Old

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a stark picture of aging and societal perception, contrasting the perceived value of the 'old' with the dismissive attitudes they face. The opening repetition, "And then the same thing comes from us," hints at a cyclical nature of judgment or perhaps a shared, inevitable fate. The narrator directly addresses 'Old,' questioning its purpose and the way it's treated, suggesting it's a state burdened by memories meant to provide comfort but instead met with ridicule and a lack of attention. The central tension lies in the disconnect between the internal richness of experience ('memories to keep the cold away,' 'Words heaven sent and truly meant') and the external dismissal ('ridiculed and fumed away,' 'No attention paid'). The phrase 'dumb patriots' suggests a narrow-minded, self-righteous perspective that refuses to acknowledge other viewpoints, reinforcing the isolation of the 'old.' This creates a feeling of profound injustice, where wisdom and lived experience are devalued. The lyrics employ a direct, almost confrontational address to 'Old,' personifying it as a recipient of harsh judgment. The contrast between 'Words heaven sent' and the subsequent dismissal highlights the tragic irony of valuable insights being ignored. The repetition in the chorus, 'And worse from us, so obvious / Preposterous,' emphasizes the narrator's disbelief and frustration at how readily this disregard occurs, especially considering the 'time that each has spent' accumulating knowledge and meaning. This piece resonates because it captures the quiet indignity of being overlooked or misunderstood as one ages. The writing forces a consideration of what is truly valuable, suggesting that societal judgment is often 'preposterous' when weighed against the depth of individual human experience. The narrator's plea in Verse 2, 'may I sit down here and learn today? / I'll hear all you say / I won't go away,' offers a hopeful counterpoint, a desire for genuine connection and recognition that cuts through the prevailing cynicism.