Why Bob Dylan Won The Nobel Prize
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SOURCES AND FURTHER READING:
Clinton Heylin, "Bob Dylan: The Recording Sessions, 1960-1994" (pg 69-71)
books.google.com/books?id=c9d...
Albin J. Zak III, "Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix: Juxtaposition and Transformation "All along the Watchtower" Journal of the American Musicological Society, Vol. 57, No. 3 (Fall 2004), pp. 599-644
Nicholas Taylor, "Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding" (via Pop Matters) 2000
www.popmatters.com/review/dyla...
Robert Johnson Wikipedia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_...
Herb Bowie, "All Along The Watchtower" (via Reason To Rock)
www.reasontorock.com/tracks/wa...
D.A. Pennebaker, "Don't Look Now" 1967
www.imdb.com/title/tt0061589/
Kees de Graaf, "All Along The Watchtower Analysis (via his website)
www.keesdegraaf.com/index.php/... - บันเทิง
![ตั๋วเมีย( ຕົວະເມຍ) - SOMBATH.97 Ft. YOUD SALAVAN [ Official music video ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/GV6qHagpp50/mqdefault.jpg)
If you ask Dylan about this he'd probably say it's just a song
Josh Gray ikr! Sometimes writers just write and keep what's written if it reads well to them. Over analyzing is fun tho.
perfect, exactly what I would want to know.
Josh Gray completely agree. Hearing this song i dont get any of this. He starts the video saying he wont explain the song then does
He's not over-analyzing though, the meaning of the song is pretty obvious. And the fact that it is "just a song" doesn't mean it can't have a profound message.
And that would be true. And no one would ever believe him. And he knows that, too.
I met Dylan in 1986 in Sydney Australia. During our first conversation which was mostly about music, he asked me “What’s the first line of one of your songs?” I told him a line. He seemed surprised when I asked him in return to tell me the first line of one of his songs.
I wondered with great anticipation, which one he would say, out of all his many genius songs. After a little while he leaned over and said, “There must be some way out of here.”
Out of all his songs, that’s the line he chose. It amazed me. I felt at the time that he was referring to life on planet earth, but who really knows. The beauty of good art is it’s open to endless interpretation.
Best comment i read in a long while. Thank you.
@@daanje1062 thank you for your kind words. :)
Maybe he was looking for a way out of your dumb conversation get owned
It’s good you didn’t take it personally😊
@@GD-rd6ig considering we were in a limo and Bob had just asked me to sing, to open the show at his concert the following night, taking it personally was far from my mind.
You can read about it in the book Pledging My Time by Ray Padgett. There’s a whole chapter about my experience meeting and doing a gig with Bob.
I still remember my English teacher Mr. Hayward bursting with gleeful anticipation that Dylan could actually win the award. He would practically campaign to us about it. Years later I ran into him at a restaurant and we talked about how he won it and his joy and excitement made him tear up a little. I’m so glad Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize.
That my friend is the most educated intellectual and historical account of a recent period and ones life while growing up - consciousness at that age and being able to say You were there.
Who the fuck cares? The guy is not a writer - never has been, in the classical sense. Leonard Cohen would come even closer, as he actually wrote poetry.
Bob Dylan was a man who wrote catchy songs. Hardly has the "depth" you and others ascribe to it - which makes me doubt you've ever picked up a book to ready voluntarily.
@@jodawgsup you love the sound of your own voice don’t you pal. Define poetry... stop putting everything in a box
@@phat111 No need to define it, I indeed agree with you that Chief Keef should be the next nominee for the Nobel Prize. After all, we oughn't to define poetry in any way, shame or form. The utterings of your demented grandma could be the next grand literary work!
@@phat111 aint even worth arguing man its clear hes uneducated on the subject
This song is as mysterious as Dylan himself..
Says a lot coming from eraserhead profile
@@raben7049 I know it Just sends a chill down my spine.
I found a Financial Times article from May 22, 2018 that shared this: In 1967 Bob Dylan went acoustic. Two years after galling his hardcore devotees by daring to wield an electric guitar at the Newport Folk Festival, the songwriter returned to his Americana roots for his next album, John Wesley Harding. The dramatic shift back to a more rustic, ascetic sound was partly due to the injuries sustained in a motorbike crash in July 1966; the incident forced him slow down, take stock and rein in his new rocker image.
But Dylan was also responding to the increasingly self-indulgent and ostentatious style of songwriting that had come to define the music of the mid-1960s. Psychedelia and verbosity had become anathema to him; he would now insist on “writing shorter lines, with every word meaning something”.
“All Along the Watchtower”is emblematic of this new, tauter approach to lyrics. At only 12 lines, it is more akin to a truncated sonnet than a song. Opening with a harmonica solo, and a first verse which introduces us to two characters, the track initially has all the hallmarks of a sprawling ballad in the vein of “Desolation Row”. Filled with medieval iconography of watchtowers, jesters and princes, we can imagine the story unfolding on a Bayeux-style tapestry.
But in two-and-a-half minutes it’s all over. In an ending similar to that of Browning’s “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came”, Dylan abruptly leaves us with the ominous image of riders approaching a mysterious tower - and the onus of interpretation. Or even exegesis: while convalescing from his accident, Dylan immersed himself in biblical readings, and “Watchtower” contains several allusions to the Book of Isaiah in which the fall of Babylon is heralded by the arrival of unknown horsemen. (In CliffsNotes, it shows the Book of Isaiah has many social justice themes against unethical rulers & corrupted empires.)
