☝️ Key Points
- The song 'On the Border' comments on socio-political issues and primarily focuses on unrest and conflicts that occur in border regions.
- The lyrics reference arms smuggling across the Spanish border, highlighting politically tense situations in such areas.
- The song's lyrics speak of physical and cultural changes happening in his homeland and show that traditions and customs are slowly fading away.
- The 'spirit of the century' and the 'strangeness in the air' symbolize the change and uncertainty that come with transformation.
- Overall, 'On the Border' is a melancholic reflection on change, loss, and conflict. The border represents both a physical and metaphorical dividing line.
Interpretation
The song 'On the Border' by
Al Stewart is a socio-political commentary that refers to unrest and conflicts that often occur in border regions. The lyrics of the song refer to the smuggling of weapons across the Spanish border, which points to the tense political situations that often prevail in such areas. 'The fishing boats go out across the evening water / Smuggling guns and arms across the Spanish border' portrays the image of fishermen using their boats for illegal arms smuggling.
Furthermore, the lyrics speak about changes that are taking place both physically and culturally in his homeland. 'In the village where I grew up nothing seems the same / Still you never see the change from day to day / No one notices the customs slip away' shows that culture and traditions are slowly and unnoticed changing.
The 'spirit of the century' and the 'strangeness in the air' could symbolize the change and uncertainty that accompany these changes.
Overall, the song 'On the Border' seems to be a melancholic reflection on change, loss, and conflict, with the border representing both a physical and metaphorical dividing line.