I'm from Minnesota and lived about 6 blocks off of Hwy 61 so I have always loved this song.
Bob Dylan was never very fond of his Minnesota background. He even told people early in his career that he was from New York. So I have always taken Hwy 61 to mean that it is a road that will take him anywhere but where he is from. He desperately wanted to get out of Minnesota and the means to get to this huge, mysterious world is just to get on Hwy 61 and go.
All of stanzas are talking about huge events such as God talking to Abraham and none of them happen where they are now, they happen "down on Hwy 61" which is leading away from where Dylan grew up.
I'm from Minnesota and lived about 6 blocks off of Hwy 61 so I have always loved this song.
Bob Dylan was never very fond of his Minnesota background. He even told people early in his career that he was from New York. So I have always taken Hwy 61 to mean that it is a road that will take him anywhere but where he is from. He desperately wanted to get out of Minnesota and the means to get to this huge, mysterious world is just to get on Hwy 61 and go.
All of stanzas are talking about huge events such as God talking to Abraham and none of them happen where they are now, they happen "down on Hwy 61" which is leading away from where Dylan grew up.
Just a thought. Seeing what others think.