S.O.D. "I'm Your Captain/Closer to Home by Grand Funk Railroad

5/31/2015      Interpretations of the meaning in this song are many although the songwriter and guitarist for the band, Mark Farner never really divulged its meaning and wants listeners to use their imaginations. The Vietnam War and even as far back as Abraham Lincoln's time have been used as a depiction. The most common version however is the captain of ship facing mutiny, as kind of mysteriously stated in the lyrics.  

     It is composed in the compound binary or sonata form and is considered to be Farner's best work.  At the 4 1/2 minute mark the second movement begins with seaguils and an orchestra.  This happened when the band couldn't figure out how to end the song and thought an orchestral sound might work.  They then hired Tommy Baker, an arranger and trumpet player who decided an orchestra would be the perfect fit.  Producer Terry Knight then hired the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra to complete the final touches and the bandmembers were amazed when they are the track.  

     The tune achieved moderate success at first but then becoming a megahit and sending the album, "Closer to Home" to the top 10 in under a month.  You probably couldn't get through a day listening to classic rock station without hearing this tune and everybody still knows the words.