| The Beatles – Come Together Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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Like a lot of John's lyrics (and like Dylan's), there are multiple meanings. The two didn't have their songs wrapped neatly in a bow for the listener to easily decipher. Both Dylan and Lennon (who were friends) realized they were truly lyrical geniuses and immensely popular. They probably took great glee in puzzling, provoking, intriguing and teasing their listeners. Listen to Desolation Row or Like a Rolling Stone where there are countless meanings. Same with I want you (she's so heavy)--drugs, sex? The song is probably on one level about the four individual Beatles. It is also about taking drugs. It is also about sex. In fact it is eerily similar to Happiness is a Warm Gun which also had multiple meanings---an actual pistol, sex, shooting drugs, etc. (bang bang, shoot shoot). The first two verses are interesting in that they both could be about George and Ringo. Lyrrics could be interchanged. Flat top. Is that an old stodgy hair style? A guitar top? Groovin up slowly. Is that the groove of the song suggesting the drummer? Or someone who was square and was slowly becoming more hip? Shoot coca cola has a drug reference but it could be about a Coke ad Ringo was asked to be "shot" in. The most interesting verse is the fourth which seems to be about Paul who is emotionally up and down (roller coaster), was getting guff form the other members for being too bossy (early warning), he was a buzz kill (mojo filter--filtered out other musicians creative ideas?). The "one and one an one is three" seems to be John mocking Paul's overly simplistic song writing. He later sang in "How Do You Sleep," the only thing you did was Yesterday. "Got to be good lookin'" refers to the fact that he was the cute Beatle but the only thing he is noticed for is his looks not his intellect...(so hard to see...empty mind, or it could simply mean "hard to read" since he was impulsive and bossy. It seems to be John mocking Paul's overly simplistic mind. The title Come Together could be John's plea to the band members to continue making great music together and not going solo. Or it could refer to the 1960's "let's all get along" ideal. Or again it could be about sex (cum together)...it could even be about Paul's death (come together over me in my grave). There are a lot of religious meanings as well from their time in India and George's stronger religious beliefs. I think it is by far their coolest song. It has a Stones-like groove with dynamic drumming and and a serious danceable groove. The song has a drug-like, happy groove with soaring lead guitar lines from George. The "shoot" parts could suggest shooting up (drugs),shooting your load (sex), or even death (shoot me). |
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| The Beatles – A Day in the Life Lyrics | 10 years ago |
| There's no doubt the "Paul is Dead" shit was created and expanded by the Beatles themselves, probably John who was such a prankster. I think the crash is about Paul and the reason John "had to laugh" even though the news was sad was because the joke was on us, his fans. | |
| The Beatles – A Day in the Life Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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The first verse is about perpetuating the "PAUL IS DEAD" hoax. The lucky man who made the grade was Paul. He blew his mind in a car is about his supposed car wreck in 66. The reason John "had to laugh" is because he made the whole thing up. To perpetuate the rumor Paul is dead. He's just messin with Beatle fans. Hello? Duh, so obvious. Why else would he laugh about something that is so sad? they were so famous they just wanted to mess with their fans. Beat touring. |
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| Bob Dylan – Desolation Row Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| The Einstein is in my view a reference to himself. Ddisguised as Robin Hood" is his own start to the folk music where he came in out of nowhere with a fictional name and a fictional past. The jealous monk are the religious folkies clinging to life in the past as he tries to abandon the folk scene and do something new. "Sniffing draintiles and reciting the alphabet" is what others though he had done by abandoning folk for rock...they thought he went nuts. Why would he abandon what made him famous? The part about the electric violin reinforces this, only it is really an electric guitar, and HE is the Einstein. This is my favorite verse. He WAS an Einstein, a bit arrogant, but also a genius and he knew it. He said most of his songs are autobiographical. | |
| The Band – The Weight Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| Not me. You guys are reading too much into it. He is just very tired, wandered into town looking to crash somewhere for the night. He is probably commenting on man's lack of good will to others. Maybe it is biblical. Maybe it is about Jesus pulling into town. Probably influenced by Dylan's Stuck in Mobile w/ Memphis Blues--a hallucinatory song with impressions of this and that. That was the vogue back then. Doubt me? Check out Desolation Row. Acid will do that to you. The point is, the song is not supposed to be a simple interpretation. Have fun with Happiness is a Warm Gun. All kinds of nuggets on that sucker! | |
| ZZ Top – Pearl Necklace Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| Go check out the words to "Brown Sugar." The Stones version (ZZ top also does a song called brown sugar but a different version). They wanted to call it "Black Pussy." | |
