I remember the first time I heard that song, I was in Da Nang, Vietnam.
Two things struck me: One was some not so veiled references and the things I couldn't figure out, the other was the time of play. Unheard of in those days.
I was in the RAF when that came out, we all liked the song but it had no specific meanings for us. It was just a song still is I suppose, it doesn't have the nuances for us that it would Americans.