Watchtower
All Along The Watchtower / John Wesley Harding / 1968
Date: Wed, 3 May 1995 08:56:46 GMT
From: eddie@edlis.org (Ed Ricardo)
Subject: Re: All Along The Watchtower [Was: patchwork quilt]
freer@cix.compulink.co.uk (Tim Anderson) adds:
>> Most people read Isaiah when they get interested in this song. Isaiah
>> 20 if my memory serves, to get you started, but read around.
>Isaiah 21 more likely
All Along The Watchtower is clearly a song of some
importance to Bob Dylan. It appears on a staggering number
of Dylan albums, certainly more than one hundred. And even
for those who restrict their exposure to Dylan's work on
legitimate releases -- the so-called beginners' samplers --
it is found on John Wesley Harding (1967), Greatest Hits
Volume 2 (1971), Before The Flood (1974), Masterpieces
(1978), Live At Budokan (1978), Biograph (1985), Dylan And
The Dead (1989), and by Neil Young on The 30th Anniversary
Concert Celebration (1993). And then there are the non-album
releases...
It is a song with lyrics of no great length. It feels like
it was once longer and got pared down, though there is no
real evidence for that.
Others may wish to post on the variety of significances of
this song -- not long ago we had a thread on its relation to
the University of Minnesota campus -- but I shall simply
expand on my comment that Isaiah is worth reading to gain
some insight into the significance of the song. I suggested
starting at Isaiah 20 and reading around, Tim suggests,
"Isaiah 21 more likely", I had taken for granted people
would read in that direction.
Various correspondents in e-mail have asked me to say more,
though I have no knowledge of the relevant religions and
their literature I am happy to give my amateur readings...
I include Isaiah 20 because Isaiah himself was told by God
to go about naked and barefoot, which he did. This was a
sign that the Emperor of Assyria will lead away the
prisoners he captures in Egypt and Sudan, they will walk
barefoot and naked, bringing shame on Egypt. And that is
what the chapter Isaiah is all about, Judah -- the land of
the Jews -- is threatened by Assyria. Isaiah, an eighth
century B.C. prophet, sees that the real threat is not
Assyria but Judah's own sin and disobedience to God, a lack
of trust in him. God refers to Isaiah as his servant, and
the theme of the Servant of the Lord is a strong one
throughout. Isaiah calls us to a life of righteousness and
justice, warning us that failure to listen to God will bring
certain doom and destruction. The consequences of rejecting
the Lord are disaster, confusion and trouble in everything
we do. (Deuteronomy 28:20)
You think maybe Isaiah influenced Mr Dylan at all? Any
familiar themes here? :-) Anyway Isaiah 20 gets us some
"barefoot servants too" wandering about naked.
In Isaiah 21 we turn to a vision of the fall of Babylon. All
you Bob Marley fans will know the role of Babylon, the most
beautiful kingdom of all which the Lord will destroy as he
did Sodom and Gomorrah, making it a place where desert
animals live. The people of Judah were in exile in Babylon.
Its towers will echo with the cries of hyenas and jackals.
Its disaster arrives like a whirlwind sweeping across the
desert, but read the chapter if you want a full picture of
the vision. The vision alone gave as much pain as a woman in
labour experiences, if you want something to measure it by!
That wind of destruction is described elsewhere too, for
example in Jeremiah 51:1. And the fall of Babylon in
Revelation 18 mentions the strong wine of immoral lust,
sexual immorality, and businessmen of the world growing rich
from unrestrained lust... "While all the women came and
went."
An illustration also given in Isaiah 13 is a description of
the howling in pain when the Lord's destruction arrives. In
Isaiah 14 where God destroys the Philistines, they too howl
and cry for help. In Isaiah 16 we hear the howling of the
people of the land of Moab in its hopeless situation. In
Isaiah 23 we have sailors who howl with grief at the
destruction of Tyre. It is God's doing and he did it to put
an end to their pride. It was the Baylonians who were his
instrument here, and they devastated it so much that it was
overrun by wild animals. We also find the princes here,
namely merchant princes of Tyre, and we are talking serious
mercantile wealth, the ancient equivalent of Sony main board
directors. And earlier we had the princes of Zoan in Isaiah
19, where God punishing Egypt is described, and those
princes are fools. And the princes of Jerusalem, the city of
sin in Isaiah 1, they are friends of thieves, taking bribes,
turning from orphans, ignoring the plight of widows...
"Princes kept the view."
