Note: In the gospels it mentions for 30 peices of silver Judas turned Jesus over to the athorities.
Shadow or shade was used in medieval times for a soul or spirit.
Canaan is an ancient country in what is now Israel/Palestine including the West Bank, western Jordan, southern and coastal Syria and Lebanon continuing up until the border of modern Turkey; and has several biblical meanings.
From the back of the original 33 liner notes by Art Garfunkel:
quote "I confess that Bleecker Street (finished in October 1963), was too much for me at first. The song is highly intellectual, the symbolism extremely challenging. The opening line in which the fog comes like a "shroud" over the city introduces the theme of "creative sterility." But it is the second verse which I find particularly significant:
Voices leaking from a sad cafe,
Smiling faces try to undersand;
I saw a shadow touch a shadow's hand
On Bleecker street.
The first line is a purely poetic image. The second line touches poignantly on the human conditions of our time. To me, it shows the same perceptive psychological characterization as Sparrow - the "golden wheat" ("I would if I could but I cannot, I know"). The third line marks the first appearance of a theme that is to occupy great attention in later work- "lack of communication."
The author says that the poets have "sold out" ("the poet writes his crooked rhyme"). The line "Thirt dollars pays your rent" reminds one of Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Christ for thirty pieces of silver. Admittedly, the song is difficult to understand, but worth the effort." end quote
Note: In the gospels it mentions for 30 peices of silver Judas turned Jesus over to the athorities. Shadow or shade was used in medieval times for a soul or spirit. Canaan is an ancient country in what is now Israel/Palestine including the West Bank, western Jordan, southern and coastal Syria and Lebanon continuing up until the border of modern Turkey; and has several biblical meanings. From the back of the original 33 liner notes by Art Garfunkel:
quote "I confess that Bleecker Street (finished in October 1963), was too much for me at first. The song is highly intellectual, the symbolism extremely challenging. The opening line in which the fog comes like a "shroud" over the city introduces the theme of "creative sterility." But it is the second verse which I find particularly significant: Voices leaking from a sad cafe, Smiling faces try to undersand; I saw a shadow touch a shadow's hand On Bleecker street.
The first line is a purely poetic image. The second line touches poignantly on the human conditions of our time. To me, it shows the same perceptive psychological characterization as Sparrow - the "golden wheat" ("I would if I could but I cannot, I know"). The third line marks the first appearance of a theme that is to occupy great attention in later work- "lack of communication." The author says that the poets have "sold out" ("the poet writes his crooked rhyme"). The line "Thirt dollars pays your rent" reminds one of Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Christ for thirty pieces of silver. Admittedly, the song is difficult to understand, but worth the effort." end quote