Bobby Dylan wrote
"All Along the Watchtower;" Jimi Hendrix made it famous; any number of bands
and vocalists have performed it according to their style and talent; a few
critics and armchair shrinks even have tried to analyze the song and the
composer; here is the rendition performed by The Classic Rock Show live at Gateshead,
England, on the 23rd of February 2018. It is as well done and enjoyable to
listen to as any effort I have heard and I have listened to many/many/many
variations .... actually, I think this is among the best ....
The sketch is by
Paul Taylor, an illustrator and an Englander. The lyrics of the song are below.
Read them, sing them, whatever them and try to figure out what they mean to you
-- if anything -- as an individual.
[Verse 1]
"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"
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"
[Verse 2]
"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"
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"
[Verse 3]
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
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
17 comments:
This is one that I've never figured others could do as well as Hendrix, but I'll admit I like the version you've shared here. Very nice. If I knew Dylan had written it, I'd forgotten.
Hi !
How are you?
I was here early today and watched your post.But I was busy with a video conference with my doctor so I could not answer accurately then..Since I fell asleep ,, fell asleep again and fell asleep again, But now I am awake and enjoying myself with your blog post.Yes "what day is it ??" hah hah hah Welcome after!
I've been around for a long time ..
Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday Sunday they go all around for me!
Your lyrics to the song are really good too!
I love it..
for me it means we are warriours and we will beat whatever comes along
Beautiful watercolur painting
Who is the painter?
"There must be some way out of here"
Love the guitar playing and the text
This tragedy, I do not have words anymore.It may take a long time before it is over.Are you in phase 2? We are in phase 3 now.We have no equipment anymore.We got from China but could not use them when they was not dense.It's so unworthy. Remember, this is not a flu virus but something much much worse!
I hope you protect your loved ones, your wife, your children and most of all yourself because without you, there will be no help and support.No Fram.I know you are prepared for the worst.I am too.It is happening , worst case scenario.As Alexander says.Life is just one game of chance One can be very unlucky or very lucky.But one must do everything one can to prevent infection to oneself and others weak (Weak is a joke for there is increasing tendency to make young people between the ages of 13 and 20 without additional illnesses seriously ill and die) Our community holds information back.They send fun programs on television and hope we don't panic.But everyone knows because of the underground news
that it is seriously bad what is happening now.Vaccinations and the new medicines have so far not the effect one thought.It was just giving hope to people.There is nothing that works on this plague.Not yet.I am away from work due by Corona it's the third week I'm in isolation now (infection suspected) Have no symptoms now like I had, light fever 37.3, Chills, Diareah, headache and a dry cough, But I have an unsane fatique.
Ok this was a long comment but it is not often we speak nowadays.
I wish you all good and stay safe
Semper fidelis
Anita
I agree that Jimi Hendrix owns "watchtower" in a performance sense. Some replications are so bad that I pull the plug after just a few seconds, but many others are quite good. Bryan Ferry has one in which a young guitarist, Ollie Forrest/Oliver Thompson, sort of steals the show: https://youtu.be/Vqg4V4BmJj0
Not long ago, I did a search for the number of songs Bobby Dylan has composed. The number is large and many I could not remember, including some I would swear I never had heard of until I saw them on the list. I have seen him perform at least 15 times, including once when I was sitting in a Saint Paul bar .... Dylan walked in, the doors were locked and he performed an hour or so for the customers who were present. He is known for doing that sort of thing periodically.
Thank you, Kelly, for coming and for commenting here. Be safe and happy reading ....
Semper fi, Anita ....
I really/really/really like most of The Classic Rock Show performances. As one person noted, it is a good reminder of how many superb musicians and singers there are in the world, but who mostly go unnoticed for any number of reasons .... never at the right place at the right time, for some, I suppose; not enough self-discipline or determination for most, I suspect.
I agree with Alexander: "Life is just one game of chance. One can be very unlucky or very lucky."
I also agree with you, Anita: "But one must do everything one can to prevent infection to oneself and others ...."
In as much as I am aware, all my family members are transitioning through this coronavirus business inconvenienced, but unscathed. That is the case for me, too. It mostly seems to be awaiting game. Minnesota is sort of shut down for a few weeks, which means the only trips outside of the home should be for food and medical reasons or other necessities, and only places offering services for necessitates are open for business. No public gatherings are permitted. These same or similar rules apply in many states.
