[smashthestate]

One of my favorite songs, from one of my favorite bands, has an obvious alternate meaning. Here are the lyrics, I'd like to hear your thoughts on what this song is saying:

The Trees
by Rush

"There is unrest in the forest,
There is trouble with the trees,
For the maples want more sunlight
And the oaks ignore their pleas.

The trouble with the maples,
(And they're quite convinced they're right)
They say the oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light.
But the oaks can't help their feelings
If they like the way they're made.
And they wonder why the maples
Can't be happy in their shade.

There is trouble in the forest,
And the creatures all have fled,
As the maples scream Oppression!
And the oaks just shake their heads

So the maples formed a union
And demanded equal rights.
The oaks are just too greedy;
We will make them give us light.
Now there's no more oak oppression,
For they passed a noble law,
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet, axe, and saw."

I can easily determine what the song is about, except for the last 2 lines, which have me confused. Is it saying that by freeing themselves from oppression, the maples have now made it so that all trees are being oppressed? I'm confused, what are your thoughts?

MODERATOR: Feel free to move this thread to any forum you see fit, if you feel it doesn't belong here. However, I strongly believe the meaning of this song has quite a bit to do with morals as well as ethics.

[Comrade Ogilvy]

I think that what the song is saying is that whatever was going on in the forest doesn't matter now because "they" which refers to us "civilized" folks came around and did what we do. To me, it is similar to what is happening to indigenous people around the world.
What some see as "progress" and "civilizing" seem to forget (or disregard) it usually neccessitates the destruction of something or someone else. Just my opinion though, lyrics that make you actually think a little are something of a rarity.

RUSH

[Catria]

I think Libertarians should take up that as their theme song...survival of the fittest versus social conscience.

I read it as as a metaphor for the old conservative complaint about "cutting down the successful" and in making things equal, reducing everything to mediocrity. The last two lines refer to forced conformity...the mighty oaks being "cut down to size".

[smashthestate]

Yeah, I was thinking of something along those lines, for the last verse anyway. I think the message is definitely not in favor of forced conformity. I'd say they would favor survival of the fittest, if that's what you want to call it.