The song "Native Son" by James Taylor is open to interpretation, but it seems to explore themes of war, camaraderie, and finding one's way back home after experiencing traumatic events. The lyrics suggest that the narrator and his comrades were once "brothers in arms" during a war, but now that the war is over, they have drifted apart. The line "Have you waded in and been to hell?" implies that they have witnessed and experienced the horrors of war. The war might have changed them, as they are now distant and disconnected, symbolized by lying upon the sofa and decorating their shells (possibly referring to their bodies or their personal spaces). The chorus, "Mount up, move on, damn the darkness, speed the dawn, they lost, we won. Try to find your way back home, native son," could be seen as a call to move forward and leave the darkness of war behind. It suggests that they have emerged victorious, but now they must find their way back home, back to their roots as native sons. "Native son" can refer to someone who belongs to a particular place or someone deeply connected to their homeland. Overall, the song might be about the aftermath of war, with the narrator reflecting on the changes and challenges faced by soldiers trying to reintegrate into civilian life. It emphasizes the struggle to find peace and a sense of belonging after the intense experiences of war.
