Sometimes i think we can go insane trying to demand an exact meaning for every line in Dylan's songs. I've come to believe that these are poems meant to wash over us, leaving us with a sense of Dylan's experience, more than something that must be broken down into their individual components. I guess everybody experiences Bob Dylan in their own personal way. Thanks for the songs -
Definitely he is providing a voice for those who haven't got one. The poetry is superb. Sometimes it's better to let the whole piece wash over you. It builds up through the verses . It's like disecting a frog.... it's not going to survive the disection. Plenty more to appraise.... Watching the river flow. is one that is largely overlooked.
A beautiful poetic masterpiece ......think of Bob and a companion...in the midst of a powerful electrical storm in the heart of the city.....comparing the powerful forces of nature......with the trials and tribulations of the less then powerful among us.
Every person mentioned in the song has one thing in common with everybody else mentioned -- they are somehow trapped or imprisoned. Imprisoned by drugs, religion, marriage, and circumstances. I think Dave Van Ronk always held an animosity for Bob Dylan who soon outshone him in Greenwich Village.
Sometimes it is wonderful just to be nourished by the beauty of his imagery.....rather than searching for the meaning of every line, as in examining a painting without deciphering every bush stroke.
Yeah, I don't know how he remembers all the words. This was the first Bob Dylan album I ever bought, back the 60's sometime and it blew my socks off. I had never heard anything like it before. I keep thinking I would like to do it at an open mic sometime but with all those lyrics..... Man!
Great reaction and interpretation. I've enjoyed this song for many years and never made the association of the 'hypnotic mist' as being a religion or other forms of mass control, whether it's spiritual or mental. Certain lines have always stood out, such as the 'mateless mother' and 'mistitled prostitute'. All too often, there are unsympathetic people in the upper echelons of society who freely cast dispersions on women who are living in unfortunate situations. Another line that strikes a chord with me is, 'the poet and the painter behind their rightful time.' It interests me that he uses the term 'behind' because we always hear of artists being praised for being ahead of their time. In this case, Dylan gives a nod to those who are struggling to be acknowledged and appreciated. Please keep your Dylan reactions coming. You've got your work cut out for you. There's so much more waiting you. Cheers!
From Wikipedia “The song depicts the thoughts and feelings of the singer and his companion as they shelter from a lightning storm under a doorway after sunset. The singer expresses his solidarity with the downtrodden and oppressed, believing that the thunder is tolling in sympathy for them. Initially, critics described the song as showing the influence of the symbolist poetry of Arthur Rimbaud, but more recent biographers of Dylan have linked the origins of the song to verses the songwriter had written as a response to the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963. Some commentators and Dylan biographers have assessed the song as one of Dylan's most significant compositions, and critic Paul Williams has described it as Dylan's Sermon on the Mount.”
If you can find it, the live cover of this song on the 1988 Amnesty International tour by an all star band was so emotional as if it was written for the cause. Sting, Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman and Youssou N'Dour
One of his greatest. Check out "Gates of Eden", one his other greatest, with some of his best lyrics and equally deep. Thanks for reacting to one of my favorite songs!
a great surrealistic journey of being stuck in the middle of a wild lightning storm, both a physical but also metaphysical storm.... he was merging many things together at once, and did it brilliantly. His weird surrealistic twist and turns in songs like these are among his finest. He was moving beyond his audience of folk purists who wanted him to sing Union songs and right the world's wrongs. Some wanted the "old songs" (socially/war conscious stuff like "With God on Their Side" or "Masters of War") when he came out with this very "out there" kind of surreal imagery... word paintings. This was Bob in a very beatnik/impressionistic painter/poet stage.
A great one from His Bobness, definitely. I remember when I heard this for the first time, I repeated it for the rest of the morning. I couldn't believe that it wasn't on his Greatest Hits CDs, and was so thankful that I had finally started to listen to his full albums, instead of just repeating the greatest hits. You should check out his song The Ballad of Donald White. Great song that never got officially published.
