The Decemberists - The Soldiering Life Meaning

The Soldiering Life Lyrics

Ambling madly all over the town
The call to arms you liken to a whisper,
I liken to a radio.
You were a brickbat, a bowery tuff, so rough
They culled you from a cartoon
Pulled out of your pantaloons.

But you,
My brother in arms,
I'd...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   May 2nd 2006 !⃝

   It's not about anyone being gay... It's about war and those you experience it with. most of us, we love eachother. This focuses on the optimistic side of things though, which are there along with the negative things as long as you don't become too disheartened. This and the band played waltzing matilda by the pogues are the two war songs that I can really relate to although my experiences are so small compared to WW1.
   
   -an 19 year old iraq vet who lost friends, got hit by 7 grenades but was saved by body armor, and got shot in the leg
2. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Jan 25th 2016 !⃝

   I think if you're gay, you'll interpret as gay. I think that's intentional based on the video. But, really, I think it's the entirely unique connection two buddies would make in war. Like the saying goes, there exists no atheists in the trenches of war.
3. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Nov 10th 2011 !⃝

   For what it's worth, Colin Meloy made an off-hand remark before playing this song that it was about it being about gay soldiers before playing it this summer at the Newport Folk Fest.
4. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Apr 26th 2008 !⃝

   Anonymous #2 is probably right. P.S. Thanks for what you did out there for us.
5. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Dec 17th 2007 !⃝

   I don't necessarily think this song is about them being gay, I do think there are some homoerotic issues but just because the men spend so much time together and protecting each other they've become so close, it's like comparing it to a gay relationship but not necessarily. Also I think the men unintentionally replaced a lot of activities they usually did with women with each other...if you watch the video it shows two soldiers dancing. I don't think they're gay though...just scared and lonely, probably.
6. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Nov 29th 2006 !⃝

   No, I agree with the first guy, The Decemberists tend to write songs about odd things. I think it's about homosexual soldiers and their unique bond in a time of distress. During World War 1, many soldiers came out of the closet.
7. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Jan 29th 2006 !⃝

   I'm not totally sure about this song, but I think it might be about two gay soldiers... because it says "you, my brother in arms..." and goes on to talk about them sleeping together, and I'm not sure whether that's literal or figurative.
   But, it could also be about how experiences like war bring men closer together than they would ever be otherwise.
   
   Either way, it's a pretty good song.