Note also the poor forgotten prostitute in this section who
plays a harp and sings. By Isaiah 24 there is no more happy
singing over wine, no one enjoys its taste any more, people
shout in the streets because there is no wine. In the city
everything is in chaos, there is too much confusion. This
will happen in every nation all over the world. Might this
theme strike a chord with our man Bob? Wine, drink and
drunkenness come up a lot in Isaiah. In Isaiah 28 we get a
vivid picture of prophets staggering around in confusion too
drunk to get their message across clearly. Hmmmmmm. Lots of
vomit all over the place, that kind of scene. Arrogance.
Earlier (Isaiah 5) evil was discussed. The example of those
who are doomed was of those who get up and then immediately
start drinking, spending long evenings getting drunk,
playing harps, tambourines and flutes, with no understanding
of what the Lord is doing. In Isaiah 19 we see how Egypt is
in confusion, doing everything wrong, staggering like a
drunk slipping on his own vomit. And in Isaiah 34 where God
is punishing his enemies we see the day of vengeance with
its line of confusion and chaos. "There's too much
confusion."
In Isaiah 10 the Emperor of Assyria takes the credit for his
military successes, not realising he is merely an instrument
of the Lord, like a saw or a club is the instrument of a
man. Missing the real power causing things to happen, "None
of them along the line know what any of it is worth." A
theme of wine as the blood of Christ is here too (Matthew
26:28), drinking sacramental wine without a proper
consideration for its meaning.
A banquet is taking place when the disaster strikes Babylon
in Isaiah 21, the guests are eating and drinking.
"Businessmen, they drink my wine".
From the watchtower a sentry reports two men coming on
horseback. This is not good news. They tell us that Babylon
has fallen.
Moving on, by Isaiah 25 God is preparing a banquet of rich
food and fine wine on Mount Zion. Sorrow will be removed. He
will destroy death forever. That is, if you trust in the
Lord then you will be saved. Familiar themes in Judaism,
Christianity, America and Dylan, yes?
In Isaiah 30 God descibes the dangerous country of the
southern desert where lions live... lions that growl in
Isaiah 5, carrying what they have killed and guarding it
fiercely. "Outside in the distance, a wildcat did growl."
Many people have commented that the substitution of wildcats
for lions and the like gives the song an American sheen, so
the lyrics have a threefold application, to God, to America,
and to Bob Dylan.
And when we get the description of God coming to rescue his
people, the people of Israel, the descendants of Jacob, from
east to west everyone fears him and he arrives like a great
strong wind! "The wind began to howl!".
Isaiah 61 describes the deliverance, where the people of the
Lord will be so well off they will have servants, hiring
foreigners for labouring tasks, ploughing the earth, tending
the animals, tending the vineyards. "Plowmen dig my earth."
In Isaiah 62 the promise of no longer being enslaved to
others is made, their grain is no longer to be food for
their enemies, foreigners will no longer drink their wine.
Etc etc etc...
The structure of the song itself is unusual.
It is common for people to comment that the song is rather
circular, and could start differently from how Bob Dylan
performs it, it could start with the title:
All along the watchtower, princes kept the view
While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too.
Outside in the distance, a wildcat did growl,
Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.
"There must be some way out of here," said the joker to the thief
"There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief.
Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth,
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth."
"No reason to get excited," the thief, he kindly spoke,
"There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke.
But you and I, we've been through that, and this is not our fate,
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late."
Then the two riders are the joker and the thief. Dylan
himself could be both of these characters? Probably not in
this context. The joker could be Death, the thief Time?
Probably not. Two thieves were crucified with Christ.
(Matthew 27) Might the two riders we see be Bob Dylan and Jesus (edited 24.02.2003 kea)
Christ, chatting together? Christ himself comes to those who
do not awake, do not turn from their sins, like a thief, in
the message to Sardis (Revelation 3:3) and also at the
assembly of Armageddon (Revelation 16:15-16). If you knew a
thief was coming to your house you would be certain to be
awake, yes? (Matthew 36)
Anyway I hope I have scratched the surface of the Biblical
elements in this one song, set some discussion in motion, so
much more could be said. And do bear in mind this is how Bob
Dylan writes BEFORE he has his born-again phase!
Lot's to discuss for such a short song. I think Mr Dylan has
given a very profound presentation of his own inklings that
Jesus was coming to meet him. I have met many concert goers
who are bored with this song and think it has been over-
played as a trusty crowd pleaser. But you and I, we've been
through that, and this is not our fate, so let us not talk
falsely now, the hour is getting late... :-)
For many of you he will be playing this song in a venue
nearby soon. Go and relisten. Watch especially his eyes. He
ain't kidding and this is not filler, it is essence of
Dylan.
