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I Shall Be Released Lyrics
They say ev'rything can be replaced,
Yet ev'ry distance is not near.
So I remember ev'ry face
Of ev'ry man who put me here.
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east.
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released.
They say ev'ry man needs protection,
They say ev'ry man must fall.
Yet I swear I see my reflection
Some place so high above this wall.
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east.
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released.
Standing next to me in this lonely crowd,
Is a man who swears he's not to blame.
All day long I hear him shout so loud,
Crying out that he was framed.
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east.
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released.
Yet ev'ry distance is not near.
So I remember ev'ry face
Of ev'ry man who put me here.
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east.
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released.
They say ev'ry man must fall.
Yet I swear I see my reflection
Some place so high above this wall.
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east.
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released.
Is a man who swears he's not to blame.
All day long I hear him shout so loud,
Crying out that he was framed.
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east.
Any day now, any day now,
I shall be released.
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I always thought that this profoundly impressive song is about alienation and salvation a la mode Dylanesque. It may contain but cannot be limited to an anti-death penalty theme.
A man in prison waiting either to get out or be executed
I see this as an anti-death penalty song. Written from the point of view of a man who is on death row and is innocent. He knows he will be released in a figurative sense when he is finally executed.
"I see my light come shining From the west unto the east."
If sunlight is shining from the west unto the east, the sun is in the west and about to set. So if his light is shining from the west unto the east, his life is about to set (end).
@eawgoalie I have another, simpler meaning for this line. See the man is in prison, and he is despondent, so he just sits there with his head down and stares at the floor. Now in the proverbial prison cell there is just a small slit in the wall, high above, that lets in light. And when the sun rising in the EAST, the slit in the wall lights up the WEST side of the cell. As the day goes by and the sun travels to the WEST, the last light shines on the EAST side of...
@eawgoalie I have another, simpler meaning for this line. See the man is in prison, and he is despondent, so he just sits there with his head down and stares at the floor. Now in the proverbial prison cell there is just a small slit in the wall, high above, that lets in light. And when the sun rising in the EAST, the slit in the wall lights up the WEST side of the cell. As the day goes by and the sun travels to the WEST, the last light shines on the EAST side of the cell floor.. So all day long the prisoner just watches the small shaft of light on the floor travel from the "west down to the east". One of Dylan's deepest and sublime lines.
@shaytee
@shaytee
Yes, this is what is probably happening in the literal sense. Leaving it there shortchanges the lyric though, as all it does it give imagery without too much deeper meaning - a prisoner waiting to die - pictured by the passing of time. The deeper poetic meaning behind the line, I would personally say, is most likely my interpretation.
Yes, this is what is probably happening in the literal sense. Leaving it there shortchanges the lyric though, as all it does it give imagery without too much deeper meaning - a prisoner waiting to die - pictured by the passing of time. The deeper poetic meaning behind the line, I would personally say, is most likely my interpretation.
It's definitely has double meaning though and I would be pretty confident in saying that we each got half of it. Which actually is maybe what you're saying upon re-reading your post.
It's definitely has double meaning though and I would be pretty confident in saying that we each got half of it. Which actually is maybe what you're saying upon re-reading your post.
@eawgoalie Yes, exactly! These are levels of meaning here, as you noted. Which is why I think that this is one of Dylan's most sublime and powerful lines. His brilliance should get him a Nobel Prize! (LOL!).
@eawgoalie Yes, exactly! These are levels of meaning here, as you noted. Which is why I think that this is one of Dylan's most sublime and powerful lines. His brilliance should get him a Nobel Prize! (LOL!).
@eawgoalie I'm with @shaytee. I think this line is describing what he sees every day. The image that comes to my mind he's in the prison yard with high concrete walls. He can't watch the sun rise or set. What he does see once the sun rises above the east wall it lights the top of the west wall. The sun shine then progresses down the west wall, across the yard up the east wall until it falls below the top of the west wall. Every day the same and the opposite of what he'd see if he could...
@eawgoalie I'm with @shaytee. I think this line is describing what he sees every day. The image that comes to my mind he's in the prison yard with high concrete walls. He can't watch the sun rise or set. What he does see once the sun rises above the east wall it lights the top of the west wall. The sun shine then progresses down the west wall, across the yard up the east wall until it falls below the top of the west wall. Every day the same and the opposite of what he'd see if he could see the horizon.
