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Everybody I knew sayin' I am not the same The Kings Dead – Dear Professor
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What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
What is this?
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He’s got the rap business and his career all planned out – just like a playbook in sports has the plays and game planned out
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A “hit” is one inhale of weed – or – a hit song is a popular song that is well known and liked
So he’s saying smoke some and pass it along, then make a sick new track.
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What is this?
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What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
Marty Robbins had a 1955 hit single with “White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation)”, a song about a guy who was blown off by his prom date.
A bronco is an untrained horse that often bucks in an attempt to throw off the rider. This continues the American theme as bronco riding is a popular rodeo event in the southern United States. McLean most likely uses this spoonerism of “buckin' bronc” in order to rhyme with the following lines.
Like a bucking bronco, Don was quite wild as a teenager, and very confident, particularly around young women. With the loss of his favorite musicians, his cocksure personality was undermined somewhat.
McLean stated in a recent interview that the “broncin” part was a play on words to describe his youth, since he had bronchitis as an adolescent.
Additionally, a pink carnation can symbolise the concept of never forgetting someone, or, in this case, a lingering love. In this case, “with a pink carnation” could mean “still carrying a flame for someone” (a probably unrequited love).
When McLean states “ But I knew I was out of luck” explains how he had lost a part of him and along with that went his mojo, which had stemmed from the music which had “died.”
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Perhaps the “pink carnation and pick-up truck are symbols that contrast each other. He is both rough around the edges but aspires to be a little more refined. like a lot of young people.
110
The Ford Bronco was a pick up truck that originally came out in 1966, so while McLean wouldn’t have actually driven one as a teen going to a dance, they were out at the time of writing the song and he would likely know about them, possibly influencing the line.
1,045
A pink carnation would be worn with a tuxedo to a prom, as in the song mentioned above. As a transition from childhood to adulthood, the prom night could easily suggest an opportunity for one’s first sexual experience. The last three words of this Verse also rhyme with a possibly relevant obscenity.
22
Music was a popular way to get young adults together and he was now out of luck.
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The “pink carnation” is often interpreted as a symbol of sexual freedom. The “pickup truck” has a similar meaning, most likely representing teenage independence or rebelliousness, and many teenagers in McLean’s time had pickup trucks as their first cars.