☝️ Key Points
- The song tells the story of a young man who finds himself in a hopeless situation and robs a liquor store.
- Although he can't find work, he has found a weapon and threatens the owner.
- The protagonist lets the old man escape from the store and feels a great relief, even though he knows the police will shoot at him.
- The song addresses the exhaustion and scars that travelers carry in life.
- It expresses the longing for a fresh start and how one can fly like an eagle among the stars.
Interpretation
"Out Among the Stars" by
Johnny Cash tells the story of a young man who finds himself in a hopeless situation. He enters a liquor store in Texas and threatens the owner with a gun. Although he can't find work, he has found a weapon.
The young man acts without confrontation and lets the old man escape from the store. He knows that the police will shoot at him with guns, but he already feels a great relief.
The song lyrics deal with the exhaustion and scars that travelers carry in life. Many people would like to start over and fly like eagles among the stars.
The protagonist imagines the police cars arriving and sees the old familiar anger in the eyes of the officers. He knows that they will not only shoot at him, but also fight against their own inner demons.
The evening news reports on the incident and the young man dies in every living room in the city. In his own home, a bottle full of anger is thrown and his father cries, as he will never forget this event.
The song lyrics express the longing of many people who suffer under their burdens and scars. They would like to start over and fly like eagles among the stars.
"Out Among the Stars" is a poignant song that simply expresses the desperate situation of the protagonist and the general longing for a fresh start.