While the eyes of the idol with the iron head are glowing.
Distant ships sailing into the mist,
You were born with a snake in both of your fists while a hurricane was blowing.
Freedom just around the corner for you
But with the truth so far off, what good will it do?
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
You rise up and say goodbye to no one.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread,
Both of their futures, so full of dread, you don't show one.
Shedding off one more layer of skin,
Keeping one step ahead of the persecutor within.
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
Manipulator of crowds, you're a dream twister.
You're going to Sodom and Gomorrah
But what do you care? Ain't nobody there would want to marry your sister.
Friend to the martyr, a friend to the woman of shame,
You look into the fiery furnace, see the rich man without any name.
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
The law of the jungle and the sea are your only teachers.
In the smoke of the twilight on a milk-white steed,
Michelangelo indeed could've carved out your features.
Resting in the fields, far from the turbulent space,
Half asleep near the stars with a small dog licking your face.
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh. oh. oh. Jokerman.
Preacherman seeks the same, who'll get there first is uncertain.
Nightsticks and water cannons, tear gas, padlocks,
Molotov cocktails and rocks behind every curtain,
False-hearted judges dying in the webs that they spin,
Only a matter of time 'til night comes steppin' in.
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
A woman just gave birth to a prince today and dressed him in scarlet.
He'll put the priest in his pocket, put the blade to the heat,
Take the motherless children off the street
And place them at the feet of a harlot.
Oh, Jokerman, you know what he wants,
Oh, Jokerman, you don't show any response.
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
He is always singing about himself, that's the beauty of it. Even though he doesn't like to admit it.
This song is about Ronald Reagan.
- It was written shortly after Reagan became President in 1981 (released in 1983).
- Reagan won the election largely because his predecessor, Jimmy Carter, was unable to free the American hostages in Iran. Curiously, the hostages were freed on the day Reagan was inaugurated, as if Reagan had illegally cut some deal with the Iranians. Iran, formerly known as Persia, is famously known as the land of the nightingale. Google it. Reagan is "dancing to nightingale tune". This line is heart of the chorus of the song. Why link the Jokerman to the nightingale and repeat it over an over? Dylan chooses his symbols for a reason. Espcecially a symbol in a chorus. It's not just some random imagery. If you can't explain why the Jokerman is dancing to the nightingale tune, you can't explain the song.
- Reagan had a favorite, beloved, horse called "El Alemain". It was a white horse. This is a well-known fact about Reagan. Google it. You'll find pics of Reagan on the horse. This matches perfectly with one of the few clues in the song: "In the smoke of the twilight on a milk-white steed".
- Reagan, in his prime, was a handsome, buff stud. Literally movie star good looks. Fits well with "Michelangelo indeed could have carved out your features", one of the other clues in the song. Take a look at Michelangeo's statue of David. The Jokerman is no pencil neck geek.
- As mnonm points out, the climax of the music video is a picture of Reagan as the Jokerman!
That's an interesting theory, but I guarantee if you presented it to Dylan, he'd reply, "Why the hell would I ever write a song about Reagan, man?"
That's an interesting theory, but I guarantee if you presented it to Dylan, he'd reply, "Why the hell would I ever write a song about Reagan, man?"
No, no, no. There's a whole lot of other imagery in the video, including Batman's villain the Joker, the playing card, and - the most frequent image - younger Bob Dylan himself. Remember, there's little debate over who is "the jester" in Don McLean's song "American Pie," and "jester" is almost synonymous with "joker."
No, no, no. There's a whole lot of other imagery in the video, including Batman's villain the Joker, the playing card, and - the most frequent image - younger Bob Dylan himself. Remember, there's little debate over who is "the jester" in Don McLean's song "American Pie," and "jester" is almost synonymous with "joker."
The song isn't about Reagan or Jesus or even...
The song isn't about Reagan or Jesus or even JFK (who is also in the video). It's about Dylan.
What is the Joker? He's an "agent of chaos," as he says in "The Dark Knight." He's the wild card. He's the unexpected game changer. He is neither good nor evil, right nor wrong, heroic nor villainous. He is the Fool in "King Lear" and in the Tarot. He is the child who says the emperor has no clothes.
