| Bob Dylan – Tombstone Blues Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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The hysterical bride in the penny arcade Screaming she moans, "I've just been made" Then sends out for the doctor who pulls down the shade Says, "My advice is to not let the boys in" Now the medicine man comes and he shuffles inside He walks with a swagger and he says to the bride "Stop all this weeping, swallow your pride You will not die, it's not poison" The hysterical bride is screaming (fear) but she moans (orgasmic) "I've just been made" "being made" can mean having one's true identity revealed, one's disguise seen through. She has lost her virginity and is hysterical because of the mixed message about sexuality of the time (be a good girl vs. sexual liberation). She calls the doctor (traditional male authority figure) who pulls down the shade (symbol of death, illness, shame) and advises her not to let the boys in, as though she had invited this crisis. Then, in contrast, the medicine man comes and shuffles inside (symbol of the native american healer, also a hint that he is already altered by suffering or lame from injury because he shuffles). But he walks with a swagger (wisdom and confidence) and says to the bride, "stop all this weeping swallow your pride you will not die, it's not poison" (what's not poison, your pride? or semen -- symbol of the newly acquired wisdom of experience.) The medicine man is organic, in touch with the world, the earth, the natural way, and the bride is hysterical because she reflects civilized society's unnatural conflict over sexuality of the time, that is also aligned with the hypocrisy of the leaders who send the young off to war and reject natural emotions as cowardly ("the sun's not yellow it's chicken"), etc. |
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| Paul Simon – The Cool, Cool River Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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This song is a perfect example of Simon's genius. The bump in the momentum -- you can feel it -- It's the rage of the individual that can't move something as massive as the sea, can't change the ocean, but redirects the stream, the river that leads there and so you CAN feel it. Yes Boss -- This section depicts the tyranny of the wealthy nation, the west, as it subjugates and seeks to crush the other -- the government handshake -- refers to the business of nations where the rich nations deal for the soul and resources of the poor nations. The few become powerful, the rest are excluded -- Mr. Stillwater, the face at the edge of the banquet -- one of the most haunting phrases I ever heard. Mr. Stillwater (still waters run deep -- there is something powerful and violent moving underneath the surface) the face at the edge of the banquet -- he's not invited to the banquet but he witnesses the ample extravagance that is not allowed to him. The river keeps running -- like a warning. I'll write more later. |
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