The song tells the story of the life of Blind Willie McTell. His struggles and the world he was born in. It also clearly speculates on the fact that Blind Willie McTell never again sung the blues after his convertion. He became a Baptist preacher and started singing gospel music (never recorded)
Mind the fact that Dylan has changed the lyrics of the first stanza at live concerts into: All the way from New Orleans to New Jerusalem This part seams to deal with the hard times of a black blues singer whos struggles will go on tillkingdom come. In the same verse he tells the story of many slaves who died by the hand of the KKK for their believes in Eastern Texas.
The second verse probably is somewhat more autobiographical since its telling the story of people who work at a carnival. Dylan used to work at a gypsy circus in his younger years (listen to the gaslight tapes)
The third verse then again tells the story of the slaves who came in oproar against their opressors. This part is written in beautifull imagery. For example: The magnolia starts to bloom as soon as it gets the possibility to do so. Many magnolias die because they bloom to soon.
I Truly dont know what the fourth verse means. It might be the immage of love for woman and booze in Blind Willies early career.
The last verse is pretty clear as it deals with the preaching of blind willi mctell. He told people that no matter how hard live is only God will care for you. We should never give up the struggle even though there is so much pain in this world. the second part of this verse seams pretty clear to me now thanks to this qoute of geranium kisses:
the St james was a real place that opened as a hotel in New Orleans in 1859 but during the civil War was converted by occupying Union troops into a military hospital.
The song tells the story of the life of Blind Willie McTell. His struggles and the world he was born in. It also clearly speculates on the fact that Blind Willie McTell never again sung the blues after his convertion. He became a Baptist preacher and started singing gospel music (never recorded)
Mind the fact that Dylan has changed the lyrics of the first stanza at live concerts into:
All the way from New Orleans to New JerusalemThis part seams to deal with the hard times of a black blues singer whos struggles will go on tillkingdom come. In the same verse he tells the story of many slaves who died by the hand of the KKK for their believes in Eastern Texas.The second verse probably is somewhat more autobiographical since its telling the story of people who work at a carnival. Dylan used to work at a gypsy circus in his younger years (listen to the gaslight tapes)
The third verse then again tells the story of the slaves who came in oproar against their opressors. This part is written in beautifull imagery. For example: The magnolia starts to bloom as soon as it gets the possibility to do so. Many magnolias die because they bloom to soon.
I Truly don
t know what the fourth verse means. It might be the immage of love for woman and booze in Blind Willies early career.The last verse is pretty clear as it deals with the preaching of blind willi mctell. He told people that no matter how hard live is only God will care for you. We should never give up the struggle even though there is so much pain in this world. the second part of this verse seams pretty clear to me now thanks to this qoute of geranium kisses:
the St james was a real place that opened as a hotel in New Orleans in 1859 but during the civil War was converted by occupying Union troops into a military hospital.
well that about wraps it up for today.
Most of Dylan's stories from the sixties are fictional. Dylan never actually worked in carnival.
Most of Dylan's stories from the sixties are fictional. Dylan never actually worked in carnival.