Almost Nearly But Not Quite Plumb

Song Meaning

The narrator paints a picture of a life lived on the fringes, a constant state of almost-there. He's "almost forgot a-where I come from," adrift and unmoored, yet insists he's not a "bum." This isn't a tale of abject poverty, but of a deliberate, or perhaps fated, incompletion. The core tension lies in this perpetual near-miss, a life that never quite solidifies into something concrete, whether it's a home, a relationship, or even a definitive identity. The phrase "almost nearly but not quite plumb" becomes a refrain for every aspect of his existence. It describes romantic encounters that fizzle out, relationships that never quite take root, and even his eventual reckoning with mortality. The lyrics suggest a pattern of near-successes and near-failures, a life where opportunities are glimpsed but never fully grasped. This repeated motif highlights a fundamental inability or unwillingness to commit fully, leaving him perpetually on the verge of something more. The effectiveness of these lyrics stems from their folksy, conversational tone and the simple, yet evocative, central metaphor. The narrator's voice feels authentic, like a character from a tall tale or a blues song, making his unusual predicament relatable. The contrast between his transient lifestyle and the societal expectations of settling down ("take a wife") underscores his unique path. Ultimately, the song resonates because it captures that universal feeling of being on the cusp, of striving for something just out of reach, a sentiment that makes his peculiar life feel surprisingly familiar.