[Alberta's Child]

Yes, you're right. And in many cases they are not just vague, but deliberately "deceptive" in that they use one subject as an allegory for another.

For example ...

I'm not a big fan of Paul Simon, but I always liked his classic "The Boxer." I liked it even more when I found out that it really has nothing to do with boxing. Paul Simon wrote it when he was getting started in the music business, and after some of his early work got poor reviews he felt like he was getting his @ss kicked repeatedly, and demoralized in the process.

[Fiji Hill]

i always thought “The Boxer” was about a dog.

[Michael.SF.]

And sometimes it is best not to know

One of my favorite Dylan LP's is 'Blood on the Tracks'. I recently learned that was a 'break up' LP, as he wrote many of the songs (all?) during the period of the break up and divorce. I re listened to it and some of the lyrics were even more impactful:

Even you, yesterday
You had to ask me where it was at
I couldn't believe after all these years
You didn't know me better than that
Sweet lady

Idiot wind
Blowing every time you move your mouth
Blowing down the back roads headin' south
Idiot wind
Blowing every time you move your teeth
You're an idiot, babe
It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe

Pretty rough