Great job, I grew up in the 70,s and have been a “Dylanologist” ever since, thanks for introducing him to your generation, I’ve recently been watching these reaction videos, more for the artist than the reactor but you seem to be the best of the bunch, I mean trying to dissect a Dylan song is close to impossible to do but you come as close as possible anyway I’m also a TH-camr ( travel). Anyway I’ve never subscribed to a reaction dude but I just did for you. If I my suggest A couple of Dylan songs that showcase his voice at it’s finest plus deep lyrics, because people think he doesn’t have a great voice ( he does) there’s Blind Willy McTell, and Dirge, trust me you won’t be disappointed
Another Side of Bob Dylan is sort of in between album from acoustic and electric. Recorded quickly in 1964. Some great songs but he was looking to move on to his next phase
You HAVE to listen to the version of this song by Bruce Springsteen live at fall of the East Germany wall. The first ever festival after the fall of the wal that separates the two Germanys. Bruce nailed it with this song. Thousands of people singing together. Some were crying from happiness. They were really free from the dictatorship 😏take care
Bob Dylan must have had light-hearted, fun moments too, but you'd never know it by his lyrics. Still, his lyrics are amazing! Alas, I favor the other Bob (Seger). He shared Dylan's first name and Pete's last. Destiny?
As Jimi Hendrix took Bob Dylan‘s all along the watchtower and made a masterpiece out of it, The Byrds took the chimes of freedom and Made a masterpiece out of that.
This is one of my top five favorite Dylan songs do to its imagery.
Sometimes i think we can go insane trying to demand an exact meaning for every line in Dylan's songs. I've come to believe that these are poems meant to wash over us, leaving us with a sense of Dylan's experience, more than something that must be broken down into their individual components. I guess everybody experiences Bob Dylan in their own personal way.
Thanks for the songs -
Absolutely one of Bob's greatest compositions. Thank you.
Definitely he is providing a voice for those who haven't got one. The poetry is superb. Sometimes it's better to let the whole piece wash over you. It builds up through the verses . It's like disecting a frog.... it's not going to survive the disection.
Plenty more to appraise.... Watching the river flow. is one that is largely overlooked.
"Another Side Of" was the first Dylan album I bought back in 65, to this day it is still one of his best and is sadly overlooked
Dense song. Good attempt on the first listen. The words are just so pleasing to the ears. The song needs to be listened to many times.
A beautiful poetic masterpiece ......think of Bob and a companion...in the midst of a powerful electrical storm in the heart of the city.....comparing the powerful forces of nature......with the trials and tribulations of the less then powerful among us.
More Bob Dylan bro...all the best
A great early one from Dylan, well done playing this one
The 20th century Rimbaud!
This song gives me Goosbumps every time I listen to it . Countless and Timeless .. Gates of Eden is another that will spin your mind
Every person mentioned in the song has one thing in common with everybody else mentioned -- they are somehow trapped or imprisoned. Imprisoned by drugs, religion, marriage, and circumstances. I think Dave Van Ronk always held an animosity for Bob Dylan who soon outshone him in Greenwich Village.
Classic Bob.
Sometimes it is wonderful just to be nourished by the beauty of his imagery.....rather than searching for the meaning of every line, as in examining a painting without deciphering every bush stroke.
Like a brush, different strokes for different folks 😅 for me there is a lot of joy searching for the reason
Yeah, I don't know how he remembers all the words. This was the first Bob Dylan album I ever bought, back the 60's sometime and it blew my socks off. I had never heard anything like it before. I keep thinking I would like to do it at an open mic sometime but with all those lyrics..... Man!
Great reaction and interpretation. I've enjoyed this song for many years and never made the association of the 'hypnotic mist' as being a religion or other forms of mass control, whether it's spiritual or mental. Certain lines have always stood out, such as the 'mateless mother' and 'mistitled prostitute'. All too often, there are unsympathetic people in the upper echelons of society who freely cast dispersions on women who are living in unfortunate situations. Another line that strikes a chord with me is, 'the poet and the painter behind their rightful time.' It interests me that he uses the term 'behind' because we always hear of artists being praised for being ahead of their time. In this case, Dylan gives a nod to those who are struggling to be acknowledged and appreciated. Please keep your Dylan reactions coming. You've got your work cut out for you. There's so much more waiting you. Cheers!
From Wikipedia “The song depicts the thoughts and feelings of the singer and his companion as they shelter from a lightning storm under a doorway after sunset. The singer expresses his solidarity with the downtrodden and oppressed, believing that the thunder is tolling in sympathy for them.