@@floydofnova2743 You need to get out more, he sounds like finger nails on a chalk board that guy couldn't hold a tune in a sack
Great pic man
Wish you'd mention Dylan liked Hendrix's version of the song better than his. Dylan has described his reaction to hearing Hendrix's version: "It overwhelmed me, really. He had such talent, he could find things inside a song and vigorously develop them. He found things that other people wouldn't think of finding in there. He probably improved upon it by the spaces he was using. I took license with the song from his version, actually, and continue to do it to this day."[26] In the booklet accompanying his Biograph album, Dylan said: "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way... Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."
nice addition to the video ... thumbs up
correcto!........
youre comparing two different styles.....just a tribute by Hendrix...
Natalia Sergheev says it’s jimis
This is like Cash vs NIN vis a vis "Hurt." Ask Reznor whose was better, he'll tell you Cash's cover bested his original version.
But really, does it matter either way? We all have our preferences. Personally, I like the Dylan and Hendrix versions about the same.
Thought this was Polyphonic for a second..
Guilty as charged
Holy shit so did I
Wait it’s not. I went through the entire video thinking it was
yup most of us did
What is polyphonic or whatever
The thing I like more about Dylan's original over Jimi's is it's mood/atmosphere. Its more earthy and straightforward tone makes it feel more timeless and immediate, like it's there to deliver a message, a riddle, a parable or something. Whereas Jimi's is more about the sound itself, less concerned with the content. Both are masterpieces though.
To me Jimi Hendrix's version is more an adventure of the neck of the guitar than poetry. It's virtuoso like guitar playing but i can only feel that the lyrics are an afterthought, only left to play second fiddle with some emotion behind it but without any addition meaning. It feels like repainting a classic composure with brighter more confusing colors. Interesting and exciting, but it doesn't fit.
@@thismans1405 Wow. I totally disagree with that. Jimi didn't do anything on record that didn't mean something of vital importance to him. Jimi covered that song because it meant something profound to him, personally, and he was able to bring out the mood and find new elements inside of it. The guitar playing serves the song, not the other way around. Buy hey, it's all about perspective I guess. The fact that Dylan has admitted on more than a few occasions that Jimi's take is the definitive version speaks volumes
Crazy how 3 simple chords could become so iconic.
But the creator of it is His Royal Bobness. However good or great, Jimi's rendition is but an interpretation.
@@thismans1405 Hendrix's version is great. Dylan's is genius.
I've always taken the meaning of this song to be a conversation between the biblical horsemen War (joker) and Death (Theif) commenting on how humans continue to treat humans so poorly: the rich princes keep the barefoot servants out of their castle while taking the fruits of their labor, dividing them into inferior classes. War (class struggle) wants to prolong the Apocalypse to give them more time to figure things out, but Death points out that it's too late- the storm has already started, and the other two horsemen have almost arrived.
Thats a really nice one
Like you're point of view...
I prefer yours than the one in the video.
Nice ~ Simplified Cliff-notes rendition!! No doubt that we have a joker inside all of us, but the thief is so much more than a Karl Marx Economic Philosophy about income inequality,
i would say that it is much closer to Franz Kafka and the complete exploration of humanity and good vs evil !!~~~
Fantastic interpretation. I think that’s the beauty of Dylan’s lyrics, you can read into them in multiple ways. But this one is particularly good!!!
I like the “emmm” genre, very mysterious
After the emmm he says "Vision music. Or mathematical music".
This fucked with my perception of time so hard just now. I was like, what the fuck, I swear Bob Dylan only won the Nobel Prize like a couple of weeks ago -- how in the actual hell can nerdwriter have written this 4 months ago?! Was it actually four months ago?!
I was close to crisis there, man. Everyone, he won it mid-October. This seems to have been an ad hoc title change. Don't fall into crisis like I did.
"I've traveled back, somehow become unstuck in time. Maybe I can change things, fix everything.... Oh wait no, he just changed the title. Back to my porn."
@@Theyungcity23😂 Too funny. Too great. Tip o' the hat to you, sir for comic relief amidst opinion & analysis.
Its been 7 8 years buddy
Here's the kicker: his latest album is among the best he's ever done, and he was 79 when he made it. THAT is why he got the Nobel: not just for a few songs, but for a body of work that stretches over decades. He is one of the few constants in our lives, especially for those of us who grew up listening to him. He has been described by one biographer as "one of the hardest-working musicians in the country", and I think that expresses a certain earthbound doggedness that has kept him going when a lesser man would have collapsed under the weight of his legend.
Sweet. Which album? Rough & Rowdy Ways? I heard mixed things on his new stuff but I’m a huge fan of all his old stuff I’ll have to check it out
“When you’ve lost your mind/you’ll find it there”
Great comment
Boy did you say that right! I just saw him in Louisville and loved every second. His voice is better than ever, and the songs from that album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, so haunting and deep.
Tonight he's in New Orleans. He just goes on like a beautiful ocean wave.
@@meninagreen5704 Incredible! Rough and Rowdy got me through the pandemic. There he was, still in his prime, with a great new collection of songs, all free! It was a complete surprise to me. I first encountered Dylan (though I had no idea who he was then) when my folksinging brother came home from university and sat on the porch at our cottage in Muskoka, singing "Where have you been, my blue-eyed son?" I had never in my life heard a song so powerful. I was only about ten years old, but he has been a touchstone all my life. Just so good to know he's there and still on that road.
