| Bob Dylan – All Along the Watchtower Lyrics | 6 years ago |
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@[blthompson:21436] A few years back,"ja734 corrected stated "in the first verse, the joker is talking to the thief". That is true. Dylan (the joker) is talking to his manager Albert Grossman (the thief). I incorrectly said Priest because this is Dylan's first work after becoming enamored with The Bible. [To whit: other titles include The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest and I dreamt I saw St Augustine] I'd also venture to say that this general religious imagery of the period is why the song is open to Hafidzarrazyon's religious interpretations. |
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| Bob Dylan – All Along the Watchtower Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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OKAY, HERE IS THE STRAIGHT DOPE! The song is about The Record Industry. That is why other recording artists always want to record it. When explained correctly, all artists can identify with this track. The Joker is the Artist--In This Case Bob Dylan The Thief is his Manager-Agent-Label Contact...etc.--In This Case Albert Grossman (Dylan's manager at the time this song was penned) In the first verse, the Joker is going to his confidant and pleading to get him out of his current lot in life. 'Businessmen Drink His Wine, Ploughmen Dig His earth means--but none of them along the line know what any of it is worth' means that the recording artist is unhappy with the standard businessperson's approach towards selling art. They bottle it like Coca Cola, and it hurts the creative artist. Then in the Second verse, the Thief talks the Artist into not thinking about things so deeply (for to remain a Thief (or a leach, really), the Joker must continue to work). The Theif basically talks the Joker into getting back on Stage or in the Recording Studio or what have you. The Hour is Getting late means go be a professional and do your job, no matter what you think on a personal level. The last verse is about the decadence of being a Pop Star. Barefoot Servants and all that, it ends with a reflection that someday all this decadence must end. Dylan reflects on this a lot (Slow Train Coming comes to mind). The 2 Riders are kinda like the horsemen of the coming apocalypse. And The Wind began to howl... Get it? |
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