| The Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| He both criticizes it and admits he likes it too. "I'm no school boy but I know what I like..." If you think this is bad, listen to "some girls." He caught hell for that one. Very racist. | |
| The Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| Go look up the lyrics to "Parachute Woman." All these years I thought it was a cool song, but the words were just not decipherable, then my band decided to do it and I looked up the lyrics. Wow. How did they get away with that?? | |
| The Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| I heard it was supposed to be called "Black Pussy." | |
| The Beatles – Tomorrow Never Knows Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| The best part is when John distorts his voice halfway through--right after the backwards guitar solo. He sounds like he is singing from inside a can--hysterical! One of the coolest singers ever, along with Paul's beautiful voice, they created magic together. The drums are also very pronounced in the left speaker. I don't know why they say it is a 'one-chord' song. It sounds like it is in 'B,' but then moves down to 'A.' Kind of a disonant thing. The real impoortant thing is how much Dylan influenced the Beatles, esp. John. I don't think there would have been the Sixties w/out Dylan. He was that influential. He simply taught the world a new way of writing songs. Dylan + the Beatles + Drugs = the greatest pop music the world has ever known. Is there a better line than, "listen to the color of your dreams?" Everytime I hear that line, it brings a smile to my face. Everytime I hear those crazy seagulls, I feel like I am having a flashback. And I have never listened to this song on acid. Just crazy! | |
| The Beatles – The Fool on the Hill Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| The song is not about John Lennon. It is about a person wiser than the masses. His foolish grin means he knows he is wiser than the rest of society, but to them, he is nuts. It is about someone who is eccentric, but feared for he may know the truth. Therefore he is feared, and considered the fool. It is also about awareness brought about by LSD. The images are perfect--a hill, swirling sounds, the sun going down, the world spinning around---background vocals, around and round and round, it is so NOT like Paul to write such a trippy song. Then again, maybe it is a bit of a stab at John-- Hey! I can write trippy too, mate! | |
| The Beatles – The Fool on the Hill Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| It could be Jesus, or just someone who is wise about the world, but the rest of society fears the wisdom of this person, and calls him a fool because they fear he may represent truth, and they fear they live their lives as frauds. Being that it is a very trippy song (see the world spinning around--swirl, swirl), it is probably representative of the Beatle's awakening due to LSD, so the song is an invitation to see the truth, which most people don't see. My guess is he is mocking 'straight" people, who have failed to see the light. | |
| The Beatles – The Fool on the Hill Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| This song is about someone who is wise who is misunderstood by the masses, and thus thought of as a fool. The Beatles were rebelling against conformity, as were most during this time. "The man of a thousand voices, but no one seems to hear" refers to the masses hearing what they want to hear--this guy is telling them something -- the truth -- but they are blind to it. The last part is key--"He never listens to them, he know that they are the fools. They don't like him..." He knows what is going on, but society requires conformity, and change means fear--they fear him for telling them something they don't want to know. The truth hurts, and that is why they don't like him. The song is about "a fool." But the fools are those who don't see the wisdom of the "fool." Since they perceive him as different, they consider him the fool. But they're wrong--they are the fools. | |
| The Beatles – Blue Jay Way Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| "Don't belong" refers to the Beatles telling their audience to not be conformists...."I'd love to turn you on." It is a very stoner-type of song, so that fits w/ the admonition, "don't belong." | |
| The Beatles – Happiness Is a Warm Gun Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Yes, your's is the most plausible, but it also is about sex and guns. The sexual reference is way too obvious. Some problems==window pane acid was big in the 70's--not hte 60's; I don't think he was referring to both acid and heroin. The lizard is probably a chameleon who changes colors...I used to live in Miami, and they are fascinating creatures...maybe referring to someone lying. It is a confusing song, deliberately...my guess is the three parts are seperate unfinished songs thrown together sonically, but deliberately to confuse the listener. Part one has nothing to do w/ a warm gun. Part two could be Yoko, it could be anything. John was close friends w/ Dylan. I'm sure they took alot of acid together and gleefully messed w/ their audience...wink, wink, "hey John, check this out...heh heh heh...think they will get it??? ha ha ha." Maybe the joke is on us...maybe we should just enjoy the song for what it is--a great song. | |