You've done a good job of explaining the lyrics, "Jokerman, dance to the nightingale tune," and, "In the smoke of the twilight on a milk-white steed, Michelangelo indeed could've carved out your features," but there are other lyrics you're ignoring. How can you possibly say, "Friend to the martyr, a friend to the woman of shame," or, "A woman just gave birth to a prince today and dressed him in scarlet. Take the motherless children off the street and place them at the feet of a harlot. Oh, Jokerman, you know what he wants. Oh, Jokerman, you don't show any response," how do THEY relate to Reagan?
You have to remember that "Jokerman" is a song on Dylan's album "Infidel." It's true, in '83, Reagan was president, but also in '83, Dylan was still an avowed Christian. And yet he released an album - just a few years before disavowing himself of Christianity - with the title "Infidel." And it included "Jokerman."
El Alamein is a good catch, but a white horse means something else to a Christian, as Dylan was at this time. It means Revelation 6:2: "And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." It's a reference to the Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse - Death. The great equalizer. The one who shall one day visit us all. "And a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."
Death... conquers... ALL! And it is every bit as unpredictable, as random, as inevitable as the wild card in the deck. It is the Great Equalizer. It falls on just and unjust alike.
The meaning of this song is that Dylan and his music are NOT about Reagan or Carter or Ford or Nixon or Johnson or Kennedy. They are the infinite agents of chaos. They are as they have always been and will always be. The nightingale isn't Iran. The nightingale is the one small bird of flight who is nocturnal (compared to the other, diurnal ones). Hence the "birds fly high by the light of the moon."
Hence the avowed Christian who is an infidel.
Hence the Jokerman.
Talmudic Judaism, plain and simple.
not completely wrong, but not completely right https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oeSHr6velU
not completely wrong, but not completely right https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oeSHr6velU
Typical Dylan’s approach to chaos and nonsensical world of evil. He never wanted to lead a revolution or wage a war. He knows who you are and he tells you he doesn’t care. Dylan is not a prophet, he just wants to be left alone. Because, as you may not know yet, everything is broken. And so, the ultimate answer to your craziness is in the beautiful imagery of what he’s going to do for you and it is: flipping you a finger. “ Resting in the fields, far from the turbulent space, Half asleep near the stars with a small dog licking your face.”
I've also heard that Dylan might have been singing about himself.
that is partly true https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oeSHr6velU
that is partly true https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oeSHr6velU
He is the Jokerman..
He is the Jokerman..
"He'll put the priest in his pocket, put the blade to the heat" is not talking about Jesus but the Antichrist. To have someone in your pocket is to be bribing them; the "blade to the heat" is to brand his followers with the mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-17) and he does it with the connivance of the religious authorities.
@GDC I thought that , the book of revelations, the false prophet on a white horse, takes orphans and gives them to the scarlet lady [greed sex and selfishness], Ragans capitalism was part of the irreligious Infidelic soulless greed
@GDC I thought that , the book of revelations, the false prophet on a white horse, takes orphans and gives them to the scarlet lady [greed sex and selfishness], Ragans capitalism was part of the irreligious Infidelic soulless greed
dylan's a genius!!
i'm not!!
could anyone please explain this song to me it's driving my crazy!! it's a lovely song but i so totally can not figure it out!!!
G'day. If you're still interested, see my comments on 12 Aug 2007 and today, 29 Mar 2010.
G'day. If you're still interested, see my comments on 12 Aug 2007 and today, 29 Mar 2010.
ok, so i understand very little of dylan's works, but think that many of them are about multiple things (except masters of war, which is well written but a very direct and simple protest song). Jokerman could be about anything from Jesus, the devil, or the civil rights movement and possibly the genocidal rage on the jews from WWII. Because of the line "nighsticks and watercannons teargas padlocks, molotav cocktails and rocks, behind every curtain", i am pointed toward WWII or Civil Rights. Yet "Resting in the fields, far from the turbulent space," may refer to Jesus. Enjoy these thoughts....
ok, so i understand very little of dylan's works, but think that many of them are about multiple things (except masters of war, which is well written but a very direct and simple protest song). Jokerman could be about anything from Jesus, the devil, or the civil rights movement and possibly the genocidal rage on the jews from WWII. Because of the line "nighsticks and watercannons teargas padlocks, molotav cocktails and rocks, behind every curtain", i am pointed toward WWII or Civil Rights. Yet "Resting in the fields, far from the turbulent space," may refer to Jesus. Enjoy these thoughts.