Now take it away with your ideas...
Date: Wed, 3 May 1995 17:19:07 GMT
From: Tim Anderson (freer@CIX.COMPULINK.CO.UK)
Subject: Re: All Along The Watchtower [Was: patchwork quilt]
> I include Isaiah 20 because Isaiah himself was told by God
> to go about naked and barefoot, which he did. This was a
OK! Fair point. NB "I've made shoes for everyone, even you, while I still
go barefoot." Shoes protect and make comfortable but disguise the truth,
the real texture of the ground. In "I and I," the singer is barefoot from
choice; the prisoners OTOH have truth forced upon them. Truth and pain
are inextricably linked. Maybe the servants are barefoot because they
live closer to reality than their masters? Or perhaps it was just a hot
day :-)
> You think maybe Isaiah influenced Mr Dylan at all? Any
> familiar themes here? :-) Anyway Isaiah 20 gets us some
Maybe one reason Bob Dylan relates well to the Old Testament prophets is
that he, like them, is a misfit, and one who uses his unique perspective
to reveal truth to conformists who cannot see what is really going on.
"Something is happening but you don't know what it is." Consider the four
character-types in verse 1 of All along the Watchtower:
joker
thief
businessmen
plowmen
Notice that two of these are outsiders, and two are conformists. The
conformists are getting on with life but "none of them know what any of
it is worth". The misfits, by contrast, who are driven to "get out of
here," see more clearly: "let us not talk falsely now." What is a joker?
one who through humour and madness enables conformists to see and
confront reality that they cannot otherwise see or face. This is
precisely the role of the (good) court jester or Shakespeare's fools. cf.
Lenny Bruce, "he sure was funny and he sure told the truth." This was
also the role of the prophets, to be the ones who both knew and told the
truth to those who were in power - a dangerous activity, as prophets down
the ages always discover.
> (Matthew 27) Might the two riders we see be Bob Dylan and Jesus (edited)
> Christ, chatting together? Christ himself comes to those who
> do not awake, do not turn from their sins, like a thief, in
> the message to Sardis (Revelation 3:3) and also at the
> assembly of Armageddon (Revelation 16:15-16).
you will have to work harder to convince me of this! I am not happy about
identifying the "two riders"; I think Bob may have just picked up from
Isaiah 21 that the "cavalry is coming, horsemen two by two" (verse 8).
They are the signs of impending doom - or not necessary doom, but the
collapse of the present age to be replaced by something different, wild
and dangerous.
> For many of you he will be playing this song in a venue
> nearby soon. Go and relisten. Watch especially his eyes. He
> ain't kidding and this is not filler, it is essence of
> Dylan.
I believe you!
Sorry for rather a rambling post, just thinking aloud really :-)
Tim
Date: Wed, 3 May 1995 18:44:43 GMT
From: Rory Brennan (rory@ANNAP.INFI.NET)
Subject: Re: All Along The Watchtower [Was: patchwork quilt]
> I include Isaiah 20 because Isaiah himself was told by God
> to go about naked and barefoot, which he did. This was a
OK! Fair point. NB "I've made shoes for everyone, even you, while I
still
go barefoot." Shoes protect and make comfortable but disguise the truth,
the real texture of the ground. In "I and I," the singer is barefoot
from
choice; the prisoners OTOH have truth forced upon them. Truth and pain
are inextricably linked. Maybe the servants are barefoot because they
live closer to reality than their masters? Or perhaps it was just a hot
day :-)
Some further explanation for barefoot/shoeless comes from Jean Chevalier
and Alain Gheerbrant's book, Dictionary of Symbols:
"Ruth 4:7 ' Now this was the manner in former times in Israel concerning
redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man
plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbour: and this a was a
testimony in Israel.' in Jerusalem Bible the commentators observe:"to
put one's foot on a field, or to throw a sandal on to it is to take
possession of it. The sandal becomes the symbol for right of ownership.
By taking it off and handing it to the purchaser the owner transfers the
right to him"
In Islam a visitor must take off his shoes when he crosses the threshold
of his host's house, showing thereby that he has no thought of claiming
it or attempting to obtain possession of it.
In western tradition, shoes have a funderary significance - a dying
person is about to take his leave. The shoes at the bedside show that
the person is no longer well enough to walk: they are the sign of death.