| The Beatles – Happiness Is a Warm Gun Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| I finally have it nailed. Some of you have elaborate interpretations of nuns, suicide, jealous lovers going after spouses, etc. Here is my take. It is a song w/ three seperate songs thrown together, simply because it worked, and it was cool. The obvious references to heroin and sex are w/ out a doubt. The troubling parts are in the beginning. Could it be John deliberately threw these disparite parts together to confuse the listener, knowing fully well they fit musically, but not lyrically? Maybe he got the last laugh, and we are all bending ourselves into pretzels trying to stuff a square peg into a round hole w/ his disjointed lyrics. I have always just enjoyed the song for what it was--a passionate piece of songwriting w/ great lyrics and guitar and harmony. Maybe it is as simple as that. | |
| The Beatles – Happiness Is a Warm Gun Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| could just as easily be about cheating. | |
| The Beatles – Happiness Is a Warm Gun Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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The obvious part of the song is the last part, "when I feel my finger on your trigger." It could be about actual guns, sex, or heroin. This is fine so far, but if you explore the first part and second part, things get confusing. If it is about sex, or drugs, what does the line "she doesn't miss much" refer to? Someone appears to be lying, or covering things up. Does Yoko disapprove of John's heroin/drug use? Is he cheating on her? Who is "mother superior?" Why did she jump the gun? What does that line refer to? She mounted him? Like Dylan, this song is deliberately vague and misleading, designed to be interpreted in many ways. What is most amazing is it is three different songs in one, and clocks in at just 2:39. |
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| The Beatles – Happiness Is a Warm Gun Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| You need to relearn how to write. All that texting makes you look really intelligent. Do you really think you look smart typing 2 for two? | |
| The Beatles – Happiness Is a Warm Gun Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| A better example is Helter Skelter (Paul) versus Everybody has something to hide except me and my monkey (John). Sometimes I get them mixed up. Oh Darling versus Warm Gun. I also get George and John mixed up. I always thought Savoy Truffle was John singing. Same w/ While my guitar gently weeps. The part "I don't know how..." could easily be John. | |
| The Beatles – Happiness Is a Warm Gun Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| It is BOTH. It is supposed to be a metaphor for sex, but it also works for heroin. Shoot. Shoot. | |
| The Beatles – Happiness Is a Warm Gun Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| That all makes sense, but I think it is a triple entendre, guns, sex, and heroin. John was a heroin addict--bang bang, shoot shoot, like shooting heroin...the trigger part could be the syringe, not just Yoko sexually, or the trigger of the gun...when he shoots up, he has alleviated himself of all of his anxieties and pain (no one can do me no harm). He was an extremely messed up person, who grew up motherless and fatherless. Yoko obviously filled some emotional need he lacked as a kid, as did drugs, esp. heroin. | |
| The Beatles – A Day in the Life Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| ...or maybe to suggest that war is bad, and people no longer believed in it...they were concerned w/ the Vietnam war, and maybe used the English Army as a metaphor for the U.S. Army. | |
| The Beatles – A Day in the Life Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| I think the Paul part is about a straight guy going through the motions of life (woke up, combed his hair, getting ready for work), smoking weed (had a smoke, somebody spoke, and I went into a dream). Paul was considered the least likely to be unconventional or use drugs, so I think it is interesting to see that he sang the part, as if to tell the audience, even Paul smokes weed...it is cool, everyone does it. They later went on to sing "everyone smokes pot" at the end of Strawberry Fields, which was supposed to be on the Sgt. Pepper album. Think how much better the album would be w/ the inclusion of that song!! | |
| The Beatles – A Day in the Life Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| "I'm very bored?" Never heard that one. I always thought it was "I buried Paul." Also, if you play Revolution #9 backwards (I think it is that song) it says "turn me on, deadman." I actually did that in college once while tripping on acid. | |
| John Lennon – How Do You Sleep? Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Yeah right. He also said in an interview that in the end of Strawberry Fields, they were saying "everyone's got one, everyone's got one," instead of "everyone smokes pot, everyone smokes pot." Dylan, on the other hand was more known for writing autobiographical songs. I think it is pretty obvious who the song was directed at. He had a lot of animosity towards Paul, his ego, and the fact that he tried to rule the band, and then was the first to leave. | |
| John Lennon – How Do You Sleep? Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| No way would John ever be so obvious to use Paul's actual name in the song. It is pretty obvious listening to the song who it is about. | |
| John Lennon – How Do You Sleep? Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| John resented the lemmings who all sucked up to Paul, saying "he was king," meaning he was the greatest, he was as big as Elvis. | |
