☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics are an introspective search for identity, purpose, and the reason for life and death
- Different 'follow' lines represent the search for answers in nature, in the innocence of children, and in one's own emotions and instincts
- The singer shows uncertainty and the search for a deeper meaning in life and death
- He is willing to explore both the dark and bright sides of life to find his answers
- The open-ended question reveals that the search for answers is potentially an endless journey, but it is an essential part of being human
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song 'Where Do I Go' from the musical 'Hair' are an introspective search for identity, purpose, and understanding in life and death. The singer repeatedly asks the question 'Where do I go?' and presents different possibilities of where he could look.
'Follow the river', 'Follow the gulls', 'Follow the children', 'Follow my heartbeat' - these lines suggest different paths he could take to find answers. They represent the search for guidance in nature ('river', 'gulls'), in the innocence and simplicity of children ('children'), and within himself through his own emotions and instincts ('heartbeat').
He asks, 'Where is the something, where is the someone that tells me why I live and die?' This shows his uncertainty and his search for a deeper meaning in life and death.
'Follow the wind song. Follow the thunder. Follow the neon in young lover's eyes. Down to the gutter, up to the glitter into the city where the truth lies.' With these lines, the singer shows that he is willing to explore both the dark ('gutter') and the bright ('glitter') sides of life to find his answers.
Ultimately, the question remains open as the singer says, 'And will I ever discover why I live and die?' This shows that the search for answers is a journey that may never end but is still an essential part of human existence.