So, who is to blame for the pandemic? One newspaper columnist put it this way:
"Everything the political class has envisioned and brought about is wrong in the face of a pandemic -- high-density housing, public transportation on buses and trains, communally shared bicycles and scooters .... the bans on drive-throughs at drug stores and banks and fast-foot places. Absolutely everything is wrong."
He makes a good, common sense argument, but the overall reason, I think, is humankind's arrogant insistence that it can control Mother Nature. Stuff happens, usually when you are least prepared for it. That scenario might be different in the far-distant future, but that is the way life is right now today.
Do not worry about me, Anita. I am in daily contact with family members should any of them need assistance in any form and I am a good fighter should the coronavirus arrive at my doorstep.
Thank you, Anita, for coming to visit me and for writing a comment here. You take care of yourself and Alexander. Do not worry about seeming to need sleep, sleep and more sleep. Sleep is the best medicine for curing illness and for restoration of the physical and mental and spiritual elements within you. Think of this:
Keep watch for me, as I sink to dreams
And see no foul reach me in my slumber
So keep all that would harm me and mine
Away from our beds as we sleep ....
I enjoyed the clip, but had to research Bryan Ferry. The name just didn't ring a bell. Yes, the young guitarist featured shows quite a bit of talent there at the end.
I usually prefer studio music to live (except symphony), but can imagine Bob Dylan was wonderful in an intimate setting like a bar. We have a small venue in our town that hosted Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt together for a show last year and it was great fun. Smaller areas allow for more interaction. It was a show I was glad I decided to see.
Another musician I was shocked to find so prolific was Prince. There were several of his songs I particularly liked, but had no idea just how much other stuff he'd written.
I cannot call myself a fan of either Roxy Music or Bryan Ferry, but I enjoy listening to some of their music some of the time. The same is true of Prince. Actually, the fun for me mostly comes from watching him play a guitar. He certainly is a showman when he plays, and I have read that his talent with a guitar has been underrated. I never saw him perform live .... but then, too, I only have resided in the Twin Cities eleven years split over two separate occasions. Otherwise, I have been a sort of a wanderer.
The Twin Cities cannot compete with New York or Los Angeles or even Chicago for entertainment, but with enough free time and money an individual could see a concert or a ballet or an orchestra performance or some-such event seven days a week every day of the year.
A number of noted entertainers have had homes here .... Jessica Lange and Sam Shepard had a multi-million dollar house on the St. Croix River when they were together. In addition to Bobby Dylan and Prince, a couple of teenagers here began a rock group they called Soul Asylum which made it pretty big and a Saint Paul high school girl named Jan Kuehnemund started an all-girls rock band called Vixen. "Edge of a Broken Heart" probably was the band's biggest song. And, there are many more, of course ....
By the way, I would add Michael Schenker to my list of guitar guys. I saw him play three or four years ago in a "saloon" in a neighboring suburb.
Ordinarily, I prefer recorded performances over live shows, but that mostly is in reference to rock concerts. Some performers look so idiotic with their moves or constipated with their facial expressions, it takes the enjoyment out of the concert. But, when you see someone who has all the "right moves and expressions," nothing can match the shared excitement of a live show. I have seen the Rolling Stones a couple of times, once in Chicago and once here a few years ago, and am disappointed their planned stop here this year has been postponed.
This really is quite a place, but I am more of a woods and water guy and ended up here a second time sort of by accident.
Time for me to retreat .... thank you, Kelly, for stopping by again. I enjoy your company. I wish you good health and much happiness and dozens of enjoyable books ....
And, yes, being part of a small group watching Bobby Dylan sing a few of his songs in an impromptu performance was a remarkable and near-indescribable experience .... right place at the right time ....
In Paul Weller's version (one of the finest ones around) I swear he says "barefoot, seven-two". I used to wonder what a seven-two-foot woman looked like. :-)
Greetings from London.
You gave me another rendition I had not previously heard, CiL, so I went for it, listened to it three times and promptly added it to my "like list." I have what some call "machine gun ears," so I do not trust that what I hear is actually what is said, especially with all the dialects and unusual accents and strange pronunciations singers often use when performing song lyrics. That said, the version I did listen to sounded like "women came and went, barefoot servants, too" to my ears.
Perhaps, this was not the same version of which you are speaking and I know there are some astonishingly tall women to be found. Once upon a time, I dated a professional dancer who was three inches taller than me.
I am glad you could make it here, CiL, and thank you, for your comment. I send wishes for good health and safety.
Extraordinario, me encanta!!! Un fuerte abrazo desde España. Todo lo mejor!!!
