The meaning of the lyrics of the song "The Titanic Overture" by the artist "W.A.S.P."

In W.A.S.P.'s "The Titanic Overture," the lyrical protagonist grapples with an existential crisis typical of adolescence. Standing on the precipice of adulthood, he feels lost and misunderstood.

The lines "I look in the mirror at my face, and I don't understand, I don't feel like a boy, and it doesn't get clearer, 'cause I don't feel like a man" convey a profound sense of uncertainty. The protagonist no longer identifies as a child, yet adulthood seems alien to him. He exists in a state of limbo, belonging to neither world, which evokes confusion and fear.

The phrase "I'm seventeen, and I'm somebody's son" highlights the protagonist's dependence on his parents while simultaneously yearning for self-discovery. He craves an identity separate from the one imposed upon him by his environment.

The relationship with his father adds another layer of tension. "My father doesn't know what I'm holding on, 'cause when he looks at me, he doesn't like what he sees, he doesn't know what I am" – these lines speak to a deep chasm of misunderstanding between generations. The father fails to acknowledge the changes in his son, failing to see the emerging individual, which hurts the protagonist and intensifies his isolation.

The "Titanic" imagery in the song's title serves as a metaphor for the shattering of illusions and expectations. Adolescence, like the "unsinkable" ship, collides with harsh realities, leading to painful transformations and reevaluations.