In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Ain't no more cane on the Brazos
Oh, oh, oh-oh
It's all been ground down to molasses
Oh, oh, oh-oh
You shoulda been on the river in ninteen-and-ten
Oh, oh, oh-oh
They were driving the women just like they drove the men
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Go down old Hannah, don'cha rise no more
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Don't you rise up til Judgment Day is for sure
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Ain't no more cane on the Brazos
Oh, oh, oh-oh
It's all been ground down to molasses
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Captain, don't you do me like you done poor old Shine
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Well ya drove that bully 'till he went stone blind
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Wake up on a lifetime, hold up your own head
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Well you may get a pardon and then you might drop dead
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Ain't no more cane on the Brazos
Oh, oh, oh-oh
It's all been ground down to molasses
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh, oh-oh
It's all been ground down to molasses
Oh, oh, oh-oh
You shoulda been on the river in ninteen-and-ten
Oh, oh, oh-oh
They were driving the women just like they drove the men
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Go down old Hannah, don'cha rise no more
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Don't you rise up til Judgment Day is for sure
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Ain't no more cane on the Brazos
Oh, oh, oh-oh
It's all been ground down to molasses
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Captain, don't you do me like you done poor old Shine
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Well ya drove that bully 'till he went stone blind
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Wake up on a lifetime, hold up your own head
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Well you may get a pardon and then you might drop dead
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Ain't no more cane on the Brazos
Oh, oh, oh-oh
It's all been ground down to molasses
Oh, oh, oh-oh
Lyrics submitted by BraveSirRobin
Ain't No More Cane Lyrics as written by Anthony Leone Amy Helm
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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according to wikipedia this is an old folk song (not a Dylan original)...the brazo is referring to a river in Texas which im assuming had cane growing along it. cane was used to make , well, you guessed it -canes. It was also used to make the flexible canes used in "caning" (judicial punishment)....i'm guessing that "in 1910", "driving the women like they drove the men" is referring to caning them.
"you may get a pardon and then you might drop dead"
Surely the cane was grown for the sugar ie, sugarcane. That
s why " its` all been ground down to molasses". The workers were probably beaten to work harder (slaves) and the women driven as hard as the men were. Perhaps they used convict labour.It's actually an old prison blues song, traditionally sung by prison workers in Texas along the Brazos, where they cut sugar cane as part of their sentence.
'Go down old hannah, don'cha rise no more Don't you rise up til judgment day's for sure'
Cane was loaded onto flotillas along the Brazos River, and taken to be ground into molasses. The flotillas were designed to carry a specific weight, which was measured by marks on the side, the lower in the water she sat, the closer to full she became, so "old hannah" is the flotilla, he is wishing she would go down and don't you rise no more until judgement day is over and done! 'Taint no more Cane on the Brazos!
Poor "shine" was either a mule or ox, or perhaps a fellow prisoner, who literally stroked out in the heat and lost his sight. The singer is asking his captors not to work him blind in the heat.
In the final verse, he is basically saying, you wake to find yourself serving life at this, hoping you get parole before you drop dead. It's really a quite sad and depressing state, and the emotional message rings through quite clear. There was always more cane on the Brazos River, there would be another flotilla to fill, the misery would continue. These songs were inspired by raw human need to hold on to hope.
@bshows I think your post is good, however I think "Go Down old Hannah" is likely referring to the wish for the Sun to go down rather than the flotilla to end the days work. Here is a source saying the Sun is referred to as Hannah". <br /> <br /> songtell.com/lightnin-hopkins/go-down-old-hannah
These lyrics are insane, one of the most indesipherable Dylan songs I've heard.
according to wikipedia this is an old folk song (not a Dylan original)...the brazo is referring to a river in Texas which im assuming had cane growing along it. cane was used to make , well, you guessed it -canes. It was also used to make the flexible canes used in "caning" (judicial punishment)....i'm guessing that "in 1910", "driving the women like they drove the men" is referring to caning them.
"you may get a pardon and then you might drop dead"