Silvio

The opening lyrics are Bob saying "stake my future on a hell of a past" to his critics. He's saying, hey, I may not be at the peak of my career right now, but I've had a hell of a run so far, and I'd bet the future will be pretty much like the past. "Stake (means I'll bet)my future on a hell of a past. Looks like tomorrow is coming on fast. I ain't complaining about what I got. I've seen better days but who has not." And, really, who has not seen better days sometimes? At some shitty time in your life you know you have seen better days. That's life. And the next verse he continues saying basically hey, if you don't want to come to a show when I'm around fine. I'm out on the road playing my music in order to survive. Again the lyrics are about Bob. He say that he is "Honest as the next jade rolling that stone." Meaning that he is as honest as the next person out working, playing a gig. "When I come knocking don't throw me no bone" Hey, I ain't looking for a handout. I'm here to play for my people. If you don't like the music leave me alone. Which he says like this. "I'm an old boil weevil looking for a home, If you don't like it you can leave me alone" And he says about himself "I give what I've got until I've got no more. "I take what I get until I even the score" He's, saying getting paid evens the score for the time working on his craft, composing masterpiece after masterpiece for a lifetme, and performing live all over the world about 250 shows a year minimum, giving what he had till he is on the verge of collapse, and had no more to give. As a writer, a poet, a performer, and a human being, he gives what he's got until he's got no more. It's not a scam to take fans money and then leave town without playing the show. He says he has to play harmonica and guitar until his fingers and lips bleed to satisfy some who come out just to see an electric dildo. A human juke box who'll up and play every single song they know. And they don't care if you blow your soul. He does not take advantage of or rip off the customers. It's an exchange of money for services provided to those who want the service provided. Next verse he speaks to his critics and tells them that he can use simple and/or plain language but either way the meaning is the same. "I can tell you simple, I can tell you plain, you give something up for everything you gain. Since every pleasure has an edge of pain, pay for your ticket and don't complain." And he tells anyone listening, "one of these days and it won't be long, I'm going down to the valley to sing my song. I'm gonna sing it loud, gonna sing it strong, and let the echo decide if I was right or wrong." And he's had a huge following(echo)for a long time. Early 60's is when he wrote all those protest songs, and critiques, and explanations in a way I'd never heard. And I'd never heard so blunt and in your face lyrics about peoples behavior and the bullshit that comes out of their mouth. I always likes this one. "Broken cutters, broken saws, broken buckles, broken laws, broken bodies, broken bones, broken voices, on broken phones, take a deep breath, feel like you're choking, everything"s broken Everytime you leave and go out someplace, things fall to pieces, in my face Broken hands, on broken ploughs, broken treaties, broken vows, broken pipes, broken tools, people bending, broken rules, hound dog howling, bullfrog croaking, everything's broken