"You think you'll stick with folk rock, or will you go into more writing?"
"I don't play folk rock"
"What would you call your music?"
"I'd call it... emmm..." 😂😂
Music
Lmao
Poetry
Alfie Wills
Stop existing. Please.
Any interviewer who's even half-savvy about Dylan should know he probably can't be persuaded to put any song in anything so definitive or final as a category or genre. He keeps everything fluid.
I think the song is about a conversation between two polarizing, universal forces. The Joker is life and The Thief is death personified. Since these two things are so closely related they have had this same conversation over and over.
The Joker comes at The Thief asking for some meaning to his life. "'There must be some kind of way out of here,'
Said the joker to the thief" is life's attempt to gain some deeper meaning into the existence of it all. He believes that nobody knows what any of it means and he is frustrated by this. The Thief, however, is much more pessimistic and basically say "Ohh come on be reasonable, there is no meaning to life its all just a joke" and I think that is why Life would be named The Joker.
Any way that covered the first two verses of lyrics establishing these polarizing forces. The third goes into the hierarchy of civilization summarized in the structure of a watchtower. "Princes kept the view, While all the women came and went, Barefoot servants too" These lines establish the hierarchy of life, Princes at the top, men and women in the middle and servants at the bottom. But the Joker and the Thief are not in this hierarchy they are witnesses in the cold distance, never really taking part in life themselves but rather being the horsemen that protect/observe it.
This is just a theory me and some friends thought about. Lemme know what you guys think.
Cameron That’s the best interpretation of this song that I have ever read. Great job!
Insightful
And now I have another reason to think Bear McCreary is a genius too. Dude hid an entire show in the background music. Brilliant!
It’s really cool, especially the part about the tower representing the structure and hierarchy of society; wow, I just never really thought about it that way.
Yeahhhh... Its insightful. This is what art is suppose to be. No wonder why Jimi admired him
12 lines =12 apostles= 12/4=3 = he's Hebrew heritage so are the three stooges --> half life 3 confirmed
Wow, now you just need to use big adjectives and you can be nerdwriter2
it's true adjectives can serve a purple but non the less, my relationship with the English language has platypused
why did I go electric?
You probably wanted some sheep action.
varg xx
It's such a powerful piece, it feels as if something is about to happen. It has a sense of urgency. I never looked for meaning.
The imagery and characters seem Shakspearean to me: jesters, thieves, princes, watchtowers, characters providing commentary, horsemen,etc.
Wow! You're right! No one else in the history of English literature has ever used these elements together before the Shakesman himself!
Best part of the week: new Nerdwriter upload.
Was just about to write the same. It really is a weekly highlight
In Wednesday (I don't know if I wrote that properly XD) all the best uploaders upload their content. Love this day.
Sorry for my bad english, I am not native
He's been tapping into some awesome topics for sure. loved his vlog on Dylan's joker/thief song. better than the dissection reference insight found on like genius.com
Always a treat.
Did he said ''this sad week'' at the end? Why this week is sad? :O
Suggestion: Lyrical analysis of Hotel California. I've always wondered exactly what that song means.
that would be nice! But i think the nerdwriter just take suggestions from twitter and patreon :/
It's basically about the cultures of superficiality, fame, and materialism so dominant in California life in particular and about how hard it is to escape getting caught up in that culture.
the hotel california is a metaphor for drug addiction, a place where you can have a lot of great experiences and have fun (at least on the surface), but that you may never leave. The beast and the ritual described are representative of bad trips, inevitable and horrifying to every addict, and something that turns the idyllic hotel into a really creepy place and makes the highs practically worthless
that's just from the top of my head, really. it's not particularly complex
hotel california is just a negative yelp review with a two minute guitar solo...
it's not deep
And then Hendrix came along and made the instrumental worthy of the lyrics
Yessir
Except in typical black fashion, Hendrix added poor grammar to the song. HaHaHaHa. I shake my head every time I hear it.
@@tyroneshoelace4872 huh?
@@laneconstancio7806 I think that’s a troll or I hope it is
@@markrussles4735 his name is Tyrone shoelace. It’s a white dude trolling with racist shit cause he can’t get no relief.
This is a legendary piece of music journalism. I continue to refer to this when people ask me about about music. You’ve made a really great thing.
Dylan was a cutie when he was young.
me too #nohetero
beginning to think nohomo actually implies fullhomo, or perhaps fullbi from men who cannot handle the fullhomo-half of themselves.
:-P
(edited for shit spelling)
and you're a moron.
Pickle Neck *insert referee whistle here*
I look just like Bob Dylan if he were a 17 year old north african kid who looks nothing like Bob Dylan.
Jeez. Now I finally realize why they did pick this song for Battlestar Galacatica and the way the hidden cylons realized who they were.
That's exactly my response as well, now things finally make sense. Side note, I don't think I'll ever get tired of Evan's editing, it's a breeze to watch with loads of content.
I didn't even realize this was the song during that episode of Battlestar Galactica until you pointed it out. Yeah it totally fits!
That episode? It was a huge part of the final Season
***** Rather 3rd Season not final.
Quotenwagnerianer No it was also a big part of the final season as well, it was like literally integrated into the plot.
I like this video , but it didnt say much about what the title was infering. What is this relationship with the Nobel price; yes it is a great piece, but why is it better than so many others posible Nobel candidates.
