The lyricist was resorting to referential treatment and seems to be having a ball. Note the wide array of references being used like Mozart, Calliope, weather chart, etc. Also he used a multiple of words rhyming with one in one of the stanzas. Now, Subject matter will matter less than the kaleidoscopic method used. Like Roger Ebert said " It's not what it's about, It's how it's about it. It goes without saying that Michael Stipe will go work in similar fashion.