Thinking politically / socially-engaged songs (3)

Compassion and Fear About the Homeless

In listening to “Aqualung,” you’ve likely sensed that Anderson has a variety of emotional responses to the song’s character. That’s because “Aqualung”’s story is a reflection of Anderson’s response to a photo of a homeless man taken by Franks. He told Guitar World in a 1999 interview that he “had feelings of guilt about the homeless, as well as fear and insecurity with people like that who seem a little scary.” This combination of emotions informed Anderson’s perspective as the narrator of his story of Aqualung, a character based on the man in Franks’ photo.

In the first section of “Aqualung,” Anderson and Franks begin to sketch the character, initially leaning on Anderson’s more fearful feelings.

Sitting on a park bench
Eyeing little girls with bad intent
Snot is running down his nose
Greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes
Hey, Aqualung
Drying in the cold sun
Watching as the frilly panties run
Hey, Aqualung

Then we see the compassionate side of Anderson’s reaction in the remainder of this section.

Feeling like a dead duck
Spitting out pieces of his broken luck
Whoa, Aqualung

As Anderson and Franks move into the song’s quieter, slower second section, they maintain their focus on Aqualung’s poor condition. They also bring attention to the small ways Aqualung shows resilience.

Sun streaking cold, an old man wandering lonely
Taking time the only way he knows
Leg hurting bad as he bends to pick a dog-end
He goes down to the bog and warms his feet

Towards the end of this section, Anderson and Franks go a step beyond recognizing Aqualung’s humanity from a distance. Anderson breaks from his role as narrator, approaching Aqualung and letting him know he is a friend.

Aqualung my friend, don’t you start away uneasy
You poor old sot, you see, it’s only me

As the tempo picks up for the third section, Anderson progresses towards an increased familiarity with Aqualung. He reminisces with him about a difficult winter.

Do you still remember December’s foggy freeze
When the ice that clings on to your beard
Was screaming agony?

Anderson and Franks do a wonderful job of fleshing out the range of emotional responses we can have when encountering someone who is homeless. In transitioning gradually from a more distant appraisal of Aqualung to a familiar and friendly one makes it easy for us to follow their story.