In clasical antiquity shoes were the mark of a free man: slaves went
barefoot. Shoes are the sign that the individual is his or her own
master, self sufficient and responsible for his or her actions.
Shoes also symbolize travel.
Shoes partake of FOOT's threefold symbolism: Freudians regard them as
phallic, Diel as a symbol of the soul, and in our opinion, they are as
much a point of contact between the body and the earth, perhaps a symbol
of the principle of reality."
Thus it appears to me that the servants in AATWT were barefoot precisely
because of their servant status
Rory Brennan
Date: Thu, 4 May 1995 15:15:22 GMT
From: eddie@edlis.org (Ed Ricardo)
Subject: Re: All Along The Watchtower [Was: patchwork quilt]
Tim Anderson (freer@cix.compulink.co.uk) wrote:
: > (Matthew 27) Might the two riders we see be Bob Dylan and Jesus (edited)
: > Christ, chatting together? Christ himself comes to those who
: > do not awake, do not turn from their sins, like a thief, in
: > the message to Sardis (Revelation 3:3) and also at the
: > assembly of Armageddon (Revelation 16:15-16).
: you will have to work harder to convince me of this! I am not happy about
: identifying the "two riders"; I think Bob may have just picked up from
: Isaiah 21 that the "cavalry is coming, horsemen two by two" (verse 8).
: They are the signs of impending doom - or not necessary doom, but the
: collapse of the present age to be replaced by something different, wild
: and dangerous.
: Tim
I agree with Tim. There is nothing in All Along The Watchtower which
need have anything at all to do with Christ. The song fits comfortably
into a wholly Jewish perspective. You can populate it with allusions
to the New Testament and to Christ, but that is nothing more than
speculation without evidence, imposing a foreshadowing of Dylan's
own religious quest which may have no substance.
All Dylan's albums may have Christ in attendance, in some he is
mentioned by name, but where he is alluded to, that is tricky.
Like chasing ghosts.
The two riders may well just be the two riders we see in Isaiah.
YVMV. Your Visions May Vary. :-) When next you are looking into
Mr Dylan's face and he is singing All Along The Watchtower, see whom
you recognise on those horses? But stay alert, those horses were
moving at some speed at Brixton, I could not go in to a court of
law and swear I saw Bob Dylan and Jesus Christ on them, it all
happened too quickly! ;-) But everyone saw Isaiah standing on that
stage, no doubt about that...
Date: Fri, 5 May 1995 07:58:55 GMT
From: Andrew Muir (Andrew@ZIMMY.DEMON.CO.UK)
Subject: Re: The Thief is Dylan
In your message dated Wednesday 3, May 1995 NAte wrote :
> >>....[]...Senor is Christ.
> >I agree...[deletia].....
> >jokerman is Christ
> >the joker & the thief are dylan & christ
> >the man in the long black coat is the devil
> >mr. jones is brian jones
> >etc etc etc
>
> is it just me?
>
> i get vaguely annoyed when i see these things. there is no doubt that
> the lyrics are wonderfully written in a way that this facet can be seen.
> in many cases throughout his work there are obvious attempts to clothe
> a song character thusly. however, it doesnt mean that these characters
> couldnt also just be different characters given the trappings of some of
> humanity's most powerful mythic creatures and figures. hey, the opportunity
> is there, why not use it? i would if i could. wouldnt you?
>
> the JWH album is one my favorites, precisely because of all the references.
> but these are parables, fables, legends recast to suit his needs - very
> cleverly done. and if they also work in their original language, so much
> the better.
>
> hope this doesnt vaguely annoy anyone. this is just coming from someone
> who hasnt bought into the religion thing, but nonetheless finds dylan to be
> an immensely powerful force in his life on this planet.
>
>
> - nate
Good points, Nate, for example it makes much more sense to me that the theif in
All Along The Watchtower is the theif who was crucified next to Christ...making
Christ the Joker in both All Along The Watchtower and Jokerman. This would also
be consistent with Christ/Joker symbolism in many other areas. Now I read that
other people say Dylan is the Theif...well each to his own, I've thought my way
for over 18 years now & still see All Along The Watchtower's lyrics as being
quite straightforward in this regard, I am about as far from a biblical scholar
as you can be but anyone acquainted with poetic and artistic traditions in
Western (not in the cowboy sense) mythology hearing a combination of "the
joke and the theif" has got to think of the crucifixion of Christ, surely?
--
Andrew Muir