requires effort and perseverance.
I look to the east, I look to the west,
Searching for direction or guidance, looking in different directions (east and west).
A youth asking fate to be rewardin'.
A young person seeking a positive destiny or outcome as a reward for their efforts.
But fortune is a blind god, flying through the clouds,
Fortune is unpredictable, depicted as a blind god, indifferent and capricious.
And forgettin' me on this side of Jordan.
Feeling abandoned or overlooked by luck or fate on one side of the metaphorical Jordan River.
Take off your old coat and roll up your sleeves,
Reiteration of the encouragement to face life's challenges with determination.
Life is a hard road to travel, I believe.
Reaffirmation of the belief that life is inherently difficult and demanding.
Silver spoons to some mouths, golden spoons to others,
Contrast between the fortunate (silver spoons) and less fortunate (golden spoons) with a challenge to defy societal norms.
Dare a man to change the given order.
Challenging the status quo and urging individuals to question and potentially change their circumstances.
Though they smile and tell us all of us are brothers,
Skepticism about the notion of universal brotherhood, suggesting that it may not be true on this side of Jordan.
Never was it true this side of Jordan.
Expressing doubt that the idea of brotherhood holds true in the speaker's current situation or context.
Take off your old coat and roll up your sleeves,
Repeat of the encouragement to face challenges with determination.
Life is a hard road to travel, I believe.
Reiteration of the belief that life is a tough journey that demands effort.
Like some ragged owlet with its wings expanded,
Comparing oneself to a ragged owlet, possibly feeling vulnerable or exposed, with outstretched wings.
Nailed to some garden gate or boardin'.
Depicting a sense of being restricted or confined, akin to being nailed to a garden gate or boardin' (boarding).
Thus will I by some men all my life be branded
Expectation of enduring social stigma or judgment throughout life, despite not causing harm to others.
Never hurted none this side of Jordan.
Claiming innocence and asserting that the speaker has not harmed anyone on their side of Jordan.
Take off your old coat and roll up your sleeves,
Reiteration of the encouragement to face challenges with determination.
Life is a hard road to travel, I believe
Reaffirmation of the belief that life is a difficult journey that requires effort and commitment.
Comment