deadmandeadman
deadmandeadman
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IT LESSENS THE WHOLE SONG?

Posted over 4 years ago
Dylan has often tinkered with some of his lyrics. This recording is from the legendary first leg of The Rolling Thunder Revue. This surreal caravan of madmen, mayhem and merriment rolled into Lowell MA on the 11th of November 1975."Mama take these bags outta my earsI can't hear through them anymore..."WTF?This song, an acknowledged classic, originaly appeared on the soundtrack to Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid. A song of ultimate finality and resigned acceptance, elegaic and majestic without pomp, it has earned it's niche in the Great American Songbook.But starting in the eighties, on tour with Tom Petty, the song has been undercut, eviscerated by the addition of a simple line which just DOES NOT BELONG.....Knock, knock, knockin' on Heaven's door,(just like so many times before)?? NO NO NO
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Comments (4)

  1. mktackabery
    mktackabery says SO TRUE! Well, big record companies have pretty much destroyed everything, why not this I guess.
    Permalink posted 08/23/2007
  2. jameson
    jameson says I can't help but see the duality that exists here, what with the meaning of the song, parallelled with the rampant cocaine use that was fueling the Rolling Thunder Revue that fall. To address your question, I definitely think it lessens the song, but I think that Dylan has done a pretty good job of doing just that, to his entire catalog of music, over the years, like you mentioned....
    Permalink posted 08/24/2007
  3. Spike
    Spike says It lessens the whole song.
    Permalink posted 08/24/2007
  4. deadmandeadman
    deadmandeadman says Wait a minute, Jameson my man. 99.9% of the time I'm right on board with The Master's tweaking of his songs. In this ONE INSTANCE, he's changed the MEANING, the sense of impending doom. Dylan is in one of his best modes EVER, right now. I say that as a fan since the mid-sixties. The music he's making now has the freedom and wild grace to match his lyrical prowess. His gifts are at full power.
    Permalink posted 08/25/2007

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