| The Band – The Unfaithful Servant Lyrics | 6 years ago |
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I see a biblical connection to this one (as is true for many of The Band's songs). Christ's parable of the unfaithful servant (Lk 12:41-48) compares a faithful servant who, when put in charge of the master's lands in the latter's absence, does what is expected of him, with an unfaithful one who uses the master's absence as an excuse for debauchery and abusing the other servants. When the master returns and sees what has happened, he punishes the unfaithful servant and throws him out. The parable ends with Christ saying that one who knows what is expected and does not do it will be punished heavily; if he does not know what is expected and does wrong, he will receive a light punishment. "everyone to whom much is give, of him much will be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more." The song talks of how well the unfaithful servant has been treated by his wife/partner and implies that he has done something to betray that love and trust, and is thus being sent away, as in the parable. I think the narrator is also the servant. The change in POV in the next-to-last stanza is a well-used literary trope, especially for a conflicted narrator. Robertson's running buddy Mr. Zimmerman was also fond of it (cf. "Tangled Up in Blue"). |
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