| John Lennon – How Do You Sleep? Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| John was most pissed at Paul for breaking up the Beatles. He also was mocking him for his fruitty songs (muzac). I think John believes Sgt Pepper's success went right to his head, and he resented, as did George and Ringo, Paul's bossiness as a result of Sgt. Pepper's success. | |
| John Lennon – How Do You Sleep? Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| I think he is admonishing Beatles fans/Paul fans to look closer at Paul. Look through his pretty eyes and see that he is an empty suit. He is referring to "mother" not as Linda, or some other mother figure, but to Paul as a "mother-bleeper." | |
| John Lennon – How Do You Sleep? Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| I think he is singing to his fans--not paul. He is saying "you think sgt pepper was so great, yeah, it was Paul's baby alright, but look at him closer--look into that mother's eyes--he is a fraud." | |
| John Lennon – How Do You Sleep? Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Good take. One thing that has always amazed me about the Beatles is they were that rarest of all bands who had two frontmen--one who arguably had one of the most beautiful male voices in pop music (Paul), and one who had one of the coolest voices (John). That they were so incredibly prolific for so many years is just staggering. They literally created musical magic together--the proof is in their solo albums, although great, simply lacked that inherent magic, especially from Revolver on. | |
| The Beatles – Come Together Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| The last verse is about Paul. John thought Paul was not deep intellectually and wrote silly songs w/ no depth (one and one and one is three, is John's mocking Paul's song writing). The telltale clue is the line "got to be good looking cuz he's so hard to see." Paul was considered the best looking Beatle, but since his songwriting was so devoid of meaning, he had to get by on his looks. It is pretty scathing. I wonder if this was John's little secret, or if the other Beatles were in on it?? If you don't believe John's disdain for Paul, listen to "How do you Sleep?" My favorite Lennon lyric of all time: "Them freaks were right when they said you were dead...the only thing you got is in your head. Oooooh, how do you sleep at night?" | |
| The Beatles – I Want You (She's So Heavy) Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| It could be about alot of things, but it is NOT about the Vietnam War. That silly Across the Universe movie was to the Beatles like JFK the movie was to the JFK assasination--just revisionist history, BS. If it was about the war, why wouldn't it have been more obvious. John didn't disguise his opposition to that war, why would he do it in song? It is probably about heroin, or maybe Yoko, and how his love for her was both a great thing in his life, and yet also a huge burden, because he knew their relationship was tearing the band apart. I want you, yet you are so heavy, you are such a burden--you are driving me mad. | |
| The Beatles – I Want You (She's So Heavy) Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| The first song on the album, Come Together, is John's. | |
| The Beatles – I Want You (She's So Heavy) Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Of all the comments posted here, yours makes the most sense. What is "heavy?" In the 60's, it referred to "deep" thoughts, like, that is so heavy, man. Or is it a heavy burden for John to carry by being in love w/ Ono, realizing their relationship may contribute to the band breaking up? Or could it refer to her being so sexy? Unlike Dylan's tunes, there really are so few clues. Probably, in John's weird sense of humor, it means nothing...just meant to mess w/ the listener's mind. I have heard the song hundreds of times, and I simply ignore the lyrics, and instead focus on how cool musically the tune is, and always try to guess when it will end, but never can! BTW, Paul's bass playing is really cool, almost played like a guitar. Such an underrated bassist. | |
| The Beatles – I Want You (She's So Heavy) Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Heroin. I want you refers to his needing his fix, and "she's so heavy" refers to the eurphoria experienced by being high. Really two songs in one. The trippy instrumental part is the buzz, and it keeps growing until it just dies--it ends--he has an O.D. No song has a more sudden ending than that one. And then "Here comes the sun" proves to be a sweet follow up. Just brilliant. By far their finest album. George Martin said it is a very happy album. It is impossible to listen to it at a low volume--you need to crank it up to ten! | |
| Bob Dylan – Desolation Row Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I have posted alot on the meaning of this song. One final thought. It is a beautiful song, possibly Dylan's sweetest, other than maybe "You're a Big Girl Now" from Blood on the Tracks. His singing is heartfelt, his guitar is sweet, his harmonica if full and beautiful, perhaps his best harmonica playing, esp. at the end...notice how he is playing full chords, full of life, w/ vigor and gusto! Most of his harmonica playing is obnoxious, but not here. The cherry on the top is the exquisite double-stops and hammer-ons from Charlie McCoy on the guitar fills. It is one of the most pleasing musically from Dylan. Unfortunately, it sits in contrast to the hellacious images presented by those not living in Desolation Row. Maybe it is designed to be an oxymoron, musically--horrible images mixed w/ beautiful playing. BTW, my fav. verse is the one about Einstein. I am positive that is a comparison to Dylan. Einstein was regarded as a nut, sniffing drain-pipes, and reciting the alphabet (E=MC2), and playing "electric violin on DR." Sounds like Dylan gone electric. There is a nexus between Einstein and Dylan. They were greatly misunderstood by their contemporaries, but hailed as genius' by those who came later to appreciate their great works. Again, the greatness and wonder of life resides INSIDE the gates of Desolation Row, where Einstein, Cinderella, and Dylan are, while all the freaks, manipulaters, and evil-doers of modern life reside outside its gates. |
