Mr. Tambourine Man

Music is there to be analyzed differently by each individual. I think it's a bit narcissistic and naive of you to be placing yourself on some pedistule as "the great interpreter of songs."

individuality is often these days an excuse for stupidity and failure to recognize undeniable ignorance where it is encountered(self), I shouldn't have to but i will without my own words explain again in the original post's words: "While the clowns of this world merely copy the style, the form, and the tone of the lyrics, the inspired people understand and see their world in a new light (ie the passages about nature and their surroundings) . This new understanding can thereby make the audience into better people." so when in fact you're overlooking the real meaning as it should be, my friend, you're just another ragged clown chasing some shadow.

I Have a Question Im 15 And sometimes i can guess what songs are about by reading each stanza. But what i love about Bob Dylan is that his lyrics are a challenge and i can't understand a thing he is talking about in this song. Can some break it down for and give me some tips on how to interpret songs a lot better?

yeh your right mr tambourine man is inspiration but the inspiration comes from weed. mr tambourine man is not his dealer its his weed. weed does what he is describing in the song. trust me i'm stoned now!!!

I think you nailed it, for the most part hpylori.

Next time you leave a comment, you should be more pretentious.

I agree, but I bet this song's still great on XTC.

@hpylori I agree with much or all of that. Dylan, in an interview, said he had been inspired by seeing & hearing a tambourine player at a street festival, the morning after some night before. To my mind, therefore, it seems to me the singer-songwriter-poet is asking "Who's gonna sing for ME?" i.e. who will inspire the singer who inspires so many others? <br /> At least, that's what I thought back in 1971, near the end of an acid trip, as my friend played the song for us.

@hpylori "Take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship,<br /> My senses have been stripped, my hands can't feel to grip,<br /> My toes too numb to step, wait only for my boot heels<br /> To be wanderin'.<br /> I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade<br /> Into my own parade, cast your dancing spell my way,<br /> I promise to go under it.<br /> <br /> Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,<br /> I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.<br /> Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,<br /> In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.<br /> <br /> Though you might hear laughin', spinnin', swingin' madly across the sun,<br /> It's not aimed at anyone, it's just escapin' on the run<br /> And but for the sky there are no fences facin'.<br /> And if you hear vague traces of skippin' reels of rhyme<br /> To your tambourine in time, it's just a ragged clown behind,<br /> I wouldn't pay it any mind, it's just a shadow you're<br /> Seein' that he's chasing.<br /> "<br /> You're tellin me this fools not on salvia.

@hpylori the jingle jangle morning is a description of the first pangs of withdrawal, before you go cop heroin in the morning. You chase the dealer to get your fix. This is fairly well known song meaning, I thought everyone knew this. I'll l ook for a source though.

@hpylori <br /> Although I do not know much of the context of this song I still must disagree with you. I do, however, commend you on the originality of the interpretation and I do know how tiresome it can get hearing people use drugs to explain what they don't understand. That said, it is very hard to interpret these words for anything else...<br /> "Take me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship<br /> My senses have been stripped<br /> May hands can't feel to grip<br /> My toes too numb to step<br /> Wait only for my boot heels to be wandering<br /> I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade<br /> Into my own parade<br /> Cast your dancing spell my way, I promise to go under it".<br /> If I had to guess I'd say much is referring to the meaninglessness and therefore the emptiness of life and the results of such a feeling. He says <br /> "Though I know that evenings empire has returned into sand<br /> Vanished from my hand<br /> Left me blindly here to stand but still not sleeping<br /> My weariness amazes me, I'm branded on my feet<br /> I have no one to meet<br /> And the ancient empty street's too dead for dreaming"<br /> I think the sleep he is referring to is death itself. There is no stimulus in his world (the street's are too empty to dream) yet he is still forced by something unknown to stand. He probably wants to kill himself (My weariness amazes me) or at least he can't understand why he is both so tired (over life) and still standing (Resisting his true thoughts thanks to instinct or something along those lines). He wants there to be purpose but he is always let down (Though you might hear laughing, spinning, swinging madly across the sun<br /> It's not aimed at anyone) and so when he asks Mr Tambourine man to play a song he will inevitably be disappointed as it is extremely difficult to play a "song" with an instrument whose most easily compared to the triangle.

I should add that the drugs come into, of course, as an escape from this empty world. Much like Lou Reed's "Perfect Day"

@hpylori It is all about drugs. Have another listen and think about the words ...smoke rings of my mind...might help you understand.

@hpylori - this song may not be solely about drugs but, if you\'ve ever taken enough good hallucinogens, the imagery of this song will probably resonate with that experience. The dissolution of your own ego, the helpless tug of your own imagination, the crazy joy and helpless laughter - it\'s all in there.\r\n