Meaning of "Fishnets & Cigarettes" by New York Dolls

The lyrics of "Fishnets & Cigarettes" by New York Dolls capture a complex emotional landscape of longing and inner turmoil. The narrator is depicted as waiting alone, feeling wounded and bleeding, hoping for someone to ease their pain. The imagery of old blues songs suggests a deep connection to emotional struggles and pain. Mentions of happiness, fishnets, and cigarettes juxtaposed with a pagan monkey in a dress create a sense of chaos and contradiction, reflecting the tangled emotions within the narrator's mind. The lyrics also touch on themes of love and heartbreak, with references to a rogue elephant for a mind treating the narrator unkindly. The repeated refrain questioning who can arrest a mind ensnared by love speaks to the all-consuming nature of love and its ability to overwhelm rational thought. The overall message seems to convey a sense of yearning, struggle, and the search for solace in the midst of emotional turmoil.