I think "So I remember ev'ry face, of ev'ry man who put me here" is about how every person who comes into our lives teaches us something about ourselves, both good and bad, and that these teachings have made us who we are at this point in time. "....they say ev'ry man must fall. Yet I swear I see my reflection, some place so high above the wall." The perverbial "they". Who is "they"? Mother Culture, of course. Yet the writer sees the reflection of his true, higher self and "swears" he won't fall. The writer is also a product of the pain others have caused.......he's in great grief which, in and of itself, delivers him to a higher plane. However, when he sees his light come shining. so brightly that it seems to be coming from the west unto the east (which is backward from a normal day) that bright light beckons him to peace, which is the meaning of "I Shall Be Released".
This song speaks to me.... and I haven't been imprisoned in an actual prison institution. I've listened to both Dylan's and The Band's version of this song and both are just beautifully touching. Right now I'm listening to The Band's version and it just makes me want to cry because the way I relate to the song is by relating it to my life or life in general. I think we can often times find ourselves in places in our lives where we don't necessarily want to end up in but do because life comes with obstacles. I just graduated (sort of ) and it was a struggled and I had to move back to my parents house to get myself back on my feet. I'm not rich so I can't just move somewhere else, let alone, I don't have a job yet. I'm just a bit overwhelmed by how helpless I am right now in my life, where I'm waiting for phone calls by employers so I can save money and get out of this town. I find myself in a prison situation because I want to get out of it but have to work through obstacles in order to get where I want to be.
With that being said, I relate to the phrase "they say every man must fall" because of that reason. I feel like even though I got myself through a 4 year college, I find myself falling right now because I don't have a job and can't support myself right now. It's just a really sad song and it's beautiful and I'm grateful that I at least have my health and have a talent in art and know that I can do something with my future even though I may be stuck in a rut right now. Things really could be worse and this song gives me hope of a better tomorrow... and it just consoles my soul!
Long live the love for music and art!! I love music so much and musicians who have the gift of touching your inner core :]
It is like a breath of fresh air to hear that someone as young as yourself, even though going through your own life's struggles has the inner depth of understanding to be able to bond with and allow your inner soul to be touched by the deep meaning of this song. Do not ever allow your spirit to be snuffed out by the sometimes difficult lessons of life. Remember your light is shining from the East unto the West, Yes you are still at the sunrise of your life, not the sunset as in the song. Hang...
It is like a breath of fresh air to hear that someone as young as yourself, even though going through your own life's struggles has the inner depth of understanding to be able to bond with and allow your inner soul to be touched by the deep meaning of this song. Do not ever allow your spirit to be snuffed out by the sometimes difficult lessons of life. Remember your light is shining from the East unto the West, Yes you are still at the sunrise of your life, not the sunset as in the song. Hang in there Mate! you are greater than you think ?? Not only have a better tomorrow but have a great tomorrow, Long live music and all those that it touches.
I just now read your post and was moved to pray for you. Yours seemed to be the voice of so many recent grads whom our system seems to be failing. I wonder if things are going any better for you now, over a year later?
I just now read your post and was moved to pray for you. Yours seemed to be the voice of so many recent grads whom our system seems to be failing. I wonder if things are going any better for you now, over a year later?
@blueberryheart you have described truly and accurately my relationship with this exquisite piece of art . I agree , The Band´s versión touches me deeply ,and almost always makes me cry. Glad to meet you !!
@blueberryheart you have described truly and accurately my relationship with this exquisite piece of art . I agree , The Band´s versión touches me deeply ,and almost always makes me cry. Glad to meet you !!
incredible version at the band's The Last Waltz go get the dvd and be shockandawed
I shall be released from the sin of being sinful, allways makin mistakes, and wrong choices.
"I see my light come shining from the west unto the east" is an apocalyptic reference. Most apocalyptic scriptures mention a light shining from the west to the east in the day when the truly good will be released from the pain of injustice and persecution.
@Fypast see my comment about this line in a reply above.
@Fypast see my comment about this line in a reply above.
The existentialist Dylan again - crying out that he was framed by every face of every man who put him there. Isn't that all our lives - there is only so much freedom in this world.