I am glad you like the post, Germán, and appreciate your visit and your comment. I send you wishes for good health and success in all your endeavors.
Wish you a happy Easter Fram!
"You've Got A Friend"
When you're down and troubled,
And you need some love and care,
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me,
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night.
You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend
If the sky above you grows dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind begins to blow
Keep your head together and call my name out loud
Soon you'll hear me knocking at your door
You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running, running, yeah, yeah, to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
And I'll be there, yes I will.
Now, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend
When people can be so cold?
They'll hurt you, yes, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them,
Oh, but don't you let them
You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running, running, yeah, yeah, yeah, to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there, yes I will.
You've got a friend
You've got a friend
Ain't it good to know, you've got a friend?
Ain't it good to know?
Ain't it good to know?
Ain't it good to know, you've got a friend?
Oh yeah, now
Oh, you've got a friend
Yeah, baby
You've got a friend
Oh yeah...
You've got a friend
Carole King
Best wishes from me ,Anita
By writing what you have here, Liplatus, you have shown yourself to be a very daring and a very confidant individual. I use the word individual rather than woman because I essentially believe we each should share both the burdens and the benefits of life in this world as equal partners.
Unfortunately, there are "many here among us" who are exploiters and destroyers, and the battle between good and evil appears to be never-ending.
I have read Dylan recorded the song at least four different ways when singing it live, but have no absolute way of knowing if this is fact or fiction. He also has seemed to confirm that the lyrics are an emulation of a Biblical story from Isaiah, and if he said that there is no reason not to believe it. The only thing I know with certainty is that I love the lyrics, but appreciate the way some others sing them above any version I have heard sung by Dylan.
"Tangled Up in Blue" and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" are two of my other "favorite" Dylan songs, and I am sure the reason for that is partially because I am drawn to the word and to the color "blue" = blue sky, blue water, blue eyes, blue clothing, blue mood ....
Your interpretation is conceived in the midst of the pandemic era and certainly makes sense in that context .... I wonder how it might be different under different circumstances. My like or dislike of a particular item -- such as a song -- often depends upon the circumstances in which I first hear it and the circumstances of any feelings or opinions I might have of the band / singer performing it.
We are strange creatures, I think, many elements the same or similar, but many unique differences, as well, and all of it bundled together into a substantive form wandering through life ultimately alone.
Thank you, Liplatus, for coming and for writing thoughtful words. Take care and stay safe ....
Do not worry .... I will not forget I have a friend who goes by the signature of Anita and who lives in Bergen, Norway, and who loves to hike in the mountains and to explore museums with her camera.
I never was a particular fan of Carole King, but it was not until a few months ago that I learned she is/was the composer or co-writer of more than 100 songs, many of which I absolutely love = "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." Translated, that means I do love her talent.
Thank you, Anita, for your return journey here and for "singing" this song to me .... I hope your Easter will be joyous and create a happy memory or two or three ....
P.S. I think you are a "foxy lady," to quote Jimi Hendrix ....
Heh heh Foxy Lady !!Yeah I love that music and the text!Jimmy Hendrix :))
For me I am so glad for You Tube What ever should I do without it?
Now I am listening to this this song and I cant get it out of my head but I dont quite understand the meaning of the lyrics but I still love it..Janis Joplin Ball & Chains https://youtu.be/X1zFnyEe3nE
Ohh I hope you really have a good time over there
Be Happy and a good man
For me it is back to The War Zone again
And it feels like this
Manic Monday
https://youtu.be/WnPX-uI7ivM
( what some pain this man must had walking in those shoes OMG)
Ok Dah .
See in you Next time
Thanx for giving an uplifting message. You always surprise me !!I shall think of the good vibes you sent( Foxy Lady) while working with The Corona :))))
No tears No fears
Anita
Glad to make your day a bit brighter, Anita ....
I think "Ball and Chain" is one person expressing feelings/emotions to someone who is walking out the door and, actually, I prefer the Bangles' version of "Manic Monday" over the recording by Prince. Girls are cuter ....
As for the coronavirus, Minnesotans are under "house arrest" until May 4, as one person appropriately described it. As for you, follow all the precautions and try to live your life as closely as possible to your customary fashion.
Nice to see you here again, Anita .... Ingen tårer Ingen frykt ....
Please. Remove my comment from my lyrics of the song.
Everyone experiences this era in such a different way. Does not offend anyone's mind. I apologize.
Thank you for the melodic beautiful music.
Happy Easter to you!
Post a Comment