Iván Egües It's because the original title was "How Bob Dylan writes a song"
I don't know if this answers but the official reason from the Nobel Prize was: The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 was awarded to Bob Dylan "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition"
I think the Title is suggesting that the abilities on display within the Song are emblematic of the reason Dylan was awarded The Nobel Prize in Literature.
Iván Egües wow. Regressive.
Other candidates, such as Leonard Cohen...
The melody drives the words. I remember when this came out. I was young but hooked on Dylan from then on.
Your videos are haunting to the point where I can not stop watching, no matter the topic. well. done
Agreed.
Agreed
If this "haunts" you, you better not leave the house buddy.
best shut the truck up fam before i go hood nigga on ya homes!
Nerdwriter, this is an amazing video but you didn't have to retrospectively change the title! It was more appropriate before, especially considering that you don't as much as mention the words "why Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize". I wish you would consider reverting to the original title of the video.
changed the name to get more views lmao
I second this.
RJ Money Attention, not views. so shut up please
What was the original title?
Kshitij Patil Yes could someone write the original title, please? thx
“All Along the Watchtower” - ever since I heard it as a teenager - struck me as one of the most beautiful and haunting songs ever.
I would go on to feel almost the same about his, “It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” as well, though it is more a description of the inner angst and turmoil about living in a completely debased - and debasing - world, but without the ultimately even more powerful cryptic and abstract nature of Watchtower.
Both are masterpieces in their own right, though (like so many of his songs), but there is that often a subtle difference between his various “profoundly apocalyptic” works that one can savor like different tastes on the tongue, from these two songs to his other famous apocalyptic works, like “A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall.”
One of his lighter works, “As I Went Out One Morning” begins by sounding profound too, but quickly and seamlessly reveals itself to be hilarious rather than foreboding or ominous. Like “Quinn, The Mighty Eskimo” and Dylan’s other humorous works, it allows “relief” that the joker seeks in Watchtower.
Levity is as important as gravity. :)
Bob Dylan's songwriting is hypnotic
Please do more Bob Dylan! I've always been fascinated by his work.
@Pesky Echo everything is never original
@Pesky Echo annoying Nazi
My interpretation is that the Joker is Dylan and the thief is LBJ. "There must way out of here" refers to the aparently endless conflict in Vietnam and War in general. The USA is engaged in taking land and resources around the world, like a "thief". The horsemen, like in Isaiah, are a presage to the fall of Babylon. Again, a symbol of Amercan capitalism, riches and power. The Joker, the entertainer who points out the flaws on society, sees so much wrong with it, he can't get relief. "Businessmen drink his wine", or in other words, record companies benefit from Dylan's talent. "Plowman dig my earth". After his accident, many thought his career ended, dead, as if digging a hole for it on the earth. "None of them along the line know what any of it is worth". Neither the record executives nor the critics understood the value of Dylan's music.
"No reason to get excited" The status quo ignores the Joker's warning, minimizing it's impact. "There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke". Politicians don't take their job seriously. "But you and I have been through that and this is not our fate". The thief claims to be more serious than others, yet still believes to be safe, trying to apease the voice of the people, selling a false sense of secutiry. "But let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late". A veiled threat to the Joker, accusing him of talking falsely, yet acknowleging that something is about to happen. This suggest that the thief secretly knows the truth but does what he can to conceal it, in essence "stealing the truth" form the people. "Al along the watchtower". The watchtower is the metaphor for those in power, government officials and military who are supposed to be our protection, and be vigilant in our behalf, but instead behave like royalty "princes kept their view", and devote their time to corrupt pleasures with women and barefoot servants, as it was in acient Babylon right before the fall.
"Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl" The wildcat is the voice of the rebelion, outside the circles of power. Also may represent nations hostile to America. Finally the riders approaching and the wind, once again refer to the Biblical prophecy of doom over Babylon the great, a power so great, people thought it could never fall.
Now this makes a hell of a lot more sense. To me anyway. I think when we listen to a vague song the key is to establish a possible theme in your head and listen through it multiple times to link up the lyrics until you feel everything fits in to place. I will never look at this song the same way again after reading this so thank you.
You could just listen to the song. Enjoy it, and not do a massive essay analysis of the song 😂 😂
@@marco111187 Yeah !
I like this, well stated.
Grafight...
2years latter, and people are commenting on your quote. Great insight. I bought Jimi's version in 69
I only thought it's a farout song about two soldier's on watch, bitch'n about Vietnam.
Edit:
I never knew the part about businessmen drinking wine. My friends thought Jimi was singing "Busy man? Then drink my wine, come and dig my herb" I liked the idea of soldier's getting happy in a foxhole, before the shit hit the fan. Peace.
His greatest album. A great work of art. Continuity between songs is unparalleled.
This is honestly one of my favourite videos on TH-cam.
For me as well!
Omg more Dylan plez :3
Definitely!
I can not disagree
Up this comment
It would be a pleasure to hear your interpretations of any sort of music, but more Dylan would be appreciated. :)
Gates of eden!!
I'm sorry but in this video you're way off.
First of all you used Jimi Hendrix' version in the chord progression. Dylan uses A minor - G major - F major. And as a quick look you wouldn't think that's important but! Since Wagner people have used melodic themes to specific characters, example Didos and Aeneas, and Dylan drew inspiration of that (probably) through Johnson but not in the same way. These guys weren't scholars in music but they still got the concept of themes for certain characters, and the A minor has often been used to describe low-class citizens (Mozart's Magic Flute). So the Joker and the Thief are the A minor chord. The G major chord is historically used as showing something pompous and big (like the main theme in Beethovens third symphony) and the G major to F major has been used to show signs of revolution. Like in Ode to Joy by Beethoven. That means these three chords describes the whole song in the first bar.
