Discover Song Meanings

I believe this song is about addiction. The merry go round is the constant cycle of addiction. The lyrics: "Free love isn't free" is referring to the love of your high but the price it will cost you later. Possibly referring to sex for drugs also. The Merry-Go-Round of addiction. (Ron)

I know songs usually have a relevance to the person listening, but here goes...

I tend to liken this song to the sensitive child who is actually a child that is of summer birth. Therefore struggles with the classroom. Therefore the classroom routines and the schoolwork is difficult, sending heads spinning. Briefly switching between young person and teacher.

The introduction is condecending. What's the matter you had a hard day because someone cut in front of you in a line? Then she asks, "Why don't you dance anymore?" Dancing is something we do in private to what we think is good music and we can't stop ourselves from dancing when the mood hits us...however, it seems the mood does not hit Mary Jane any more.
I can't be sure, but the next verse, to me, speaks to using Meth or Cocain or Crack, any kind of speed related drug. And she's warning, it's a long way down.
I hear your're counting sheep again remnds me or restless nights after smoking coke. Counting, sheep but what's the point, 'ur not ging to get to sleep anyway.
I hear ur losing weight again, (not eating) but who are you losing it for? You think you look "hot" but no one thinks skeletal is "hot"

Full speed baby is her friend snorting more speed and bruises represent the malnutrition of iron and the bruises she gets from the slightest bump as well as the future pain she will encounter because she keeps heading in the same direction

She asks her not to censor her tears, because that's what we do in public; we hide our mistakes. And while we love our drug of choice, we have to give it up to have the life we really want and have dreamed of.
It doesn't matter who you are, to someone, youn are the last greatest innocent...someone out there is going to be surprised as hell that you were teken by drugs.

In the end, she lets the addict know that it's acceptable to be selfish. Encourages her to be selfish and suggests she move on from where she is as that moment. AHHHH Freedom.

To me it has deep existential meaning. "There's no way out of here, when you come in you're in for good. There was no promise made, the part you played, the chance you took."
That alone can be interpreted many different ways but when I heard it the first time I was filled with extreme existential anxiety. There has always been a suggestion when looking around for life's great meaning that this is the hell we all fear. Endless cycle of birth and death. There's no way out. Now my interpretation is just that. An interpretation.

It likely was a song he wrote about Floyd and feeling like there is no escape. The great thing about this song is that it can be applicable to almost anything. That's real art.

I love this song! it really touches my heart fiirst time I ever heard it my friend colurtney told m e it her sisters fa vorite song znd had requested it to be pl,ayhed at her sistgers' funeral. i listened to tt and my tears started flowing they do every time I hear it its a great song forf everyone.

Odetta didn't even write or play this song. She played a song called Easy Rider, not, the Ballad of Easy Rider. These lyrics have nothing to do with Odetta' s blues hit, which, in my opinion is far better than this boring tune. Odetta s song Easy Rider was not in any way tied to the movie either. This is a huge mis conception and many keep making this mistake all over the web. Shortcutters!