Go Fishing

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of an idealistic, self-sufficient retreat that quickly unravels. It begins with a hopeful spring "set out" fueled by intellectual pursuits, like books on "solar devices" and "natural childbirth." This sets a tone of earnest, perhaps naive, ambition to live off the land, evidenced by cutting trees and damming streams to create a "fishing pool." The early days feel idyllic, marked by "exchanged bands" and a narrator who "practically lived off the land." However, a subtle tension emerges as the narrator's practical, even grim, preparations contrast with the idyllic scene. While the partner is nurturing a "fox cub," the narrator is stocking "antibiotics" and keeping a "shotgun." This hints at an underlying awareness of potential dangers or a pragmatic streak that doesn't quite align with the pure idealism of their endeavor. The encroaching winter, with the sun setting "sooner each day," mirrors the fading of their grand experiment. The turning point arrives with the stark declaration, "And it was over." The collapse is swift and multifaceted: failing crops, the children's illness, and a literal lack of fuel for the "space heater." The emotional blow comes with the betrayal of a "friend from the East" who "stole your heart," shattering the couple's bond. This personal devastation, coupled with the practical failures, leads to a pragmatic, almost bitter, decision to abandon the project. Ultimately, the lyrics capture the poignant failure of an ambitious, perhaps romanticized, escape from modern life. The departure is marked by a sense of resignation and a pragmatic jettisoning of their failed ideals, leaving behind "litter" and "trash." The final lines, "And set out on the road again," suggest a cyclical return to their previous life, the dream of self-sufficiency left to decay in the wilderness.