Secondly he references the Book of Isaiah not as a method to begin preaching but the sign of a revolution. Remember that Dylan was a revolutionary "hippie" in the 60's. The story is about the Oppressors in Babylon and Gods wrath. He references this story because he sees his society's becoming corrupt and vile and the rich are taking from the poor. Why are they jokers and thieves? Because the businessmen are drinking *their* wine and plowmen are digging *their* earth! They've been stolen from and from the text it seems like they fought back "you and I, we've been through that" he sympathizes with the Joker "he kindly spoke" and the Thief is done, he's tired but knows that something is coming along "this is not our fate". This is why many interprets that the structure of the song is going in a loop. So what is *this* ? Probably the Jokers call to uprising but also possible to see what the wild cat and the riders brings.
Thirdly the characters. While you are definitely right they can be interpreted differently but their roles are way off. Joker and the Thief are going to bed hence "the hour is getting late" and why is this important? Because the wind that's mentioned later is beginning to howl and paints a picture of "the calm before the storm".
Further on, the Joker and the Thief are people depend on other people. One is an entertainer and the other is stealing from others, why would the see the riders in the distance? It's much more likely that the princes, that let women come and go, spot them from the watchtower. Then there's the wildcat, it symbolizes the wild and the great forces of nature (remember, Dylan was a hippie) and remember that in the Book of Isaiah God used the forces of nature to level the city with the earth.
great comment, really interesting view...
Yes!
MaxMustermann Yeah, sorry about the length but I felt that I couldn't say "you're far off" and not defend the statement.
Well Bob Dylan wasn't a hippie. Hippies that knew him knew that. Fascinating post, tho.
If you have anything backing up your claims that 'A minor' means this and 'G major' means that, please provide it. It sounds very interesting if not complete hogwash. The only part of that argument that makes sense to me is the G to F (to G) progression because chord transitions actually emit emotion. It's really music composition 101. Not only that, but I don't think it's a coincidence that these chords can be played using only white keys on the piano. A child who is simply playing every other white key could stumble on this chord progression and recognize the emotion.
Secondly, Dylan said 'my' wine and 'my' earth. This makes me believe the joker was a middle class wine maker. The workers sacrifice. The rich indulge. The workers don't comprehend the wealth they create. The rich don't comprehend the suffering. The joker is imagining socialism.
The thief is also middle class and sees the dynamic, however he is not thinking of socialism but desires more wealth by playing off the system. At the end of the day, the thief tells the joker that his idealistic beliefs are false, ie you must be joking. The thief continues on to say, this is not our fate. More wealth and power awaits. (A place in the watch tower)
And up in the watch tower there sits the richest and most powerful who look out a window, isolated from the real world. I get a sense of longing from that line. The system which seems so unjust to the joker makes up the society which is desired by the prince.
(The song isn't about revolution) *EDIT: I take that back, it is about revolution*, but very different perspectives. The joker sees an unjust world and wants to fix it somehow. The thief sees opportunity take advantage and gain power. The prince is cut off from the from society and the system in which people find self worth. They have everything, and they have nothing.
EDIT: TL;DR: I believe the song is about socialism. It shows that the workers aren't as happy as they could be. The middle class is faced with a choice. Some will fight for the workers, some will take advantage. But if you take advantage, you're doomed to loneliness as you rise in the system and isolate yourself from society. Socialism is the answer despite opposition from the greedy.
Playing for change does an incredible cover of this classic...
Just found this channel yesterday and binge watched everything, great content!
Why do I love his videos ?
Substance.
Why do I hate his videos?
False substance.
It's not necessarily false substance but sometimes he's faaaaar off!
Regardless, he never claims his statements are fact. He's presenting thoughts on artwork of all mediums. He even specifically calls this one an "exploration" of Bob Dylan's song. He's sharing his thoughts for others to think about and discuss.
Yeah, I like his videos, too. But, I feel like they're pretty heavy on pretense, and pretty light on content or insight.
They're so 'Dense'
I prefer Dylan's version too! Hendrix's version is a masterpiece though.
I totally agree. Since your profile picture is Bob Dylan, I'm guessing you're a fan. Can you tell me what your favorite song and album from Dylan are? Mine are Highway 61 Revisited and Desolation Row
+sauron saruman Either "I Shall Be Released" (The Last Waltz version) or "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue". For albums, it's either Freewheeling or Highway 61...
+sauron saruman actually my favorite song is probably I Was Young When I Left Home. I know it's a compilation, but damn is the No Direction Home soundtrack amazing... great stuff.
I agree. Actually, my favorite versions are with Dylan and the Dead.
........... Cant beat the harmonica where the spirits come through....
This is why i love this song. Its shrouded in mystery and the audience makes out what the lyrics mean! The instrumental is as captivating as the lyrics and like the dude said in the video Its a repetitive beat which enchants the listener to keep listing . This is a song of pure talent and that is why it is my favourite song of all time....
This song reminds me somehow of a Twilight Zone episode where several unrelated characters, a clown, a ballerina, a soldier are trapped in a windowless room with no memory of how they got there or how to get out. The images this song evokes leaves us in a mind loop of endless puzzles and gateways that lead nowhere like a mental labyrinth. It might be a tale of the endless cycles of karmic birth and rebirth or a haunting fairytale told on a rainy night. That is the magic and mystery of Bob Dylan
"Five characters in search of an exit." That episode also has a hint of Hans Christian Andersen's "The steadfast tin soldier"
Kendrick please!
