Shaman's Blues

@dickmydog

@dickmydog

Too right.

Too right.

There can be no doubt that this song is one written by a soul crying out to at least one other, I think at least two. The first few verses being dedicated to both, each having double meanings making it both romantic and religious. The latter few dedicated to the lover or eve the audience at large.

There can be no doubt that this song is one written by a soul crying out to at least one other, I think at least two. The first few verses being dedicated to both, each having double meanings making it both romantic and religious. The latter few dedicated to the lover or eve the audience at large.

"There will never be another one like you. There will never be another one who can do the things you do." Can be broadly interpreted.

"There will never be another one like you. There will never be another one who can do the things you do." Can be broadly interpreted.

The second sentence emphasises that this person uniquely has abilities that will never...

The second sentence emphasises that this person uniquely has abilities that will never be surpassed by another. Don't forget Morrison was well read, he knew of many men throughout history repeatedly besting each other, this person is obviously extremely unique.

In the next verse he goes from exaltation to begging.

"Will you give another chance?" and further "Will you try, a little try?"

We hear the third plea "Please stop and you'll remember, we were together" and note here, not only the power of threes important in poetry and apparently magic, maybe Shamanism too but also the fact that Jim indeed went to seminary school. He could be talking to a previous lover while also God.

Next he goes from a plea to an offering.

"If you have a certain evening you could lend to me, I'd give it all right back to you". Keyword, all, everything, from body and mind to soul. He knows 'how it has to be, with' who?

The lord who, "knows your moods, and your mind".

Here is where I think the 'you' is focused more on the lover rather than the Lord due to the regress from offering to once again pleading.

To her he says "Will you stop and think and wonder, just what you'll see?"

While "out on the train yard" which is a place where people travel from one place to another. I believe this is metaphor for the moments beginning the afterlife, we are given the image of a "Nursing penitentiary(/prison)", this sounds to me like a form of purgatory or hell.

"It's gone, I cry out long" Is so short as to be open to multiple interpretations, for example is love gone, life or hope?

Similar tone indicates the following verses are directed at the same person. "Did you stop to consider, how it will feel? Cold grinding grizzly bear jaws hot on your heels" - however you choose to interpret this, it definitely sounds like a form of hell.

Jim then takes a different approach asking "Do you often stop and whisper in Saturday shore?" Saturday being the holy Sabbath of the Jews it is the day where they stop and do no work, but do pray, with a whisper? Interestingly he seems to be hinting that it is something that should be done as to avoid the terror he previously sung of. This makes me think that he was limited in the explicit messages he was allowed to convey as it seems many artists are today. Just a thought.

"The whole world's a saviour" as the holy spirit exists everywhere. "Who could ever ever ever ever, ever, ever, ask for more?" Says it all really.

These next two verses combined sound to me like an appeal to the shaman to stop a pain, in doing so the pain was brought onto the shaman himself. Hence, 'Shamans Blues'

"Do you remember? Will you stop? Will you stop, the pain?". Seems to be intended to invoke a memory of an appeal to a figure who healed a pain, but not necessarily Jim appealing to another due to the verse below "How you must think and wonder how I must feel. Out on the meadows while you're on the field. I'm alone for you and I cry."

I think Jim thought of himself as a shaman somewhat, I can't remember where or when but I have definitely read a thing or two saying something like that.

Considering the earlier sentiment "I'd give it all right back to you" we can obviously see this pain is deep and if I'm reading into all this correctly, he regrets his action/s.

This last verse is without a doubt the most complex.

He's sweatin' look at him - Either as the writer above said "You mock him on the cross" or an out of body visual of the shaman himself. Optical promise - A promise, likely to a cult, that can be seen and therefore either imaginary and intangible or physical and therefore transient matter. (laughs) - Sounding almost menacing, diabolical power-fuelled laugh possibly about this optical promise, shamanistic deal or the sweating man. You'll be dead and in hell before I'm born. - Is obviously a sentiment from who? Is it from the bridesmaid, Israel, representing the church and Christianity itself? Or did he envision the Messiah talking to him about his second coming? Sure thing. - A nonchalant seemingly ignorant reply. Bridesmaid. - Aka Israel in the bible, metaphor for the church? Is it who he's replying too? The only solution. - Acceptance or defiance? Is he saying the bridesmaid is the only solution, knowing that the Lord will forgive his sins if he truly repents? Isn't it amazing? - The ultimate plan it would seem, left still ambiguous in the final moments of this song. However it does seem to have a free tone of release.