Initially, critics described the song as showing the influence of the symbolist poetry of Arthur Rimbaud, but more recent biographers of Dylan have linked the origins of the song to verses the songwriter had written as a response to the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963. Some commentators and Dylan biographers have assessed the song as one of Dylan's most significant compositions, and critic Paul Williams has described it as Dylan's Sermon on the Mount.”
If you can find it, the live cover of this song on the 1988 Amnesty International tour by an all star band was so emotional as if it was written for the cause. Sting, Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman and Youssou N'Dour
Many folk songs have an AAA song structure -- where it's just verse after verse, no chorus. Dylan might do six, eight, ten or more verses in one song.
One of his greatest. Check out "Gates of Eden", one his other greatest, with some of his best lyrics and equally deep. Thanks for reacting to one of my favorite songs!
Dylan preformed Chimes, at an outdoor concert for President Clinton at his inauguration concert.
a great surrealistic journey of being stuck in the middle of a wild lightning storm, both a physical but also metaphysical storm.... he was merging many things together at once, and did it brilliantly. His weird surrealistic twist and turns in songs like these are among his finest. He was moving beyond his audience of folk purists who wanted him to sing Union songs and right the world's wrongs. Some wanted the "old songs" (socially/war conscious stuff like "With God on Their Side" or "Masters of War") when he came out with this very "out there" kind of surreal imagery... word paintings. This was Bob in a very beatnik/impressionistic painter/poet stage.
The live performance of this song at Newport Folk Festival is ASTONISHING.
They are always needed, often denied, often refused, rarely understood.
And this is why he won the Nobel Prize!
A lot of the imagery on this song was thought to have evoked the Holocaust. Lines such as “the disrobed faceless forms of no position” and others.
A great one from His Bobness, definitely. I remember when I heard this for the first time, I repeated it for the rest of the morning. I couldn't believe that it wasn't on his Greatest Hits CDs, and was so thankful that I had finally started to listen to his full albums, instead of just repeating the greatest hits.
You should check out his song The Ballad of Donald White. Great song that never got officially published.
Great job, I grew up in the 70,s and have been a “Dylanologist” ever since, thanks for introducing him to your generation, I’ve recently been watching these reaction videos, more for the artist than the reactor but you seem to be the best of the bunch, I mean trying to dissect a Dylan song is close to impossible to do but you come as close as possible anyway I’m also a TH-camr ( travel). Anyway I’ve never subscribed to a reaction dude but I just did for you. If I my suggest A couple of Dylan songs that showcase his voice at it’s finest plus deep lyrics, because people think he doesn’t have a great voice ( he does) there’s Blind Willy McTell, and Dirge, trust me you won’t be disappointed
Great song 👍
❤❤❤
gorgeous
A beauty from Bob ❤️♾️
Each verse has two parts. First part describes the storm they witness. He then meditates on what the lightning is striking for. (that's my take)
Jesus is the chimes of freedom flashing for every strung- out person in the wide universe
Another Side of Bob Dylan is sort of in between album from acoustic and electric. Recorded quickly in 1964. Some great songs but he was looking to move on to his next phase
Another interesting cover is by Youssou N'Dour, who gives an African slant to the song.
You HAVE to listen to the version of this song by Bruce Springsteen live at fall of the East Germany wall. The first ever festival after the fall of the wal that separates the two Germanys. Bruce nailed it with this song. Thousands of people singing together. Some were crying from happiness. They were really free from the dictatorship 😏take care
Bob Dylan must have had light-hearted, fun moments too, but you'd never know it by his lyrics. Still, his lyrics are amazing! Alas, I favor the other Bob (Seger). He shared Dylan's first name and Pete's last. Destiny?
The cover by The Byrds is legendary to some.
Jimi Hendrix Purple Haze
Heard both songs a thousand times and never heard that now that’s all I’ll hear and I can’t put my finger on how
Now listen to The Byrds' version.
As Jimi Hendrix took Bob Dylan‘s all along the watchtower and made a masterpiece out of it, The Byrds took the chimes of freedom and Made a masterpiece out of that.
All he is doing is describing a storm
Like the Byrds version better.
❤❤❤❤