If you want to know the meaning of this song, click on this you tube link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyi9SRCDtwE
If you want to know the meaning of this song, click on this you tube link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyi9SRCDtwE
I love Dylan and this is one of my all-time favourite songs. Here's my take on it. The defining traits of the jokerman are that he is a night-dweller; he's a mocker; he's arrogant and narcissistic; he's an idolator and he will come to a bad end. All his mockery will cease when he at last has to face the consequences of his choices.
This was written when all Dylan's songs had astonishingly insightful Biblical connections. How are these for starters? Psalm 1:1 "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked... nor sit in the seat of scoffers!" The jokerman is the wordly-wise scoffer, mocking everything that is holy. He thinks this will bring him freedom but doesn't see that freedom only comes from finding and walking in the truth (John 8:31-32).
The idol with the iron head and glowing eyes refers to the ancient Cannanite fertility rites where they sacrificed their own children (Ezekiel 20:31).
And Romans 13:12 - "The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light". The jokerman, however, loves the night, rushing in where even angels and fools won't go.
The only changes he thinks he needs are external but, like a snake, the shed skin only reveals the same snake and that will never satisfy his internal persecutor - his own conscience (Romans 2:14-15)
He can please all the crowds, taking every politically correct view, not worrying about society becoming like Sodom & Gomorrah (Luke 17:28-30) because "nobody there would want to marry your sister"!
"The fiery furnace and rich man without any name" comes from Luke 16:19-31), wrning the jokerman that all his fame and riches will mean nothing in the after-life.
The references to Leviticus, Deuteronomy, the law of the jungle and the sea as his "only teachers" reveal his ruthless, survival of the fittest, self-obsession so that he thinks he's truly heroic and worthy of adulation.
He doesn't see that the whole, vulnerable world that we are is actually being approached from only two angles - the sniper (Satan) and the preacher (anyone with the message of Jesus). In this vicious spiritual warfare, we will be caught in any falsehood that we tolerate.
The woman is Babylon the harlot (Revelation, chap 17-18), who gives birth to the final Antichrist - when the jokerman sees this final act, he'll see the outcome of his mockery and know he's lost his soul.
So who's the jokerman?
The defining traits of the jokerman are that he is a night-dweller; he's a mocker; he's arrogant and narcissistic; he's an idolator and he will come to a bad end. All his mockery will cease when he at last has to face the consequences of his choices. -Priceless
The defining traits of the jokerman are that he is a night-dweller; he's a mocker; he's arrogant and narcissistic; he's an idolator and he will come to a bad end. All his mockery will cease when he at last has to face the consequences of his choices. -Priceless
Everything else you said is mind blowing. Wish I could utilize what ever vocabulary I have to be able to speak so eloquently like you.
Everything else you said is mind blowing. Wish I could utilize what ever vocabulary I have to be able to speak so eloquently like you.
Its the Fool Tarot Card https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oeSHr6velU
Its the Fool Tarot Card https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oeSHr6velU
There are definitely some spiritual themes here: "born with a snake in both of your fists" is a reference to Hercules, whom Hera tried to kill when he was an infant by putting snakes into his sleeping area. She was Jealous of Alcmene who bore Zeus the child. He strangles the snakes because he is so strong. But indirectly the reference could be to Jesus, because like Hercules he is the son of God (Zeus) and mortal woman (Mary/Alcmene). "Standing on the waters casting your bread" is a biblical reference: (Eccl 1-1 NIV) "Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again." The jist of this I take to mean as sort of "you reap what you so" karmic thing.
"You're a king among nations, you're a stranger at home" could also be a reference to Jesus being worshiped from afar by the three wise men who saw him as the king of kings, as opposed to the Jews who knew him as the son of Joseph of Nazareth.
"the Book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy" are the laws of the jews. He is establishing who Jesus (the jokerman) is.
Here is the interpretation of Jokerman. It is what it is....