Good Kid M.A.A.D City has so much to analyse
hell yeah
Yes, one of the best lyricists of this generation and one of my favorite rappers.
I can analyse it for you - ''he raps about bullshit''
It's funny you say that, I always thought of Kendrick as sort of the Bob Dylan of the millennials. While some people have said that Conor Oberst or Jake Bugg deserve that title, because their music is similar Dylan's, Kendrick is more representative of popular music today, just as Bob Dylan in his early career was the poster child for folk revival. Also, Kendrick raps about issues that are very prominent today in a very personal and different way. Other rappers touch on the same issues but not in such depth or with such strong writing quality, just as Bob Dylan is known for his songwriting more than anything else.
The fact that the newer Battlestar Galactica could map an entire series' worth of plot-points around just this song's lyrics is a testament to the depths of Dylan's words.
Wait what?! I've never heard or this before...
@@TheGoldenCapstone Oh my God yes! I don't want to give away the plot of the BSG (2004 Series). After watching this video, it makes so much sense why this song was the main plot point of the show. Idk if you've watched BSG, but give it a try. Make sure you watch the webseries (prologue episodes) then the main series with BSG Razor where its supposed to be. You can find it all on the internet I'm sure. BSG was a little lost on me in my youth (not realizing how much depth the show had), but coming back to the series, I now realize how good it is.
A poet speaks whatever comes to mind, goes over it, editing it till it feels as right as he can make it, then, crossing his fingers, lets it go on a wing and a prayer.
Enjoy the videos! Dylan constantly outdid himself ... with wonderful mythical and literature song/poems throughout his career like Desolation Row (1965), Idiot Wind (1975), Black Diamond Bay (1976), Isis (1976), Hurricane (1976) Jokerman (1976), Changing of the Guards (1978), Mississippi (2001), Thunder on the Mountain (2006). When you look at his career as whole it makes a lot of sense he could win a nobel prize. Thanks for the analysis!
Bob dylan is so important in the history of music no one really gives the man credit until he won the noble prize i was so shocked that he hadnt won one before such a beautiful man
he was the walrus
the Walrus was Paul!
@@Max_j9578 yea. And I am the eggman
@@Max_j9578 John: I was the walrus, but now I'm John.
That’s not really correct Nadine
Before he got the Noble prize he had
1 Academy Award.
2 GMA Dove awards
3 Golden Globe awards
10 Grammy’s
The hall of fame & lord knows what else I can’t look em all up.
But yeh the Noble Prize was the icing on the cake
Goo, goo, g' joob!
Hey Nerdwriter1! I'm gonna be making video essays soon (probably not on this channel), your content has really inspired me to get my ideas down. I have a couple scripts written so far already and I'm really excited to see how they turn out. Thanks for all your hard work.
The Joker being Nite owl and the thief Rorschach and Ozimandiyas the one waiting in the watchtower with his wildcat
That's right
I love this channel and all new content. However, I find myself coming back to this video, it's insightfulness, and my love for the song. I have rewatched this video at Least a dozen times. I hope one day that at least one friend/family member understands my love of the original beyond the Hendrix version.
Costume? No.
I think I heard somewhere that Dylan preferred Hendrix's version and his performances after hearing it reflected Hendrix's version of the song.
He described his later performances as a tribute to hendrix
That doesn't surprise me a bit.
Jimi took an already good song, then made it his own, turning it into a masterpiece in the process.
It was the other way around.Hendrix wasn't satisfied with his version of the song. Hendrix was a big fan of Dylan and maybe he thought it did't honour him enough.
*****
It was, definitely.
Jimi just took it to legendary status, and even Dylan himself agrees.
you will find that in performances after the Hendrix version Dylan incorporates some of the chord progressions that Jimi added to the song.
There's also the fact that we have a joker and a thief in a conversation that criticizes joking and taking what isn't yours. I can't decide if they're attempting to elevate themselves and/or each other above their statuses as a joker and a thief, or if they're being underhanded with each other.
Like the saying "the taxi driver knows best how to run the country"?
Happens at bars, funerals, and other public events all the time. "Just as every
cop is a criminal / And all the sinners Saints," and all that ...
I loved this video, having only just discovered Bob Dylan very recently. Thanks Writer.
I too have only discovered Bob Dylan even though I’m 74 and was a young woman while Bob was writing n singing the the first early masterpieces, I wish I had woken up then...but now I’m at an age where I can appreciate his writing and music with all my heart
We must simply believe that Dylan is the greatest poet of our era
"Greatest poet" is a mighty tall order and there'd be no way to verify it except subjectively, but for me there's no doubt he was the most poetic song lyricist of the 60s.
It’s okay. It’s not a competition. Not one than anybody can win, anyway. Dylan is what he is. His lyrics aren’t always great, but he succeeds very well with connotation over meaning. The line „... two riders were approaching.... „ is immortal.
Personally my favorite Dylan lyrics are all on the albums released in 1964-69.
Edwgwilym Edwgwilym im sorry to tell u well not, first off, Jimi Herndrix is the original creator of “All along the watch tower”. Bob is just the copier, but it’s crazy how they throw in Elvis the “King of Rock and Roll” steeling African American music to converting it into white culture. Which is something Bob did with this song. But just cause bob was able to make a “better beat” does not mean the song is his. He got his inspiration from Jimi Hendrix. You take a song but can barley understand because it is not his.
