Re: RUTH interpretations

[Doug Alan <nessus@athena.mit.edu>]

> From: tracyr@uunet.uu.net (jane smallberries)

> it seems she wants god to swap places with her _and someone else_.
> probably an ex-lover, who she's trying to convince that she's
> unharmed ( "do you want to know that it doesn't hurt me").  but why
> she would want to swap places with him (?) is a puzzle--and that
> she'd somehow be _stronger_ if she did ("be running up that hill
> with no problems").

She wants to switch places with her lover (temporarily) so that they
will know what it is like to be each other.  Then they will understand
each other better, having worn each other's shoes, so to speak.  Of
course, this is impossible, so the song is also a lament that we can
never truly know anyone to the extent that we would like.

"See how deep the bullet lies,"

|>oug