| Bob Dylan – Gates of Eden Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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First of all, I'm not one of those "folkies" that thinks everything coming out of Dylan's mouth is some kind of protest. However, I do think this song contains a LOT of social and political commentary of the US. I think when he says "the Gates of Eden," he is sarcastically referring to the United States, contrasting how great it's supposed to be with how corrupted it actually is at its core. The refrains are remarks about the country: 1)"Ships with tattooed sails/heading for the gates of Eden" = imports. 2)"...with a crashing but meaningless blow/No sound ever comes from the gates of Eden" = no wars fought on our own soil (except the Civil War.) 3)"There are no kings inside the gates of Eden" = our dream vision of equality through democracy, which obviously is corrupted. 4)"There are no sins inside the gates of Eden" = we think we're perfect. 5)"There are no trials inside the gates of Eden" = the injustice that is not persecuted legally or morally in the US. 6)"There are no truths outside the gates of Eden" = the US is thought to be the be-all, end-all of all nations. |
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| Bob Dylan – Maggie's Farm Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I think "Maggie's Farm" represents the limits of conformity. Dylan is saying he doesn't want to have to be a slave to society. He's going to be free and be himself. It's fairly obvious. "Well, I try my best To be just like I am, But everybody wants you To be just like them." These are some VERY revealing lines that show that the narrator is fed up with being like everybody else and wants to break free of typicality and the inhibitions it causes. Basically, it's a song about rebellion. Just listen to his tone, it's an angry song saying that he wants to be free. |
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| Bob Dylan – One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| I think this song is about a breakup and Dylan is taking the blame for what he did wrong. I think this is most obvious in the third verse. "I couldn't see when it started snowin'/Your voice was all that I heard" means that the guy didn't realize that he was walking on thin ice and the relationship was ending. All he remembers is being in love with the girl. Being so wrapped around the girl's finger, he listens to her when she really just wants the relationship to be over. ("I couldn't see where we were goin'/But you said you knew and I took your word.") | |
| Bob Dylan – Absolutely Sweet Marie Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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it's about a girl who doesn't keep promises. "I can take him to your house but I can't unlock it; you see, you forgot to leave me with the key." This means she might have said it but she can't come through and actually do it. "..looking at your yellow railroad/in the ruins of your balcony." The ruins of the balcony represent BROKEN promises. "I'm just sitting here, beating on my trumpet/with all these promises you left for me." This one's obvious. Marie can't keep her word, that's really all I got from it. And this song really started making sense to me after my girlfriend broke all her promises...hmm. |
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