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SmasheR

So I have to do this US History project in which I analyze a song about the Vietnam War, so after a quick bowl I weighed my options and picked Unknown Soldier, by the Doors. I feel fairly confident in my analysis of the rest of the song, but the first two lines continue to boggle me as I can't pick up the significance or "meaning" of them. Any ideas? Here's my analysis (The lines I want ideas on are the first two, from Wait-older..., also feel free to give me any other critique that comes to mind, thanks):
The Unknown Soldier was released in 1968 by the Doors, on their album Waiting for the Sun. The Doors consisted of keyboardist Ray Manzarek, vocalist Jim Morrison, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger. They were known for their edgy and controversial progressive sound, as well as their hard-hitting, yet mystic lyrics and explosive stage personality at the helm of Morrison, who was followed by love and hate from the public for most of his life. They were and continue to be rebuked by society as a whole for their anti-establishment messages and overtones of excess in vices like drug use.
Wait until the war is over…
And we’re both a little older…
The unknown solider…
Here we are introduced to who can gather to be he song’s “protagonist,” even though very little is said about him. Jim Morrison speaks these first few lines in a mysterious whisper, as if to beckon us to enter his mind as he tells us his story, a story who we are informed is the story of our unknown soldier..
Breakfast, where the news is read
Television, children fed
Unborn living, living, dead
Bullet strikes the helmet’s head
As the rest of America sits at their breakfast table whilst their children goggle at the television, the unknown soldier is shot. We understand he is killed from the third line, which I believe intends to mean the stages of the soldier’s life, first unborn living which is his existence in America, alive but not truly living. Living stands for what he learns in Vietnam, the true essence of life, but this knowledge is short-lived because before long he is dead, another casualty of a war far away from American society. The feel and rhythm of this verse takes a different approach from the whisper of the former, seeming to be a matter-of-fact, even callous way of telling about this fallen hero, but it serves to indict American society of carelessness even as these tragedies occur.
And it’s all over
For this unknown soldier
It’s all over
For the unknown soldier.
Here it is confirmed that the soldier is dead, and the Doors squash any romantic hopes of an afterlife which a real and gritty view from the trenches: “It’s all over..”
Hut
Hut
Hut ho hee up
Hut
Hut Hut ho hee up
Hut
Hut ho hee up
Comp’neee!
Halt
Preeee-zent!
Arms!
*gunshot*
This line depicts a military funeral for our unknown soldier which ends in a gun salute for him. However, we notice it is completely informal and mechanical, the military seems to be going through the motions as they try to save face by ”honoring” another human sacrifice for their cause.
Make a grave for the unknown soldier
Nestled in your hollow shoulder
The unknown soldier…
We return to Morrison’s ghostlike whisper as the tone of the song sombers and we are told to make a grave for this forgotten soldier, and to nestle his memory in our “hollow shoulder.” Nestled in your shoulder seems to paint a picture of how one would hold a baby, telling listeners that they, America as a whole, hold his death in our arms as if we are all to blame for his loss.
Breakfast where the news is read
Television children fed
Bullet strikes the helmet’s head.
The tone picks up again, even harder than the first, in a driving manner that makes me image America plodding onwards as stubborn as ever, seeming to plug their ears and say “we’re not listening!” to the deaths of their soldiers. The lines of this verse are the same as the second, showing that everything is back to normal and the routine stays the same as other unknown soldiers die as well.
And it’s all over,
The war is over
It’s all over
The war is over
Well, all over, baby
All over, baby
Oh, over yea
All over, baby
Woooo, hah-hah
All over
All over, baby
Oh, woa-yeah,
All over
All over
Heeeeyyyy
Now the tone picks up even further into a chaotic celebration as we learn the war is over. The use of informal slang shows us that America is naively partying as they cheer on their greatness in another victory. Only the storyteller and listeners know of the forgotten soldiers who have died, and the rest of America doesn’t care and leaves them to forever be the unknown soldiers. The Doors even add in the sounds of riotous and happy applause in the last few lines of the song (song is not a live version) to show everyone makes merry to the end of another war they paid no price in yet get to remain to rejoice in the end.

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Left the philly at home, do you have another? I wanna get blunted my brother..

 

newcarcaviar

I have to say, I just lit up when I saw the title of this thread! Love the Doors...

I think you've got a really good essay so far. As for the first two lines, I've been trying to think of some meaning, but it's escaping me right now.

Sorry, man, I've never been much for interpreting songs, but the rest of your essay seems to make a lot of sense. Good luck!

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Shine on, Syd. 1946-2006

Broliette

Wait until the war is over…
And we’re both a little older…
The unknown solider…

I'm going to take 2 stabs at this:

when the war is over, and we are older, we will die and understand the unknown soldier...

or

let's wait until the war is over, we are older and more mature, to fight our injustices instead of becoming an unknown soldier.

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