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| Bob Dylan – Desolation Row Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| The easiest way to analyze this brillaint epic is to read each verse, starting w/ the last two lines, ie, "from DR," "into DR," "about DR." Desolation Row is merely an escape from a crazy world where people use, abuse, and manipulate others, and a world in which Dylan brilliantly paints the characters he has encountered throughout his life through symbols of history, art, etc. | |
| Bob Dylan – Desolation Row Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Your post was the most helpful on this thread, esp. the part about Ginsberg in the nuthouse. It explains everything. The entire song is a metaphor for the search for "deeper meaning" as you put it. I prefer "reality." Either way, more than half of the posters on this site missed the point of the song--that Desolation Row is a good place to be--not some hell on earth, and that Dylan became extremely jaded by the people he encountered, people, in his trippy way, were described through symbols known by all throughout history, art, literature, mythology, etc. | |
| Bob Dylan – Desolation Row Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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Yes, I agree w/ your analysis. Most of Dylan's songs are autobiographical. What better way than through other famous people's personas could one rip the people he encountered. As always, Dylan gets the last laugh. Which one is Grossman? Which one is Baez? Which one is the naive reporter from Time Magazine Dylan grilled in Pennebaker's film? The only conclusion I come up w/ in this tune is it is a drug-addled, hallucination-like stream of consciousness about negative people he has encountered, and how he, and only a few others can escape onto an island known as Desolation Row--it is safe, but since few have discovered it, rather lonely. All of this is summed up in the last verse--if you want to communicate w/ me, write from DR, meaning, be in the same non-BS universe as I am. I don't want your pretensions and superficialities. BTW, the "broken door-knob" is an important metaphor. No one has mentioned it in these comments. I believe it is a symbol of a chance-encounter the letter-writer gained w/ Dylan--the door was supposed to be closed to outsiders, people outside of Desolation Row, but the knob broke, the door opened slightly, and the writer was able to communicate w/ Dylan. He is replying, the knob is broken, get lost, but since you have found me, I will only communicate w/ you when you are on the same plane as I, meaning when you are on Desolation Row, when you are not living in fantasy land, when your are grounded in reality. The brilliance of the piece is Dylan no longer has use for imposters, sycophants, and other phonies, and all of the famous people he sings about are merely metaphors for the real phonies he has met in his rise to stardom. |
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| Bob Dylan – Desolation Row Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| I like your take, but look up the word "desolate." Most people equate "desolation row" w/ "death row." It is not necessarily a place to avoid, just a lonely place, where he feels safe from all of the freaks that have inhabited his brave new world sice he became a famous songwriter. All of the drug/freak/circus references are meant to mess the listener up. He is a genius, and he is having a wonderful time portraying how he feels on desolation row. Most of the weird-o's who inhabit this song do not reside w/ him on Desolation Row. There are two universes, and I think he is just commenting on how absurd society and people are, and how he has to find an escape from it all. For years, I thought Desolation Row was some hell, but I was misled. I had the entire song backwards. Dylan got the last laugh! He is just messin' w/ our heads, like he is in half of his songs. | |
| Bob Dylan – Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Dude, you need to look up that fourth word in your take. I have never seen a word so badly misspelled!!! Ha!!!!! I don't think you could misspell it any worse if you tried, or even if you were really stoned! | |
| Bob Dylan – Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| It is two songs in one. The first, more obvious one is a bunch of silly clowns making crazy circus music, and laughing--obviously stoned. The more serious side is the realization that no matter what you do, people will hurl stones at you. He experienced this firsthand w/ his critics and the folkies when he went electric. Imagine any other musician in modern history w/ so much raw talent getting so vilified for changing his tune. Plus, he was a solo artist, not a member of a band, so he was all alone. Just incredible what he produced, and what he had to endure for it. A true genius. | |