@@prettyracha_FIRST Dylan wrote "All Along the Watchtower" and recorded it. THEN Hendrix heard it, liked it and covered it. He did a great cover but it is a cover not the original.
You never explicitly say why Dylan won the Nobel Prize.
That's because he made this video long before Dylan won and only changed the title afterwards
RJ Money Oh! Thanks!
You're kidding right? This video is very explicity. He won because of his amazing talent with telling a story
Nestor's Dragon I guess the line: "There are some novels, some trilogies in fact, with less actual content then Bob Dylan is All Along the Watchtower," says it all, ha? Well of course! His talent and influence is undeniable and deserving of any and all accolades that it gets. But I thought he was going to explain it more concretely.
John Paradise You realize the vid is from 3 months ago, dont you?
I know comedy can be difficult to work with for your format, but I think breaking down Norm MacDonald's take on weekend update would be quite interesting. In an interview I believe on a podcast (I could dig it up) he talked about how he hates innuendo in comedy. His role was to say precisely what was meant every time. I find it quite interesting because his run on weekend update was both extremely popular and quite reviled. I feel the idea that a plain-spoken thought is both humorous and controversial is quite interesting.
There are other things, too. Like that he lies about his heritage before telling racist jokes. It's all quite subversive and peels back the fluidity of some of our strongly-held beliefs.
"You know - with Hitler- the more I learn about that guy, the more I don't care for him." - Norm MacDonald
I just watched some of that, hadn't seen much before. You are dead on. That is fascinating.
Could never decide what I loved most about Dylan. His music or his attitude! I honestly think most of his interviews should be considered art! The world wasn't ready for him.
His attitude could turn me off. Somewhere there should be basic politeness.
I think his attitude was in response to the way the media tried to paint him as a radical hippy. They didn't respect him like they did other artists at the time. He just comes across as very sharp minded to me.
@@SandfordSmythe Totally agree. There's many an interview where he behaves like an arrogant spoiled brat intent on crushing everyone under the weight of his (imagenedly brilliant, but actually) rude, sarcastic remarks. I truly admire the artist... but I just can't stand the corrosive personality.
it's interesting that he says "cold distance" when that wasn't in Dylan's version, but rather arranged and added by Hendrix.
I notice changes like that a lot when there's a cover of a song I like, especially when the songwriter is primarily a lyricist (like Dylan) and the artist doing the cover is primarily a musician (like Hendrix). "Cold distance" doesn't really mean anything, it's just a musician playing with sounds. Janis Joplin did that too and it really stands out in "Summertime" and "Me and Bobby McGee."
Very well done. Dylan is a genius. I am glad he was recognized. My favorite, BTW, is Mr. Tamborine Man. Then Watchtower.
Me too, Mr. tambourine man is amazing but the Jimi Hendrix version of all along the watchtower is over the top. I also love don't think twice, it's all right,and my back pages. Positively fourth street too but all said Bob Dylan is the brilliance behind it all and deserves the credit but Jimi, OMG how trajic that He's gone. What a star, I miss him.
Will S I was lucky enough to see Jimi live, I was in the front row and college kids were handing him acid (LSD) tabs. I don't think he really swallowed them.
All along the watchtower is amazing. The lyrics is awesome and has a very special meaning.
The only thing is, I cant find a good version from Bob itself, sadly enough :(
No, his best song is Ballad of a Thin Man. This is actually a fact, not my opinion. I'm sorry that you're wrong.
I actually think Ballad of a Thin Man and From a Buick 6 are the worst tracks on Highway 61 Revisited. Everything else is amazing, but I personally love Desolation Row, Queen Jane Approximately, and Just Like the Tom Thumb Blues. Not that I don't like Ballad of Thin Man--I think it's a great song among excellent songs.
Dylan is a genius but I bet even he couldn't fully explain his lyrics
rabbitss11 even if he could, author intent is largely useless compared what people personally extract from art
oh no, stupid pointless twat alert, hole in the air is what you are
If he could, there wouldn't be much reason to do them as verse.
He thinks imagistically It's like dream logic. He thinks in images, and because of this it is hard to interpret any one way. It's like Fellini. In his mature phase he thought imagistically. He thought in archetypes. For any artist who thinks that way, the themes are more universal and allow us all to project our own interpretation onto them. And we're all correct in that interpretation.
Correct. He pulled the STORY from the DEEP OF OUR COLLECTIVE MIND.
Thank you! With these videos, you have changed my perspective of the songs...
Wow, never heard of Bob Dylan. Dam, I love the connection, and analyzation of the piece.
great analysis. all along the watchtower is one of the most chilling songs i have ever heard
So he was saying "this has all happened before. it will happen again"
`:-)
(this is one of my favorite songs. I loved how this song was used in Watchmen graphic novel and the Battlestar Galactica reboot series.
I really enjoyed this examination.
Well done!
This is incredible. I'm a pastor and musician, and have watched this video I don't even know how many times since you first released it. This is such an awesome breakdown of this song, thank you for that.
How well edited is this holy shit
one of the best and most cryptic lyrics in a song ever. pumped for this video!
This is the most brilliant video. In 8 minutes you summarized everything I've wanted to tell people about Dylan. So perfectly said. Thank you.
