I think that Bob is talking about his current life on the Never Ending Tour in this song. He views his never ending tour as just going to work in the morning. It could embody some bit longing for normal life in a life where he is now treated as an icon- a "thing". He has an inescapable wall built between himself, (the icon, the spokesman of a generation, etc...) and everyone else he encounters on a day to day basis. When Bob Dylan speaks, everyone listens. Everything he says is examined at a microscopic level for some pearl of wisdom. He can no longer speak on a human level with anyone that is around him. So Working Man Blues then might be about his reflections on how he views his current life situation and about getting up and doing the day to day work that makes Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan. Its about his life on tour (ie “sleep in the kitchen with my feet in the hall”- telling of life on the tour bus.) But hey, what do i know, i'm just a simple caveman :)
You articulated that really well. I had never applied this song that directly to real Dylan, I saw the narrator as another drifter type character (which I guess Dylan is) mostly because I the economic hardship theme is so prevalent. But your interpretation makes this song directly personal without being esoteric , which is rare for 2000's Dylan. Thanks, you really added to this song for me.
You articulated that really well. I had never applied this song that directly to real Dylan, I saw the narrator as another drifter type character (which I guess Dylan is) mostly because I the economic hardship theme is so prevalent. But your interpretation makes this song directly personal without being esoteric , which is rare for 2000's Dylan. Thanks, you really added to this song for me.
I think that Bob is talking about his current life on the Never Ending Tour in this song. He views his never ending tour as just going to work in the morning. It could embody some bit longing for normal life in a life where he is now treated as an icon- a "thing". He has an inescapable wall built between himself, (the icon, the spokesman of a generation, etc...) and everyone else he encounters on a day to day basis. When Bob Dylan speaks, everyone listens. Everything he says is examined at a microscopic level for some pearl of wisdom. He can no longer speak on a human level with anyone that is around him. So Working Man Blues then might be about his reflections on how he views his current life situation and about getting up and doing the day to day work that makes Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan. Its about his life on tour (ie “sleep in the kitchen with my feet in the hall”- telling of life on the tour bus.) But hey, what do i know, i'm just a simple caveman :)
You articulated that really well. I had never applied this song that directly to real Dylan, I saw the narrator as another drifter type character (which I guess Dylan is) mostly because I the economic hardship theme is so prevalent. But your interpretation makes this song directly personal without being esoteric , which is rare for 2000's Dylan. Thanks, you really added to this song for me.
You articulated that really well. I had never applied this song that directly to real Dylan, I saw the narrator as another drifter type character (which I guess Dylan is) mostly because I the economic hardship theme is so prevalent. But your interpretation makes this song directly personal without being esoteric , which is rare for 2000's Dylan. Thanks, you really added to this song for me.