| Bob Dylan – Queen Jane Approximately Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I think it is about Joan Baez and the folk movement, but I think Queen Jane is Dylan, and someone who wants to become close to him, some woman, is calling out for him to talk to that person. His world is changing rapidly, and he can no longer trust anyone. The folk movement is dying, and he has mixed emotions. He owes alot to the movement, but his heart says move on to electric. Also, he doesn't trust Grossman, his mgr, and all of the other clowns, (suck-ups, and hangers-on). Most of Dylan's music was autobiographical, but he hides the meanings. Here, for example, Queen Jane seems to be an all too obvious reference to weed. But he is deeper than that. Queen Jane is an all too obvious reference to the "queen" of folk, Joan Baez. Again, Dylan is not that shallow. "Everyone must get stoned," although tempting, is not about smoking weed, but it does serve to draw the 60's stoner crowd into his world, only he is not that superficial. Dylan gave the ultimate clue--Queen Jane is a man. She is Dylan. Reread the lyrics, it will make sense. |
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| Bob Dylan – Queen Jane Approximately Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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The family in the first verse are the folk "family" who doesn't want him to go electric and thereby abandon them. "Flower ladies" is Joan Baez, queen of the folk movement, and the children are the folk fans? The flower ladies feel resentful that they gave him help in climbing up to the fame of the folk movement, and now he has tossed it all away. I agree w/ his boredom of the folk movement, but I don't think he would consider his bandmates "clowns," plus he didn't have any when he was solo (folk), only when he was electric. |
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| Bob Dylan – Queen Jane Approximately Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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Another autobiographical song. Queen Jane is Dylan. The narrator is someone else who wants him to confide in him/her, a lover, perhaps? This person understands what Dylan is going through, and the changes he needs to make after being tired of the folk movement, and all of the lemmings and groupies who worship/use him. The "mother/invitation" verse refers to the folk movement, and they are not interested in his new pursuits, ie, electric music. "You are tired of your creations" refers to Dylan being tired of folk music. The mother, father, sister thing is the folk "family." The narrator, whomever he/she is, is inviting Dylan to come over, he/she will comfort him. He needs someone to talk to...he is alone, and tired of the folk community, sycophants, hangers-on, etc. "Flower ladies/children" are the folk community, and they are tired of him, and how he has decided to abandon their little world. I'm not sure who the "clowns he has commissioned" are--his sycophants? Why would he commission anyone? Hire anyone? Is this Grossman? Are his people no longer able to keep the critics at bay (died in commission, or in vain)? No one can protect him from all of the people who want to be part of him? "Sick of repetition" refers to churning out the same folk songs for the same folk crowd. He wants to "strike a match, and start anew." "Advisors and their plastic?" People who supply him drugs? "More drastic?" Trying to get him more addicted? Not sure. "The Bandits" are his critics whom he has let run rough-shod over (turned the other cheek), and now they have laid down their bandanas, trying to make up, but he doesn't want any part of their superficiality? He seems to be pining for a big change. He seems to have grown tired of the entire scene he has become the star of. Watch Pennebaker's film--disguting! Nothing but a bunch of suck-ups and sycophants. Grossman regards Dylan as his "boy," hell-bent on protecting his little gold-mine from any and all harm. It was the only film I have ever seen that is like a total train wreck. Couldn't watch, couldn't take my eyes off of it. A Shakespearien kind of tragedy, where Dylan plays the tortured genius surrounded by a bunch of lemmings, and moronic critics, and aimless fools. You just knew the whole thing was bound to crash. |
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| Bob Dylan – Queen Jane Approximately Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| You are close. Every song he sings about is about..........himself. This one could be too, although I thought it was about Joan Baez at first. | |
| Bob Dylan – Desolation Row Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| The problem is, this isn't even close to Dylan's greatest song. He has about five that are better on this album alone. This is just one long hallucinator image-scape, although very pleasant to listen to. Think of I am the Walrus, Strawberry fields, Hey Jude, Let It be, Come Together, Sympathy, Honky tonk women, beast of burden, etc etc, etc...they were all great songwriters, Dylan just happened to be more clever. His music wasn't any better than the Beatles or Stones, just different. I actually like the other two better, musically, while I prefer the depth of Dylan's writing. BTW, I can't stand his harmonica playing--it is terrible! | |
| Bob Dylan – Desolation Row Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Correction--I mean OUTSIDE of Desolation Row is where all the trivial, bad, and superficial happens. | |
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