A lady at Tunbridge Wells was brave enough to approach the stage and ask Steve what the song "Sebastian" was about. I think this is the picture of Saint Sebastian he was referring to at the National Gallery but I don't think it's currently on display. It's by Gerrit Van Honthurst.
Steve also mentioned, though maybe I misheard him, that Diego Velaszquez had also painted Sebastian. I can't find that?.....so I probably misheard. (I love The Toilet Of Venus that's in the National Gallery) .
Mostly depicted , pierced by arrows and tied to a tree, St Sebastian was a Roman soldier who, when discovered to be a Christian, was sentenced to death and shot by arrows. Legend has it that the arrows didn't kill him and he was subsequently stoned to death. Commemorated on 16th December by us Catholics he's the patron saint of soldiers and athletes.
Perhaps Steve, who suffered polio in childhood limps and can't run was mocked? Who knows.?
But it's a start.
I don't worry about all that analysis.
I just love the song.

that brave lady was my partner.....she took me by surprise by going up to talk to Steve.

It's a great song and still ahead of its time today.

Great night at the Assembly Halls.

I first saw this, stunning, depiction by Belluci at the Dulwich Gallery a couple of years ago. The lady tending Sebastian is [saint?] Irene...the beautiful lady holding the cross and cradling Sebastian's head, represents Faith. Strangely enough, i thought that Sebastian bore a resemblance to Steve (sorry, no insult intended); The line 'i know what faith is...and what it's worth' came to mind
another version well worth a look is by Mattia Pretti, not on display in England - but worth googling

just found this on wikipedia, Harley was interviewed during 2008 in a short documentary on his days busking in London. Harley spoke of the song and its meaning: "It's poetry. It means what you want it to mean. "Sebastian" is the conduit, the tubes through which I took myself on that journey to write the story. I can't say for sure, but I wouldn't have been far away from tripping when I wrote "Sebastian". LSD, certainly, created so many incidents in your life, so many images, so much madness and mayhem, as well as great tranquility if you were lucky. I can't define its meaning. It's like most poetry, it's a lovely word."[5]

At Pocklington Arts Centre, I was front row with my granddaughter Rayanne....you know her, Dave M...... Steve sang Sebastian....then afterwards, told the audience...."drugs....that's what that's about, drugs.." at this point I put my hands over Ray's ears, Steve saw, and commented.."Oh she's young, she's so young" then to Rayanne, said "Don't do drugs, don't do drugs" whilst wagging his finger at her!!

im sure most of the first 2 albums were penned whilst under the influence, what ever it was it must have been good shit!!!!