Almost all my posts here are 'my interpretation' because it is more valuable to me. I tend to think that music is one of those unique areas that what it means to a person personally is sometimes as or more important than what the musician meant.
In truth, it probably is a Jews interpretation of Israels trials (too many exact references like 'desert sand'). But, for me, when I play this song and think about it I like to have some emotional connection to it. Also, Dylan tried to say this song is not political. So what else could it be?
To me then, it could be the working class in general. While various governments like to tell them how to behave, with an attitude very much like the antagonists in this song. It's the feeling of being scapegoated by hypocrites. Always the ones having to pay more tax. While Bono tells you to give more to Africa.
That would also be more relevant to "every empire that enslaved him has gone". Rome, Babylon were famous for treating their working classes terrible and having it come back to bite them.
Almost all my posts here are 'my interpretation' because it is more valuable to me. I tend to think that music is one of those unique areas that what it means to a person personally is sometimes as or more important than what the musician meant.
In truth, it probably is a Jews interpretation of Israels trials (too many exact references like 'desert sand'). But, for me, when I play this song and think about it I like to have some emotional connection to it. Also, Dylan tried to say this song is not political. So what else could it be?
To me then, it could be the working class in general. While various governments like to tell them how to behave, with an attitude very much like the antagonists in this song. It's the feeling of being scapegoated by hypocrites. Always the ones having to pay more tax. While Bono tells you to give more to Africa.
That would also be more relevant to "every empire that enslaved him has gone". Rome, Babylon were famous for treating their working classes terrible and having it come back to bite them.