Interestingly, Bob Dylan loved the Hendrix version of the song and said that whenever he plays the song live it feels like a tribute to Hendrix. I love both versions.
You should do a Johnny Cash video like this one! It's amazing!
A video on Dylan made me think about Joan Baez - how about a video on her? :)
Excellent suggestion !
And this is just one of Dylan's songs. Virtually any of them could be analyzed in a similar way. It's Alright, Ma in particular is almost like the Bible set to music.
Every time I listen to Dylan's All Along The Watchtower I am reminded of how great a songwriter Dylan is.
"Riders approaching in the _cold_ distance"
That'd be a Hendrix addition
I was just going to point that out, but I see you've already done so.
WTF?
He won the nobel prize just one month ago, this video was upload in jun 15?
Am i on drugs or something?
same here. but we are not crazy, thank god.
Now it makes sense why the answer of the question (title of the video) is not there at all....Total misleading title in my opinion .....
Very well done!! I'm impressed with your analysis
When I first read the lyrics for this song, I think it's meant to have 2 different perspectives. The joker and the thief represent lowly people who live nonglamarous and poor lives, obviously a rich man wouldn't be a thief, and the joker, I mean he says it in the song, some people think life is a joke. They question how wreckless the wealthy and powerful the people at the top are, and how they don't recognize how wasteful they are, how they don't value the things that those at the bottom do, it's Maslow's hierarchy. Maybe they're at the bottom of this tower, looking for a way to get to the top, meanwhile you have the princess who is at the top of the watch tower, and her view is much different than theirs.
One of the best videos I've ever seen on youtube.
Ad so he wins the literature Nobel prize, you are prophetic Nerdwriter!
he just changed the title, if i'm interpreting your comment right.
Title change to get views. Old trick, doesn't work.
but it did work
This analysis complements and improves Battlestar Galactica in such a huge way
Especially the whole cyclic song part
your analysis and research are so in depth and keep me at the edge of my seat. I appreciate your viewpoints and angles. Excellent job as always. Also, who does your video edits? They are great
This is one of the many reasons why Bob Dylan deservingly won the Nobel Prize For Literature 2016!
The literary elites in my country (The Netherlands) ridiculed Dylan when he was awarded the Nobelprize for literature (one of the poets from those circles commented in a paper "his songs do not even rhyme", but I think that they just did not get it.
Dylan is not a literature genius because he can rhyme, but because he can tel the stories that need to be told and evoke the images that matter.
But how much more of a genius would Dylan be if he _could_ rhyme?!
Very well said your last sentence .I think your last sentence explains things perfently.
pshaw. if you don't know that lyrics aren't poetry, you're not worth educating, mate. sorry.
@@tbwatch88
And take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind
Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves
The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach
Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free
Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands
With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves
Let me forget about today until tomorrow
@@LeafInTheStream With your silhouette when the sunlight dims
Into your eyes where the moonlight swims
And your matchbook songs and your gypsy hymns
Who among them would try to impress you?
What's brilliant is that Dylan and Hendrix both said how much better the others version is
your videos lock me into a hypnotic momentum
Bob Dylan is carrying the legacy of the old troubadour. The fact that they would sing short stories and fables is enough to know why he qualified for a literary award.
Thanks, Rap Genius
Shots fired.
what do you mean?
+corey willoch I think he means that this video is basically just telling stuff you could read on the Rap Genius annotations.
Krombopulos Michael ohhhh, that really is shots fired.. thanks anyway!
I attended the Jimi Hendrix tribute back in the 80's in NYC...there was a plaque that had Dylan saying he always thought it was Jim's song...
Hendrix did something mystical with his version!
I will never listen to this song the same again! It was a great experience learning about bob! I hope to have my music considered like this one day!
Rorsache and Nite Owl travelling to Luxor
Favorite channel at the moment
I still stand in awe of Dylan’s lyrical brilliance not to mention his melodic genius. along the watchtower can be endlessly listened to and the lyrics endlessly interpreted as great parables. Good point about the circular nature of the lyrics and Elvis stealing black music….. such amazing writing talent.
I never knew that Bob wrote and sung Along the Watchtower initially....after hearing it,,,strangely I became very emotional... And knowing he wrote it,,,he meant something very deep that only individually we can understand in our lives.
When he mentioned the almost repeating aspect of the song, I remembered this was used in Battlestar Galactica...
Haven't been able to find this version of the song anywhere on youtube.
Bob could write!!!! His view was solid and often prophetic. People who know nothing say he couldn't sing but he Could. He could hit any note he wanted. He also is a man of faith and understanding. Thankvyou Bob for all you do. We are all better because of it.
Thank you, Thank You. I always loved this song, even when Jimi Hendrix covered it. What a great exposition, especially the idea of the loop in the narrative. So much in there.
I too loved JWH which I first heard with headphones on at a freinds house, it literally blew my mind, I never touched those headphones again.
I recently heard an in-depth analysis of Jimi's added masterpieces. That too opened a whole new dimension in this masterpiece.
I'm not sure what your point is but I am interestingly and pleasantly provoked thank you
Jimmaculate That doesn't make sense boyo
I can say with near certainty that none of the characters in the song, the joker or the thief, are Dylan himself. Dylan was the quintessential bard, and a bard never alludes to himself. His role to is spin external allegories and metaphors about the kingdom and its state of affairs.
I’m not sure what Mr. Dylan will say about this song but I found your interpretation of the song very soulful indeed!
This is my favorite design video of yours.