gomper Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 (edited) Desolation Row- Dylan One of my favorite Dylan songs. I love the rich imagery, but after listening over the years, I still can't decipher what it's about- http://vimeo.com/11222889 Well, I can help here. To me (mind you) it's about hitting a personal bottom. Arrived at through circumstance or by your own hand. Hence the brilliant twist at the end "Don't send no more letters no, not unless you mail them from Desolation Row." To wit, the character in the song is essentially saying "Don't even try to talk to me if you've haven't been through it as well" It's more an emotional state than a physical reality. Just my thought on it. Edited December 24, 2014 by gomper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeviF Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 (edited) Bear - The Antlers Wreck on the Highway - Springsteen Needle in the Hay - Elliott Smith Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner - Zevon and finally... Kim - Eminem Edited December 24, 2014 by LeviF91 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Too many to even begin, which I think was my earlier point (I think, that is). But one that I'm a bit surprised hasn't been mentioned is Sam Stone by John Prine.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Well, I can help here. To me (mind you) it's about hitting a personal bottom. Arrived at through circumstance or by your own hand. Hence the brilliant twist at the end "Don't send no more letters no, not unless you mail them from Desolation Row." To wit, the character in the song is essentially saying "Don't even try to talk to me if you've haven't been through it as well" It's more an emotional state than a physical reality. Just my thought on it. interesting interpretation. There are many other deep lines. "They are selling postcards of the hanging" refers to a lynching in Minnesota, which they sold postcards of. Dylan states that all the characters are people he knows, but he changed the names. Lots of metaphors to decipher. Ophelia a people pleaser from Hamlet. Navy hits up a beauty parlor, and clock strikes midnight, and Cinderella needs to pick up mess. Romeo tries to pick up someone elses girl, and and a melee. The nurse, a local loser has both cynide pills and has cards that say "have mercy on their soul". Casanova- "kills him with self confidence, after poisoning him with words" Ezra Pound, TS Elliot, mermaids, monks, Nero, hunchback of Notre Dame, Noah, Einstein, Robin Hood, the Good Samaritan, etc- they all are characters Dylan knew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumblefish Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 didn't see it listed "Cats in a Cradle", all songs tell a story, only some songs tell it better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 "Chocolate Rain"...Little did anyone know that the song actually predicts the downfall of Johnny Football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LB3 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 O.A.R. - That Was A Crazy Game of Poker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Copacabana. Annoying as **** song, great story. Escape - Rupert Holmes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 (edited) Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da tells a great story. Edited December 24, 2014 by Gugny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Some of my favs: Jeremy - Pearl Jam (about a kid who blew his head off in front of his class) Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty (about his life post Stealers Wheel and some lawsuits he was dealing with) Solsbury Hill (Gabriel's feelings about leaving Genesis) Thunder Road/The River - Generic stories... I prefer this type of song to be about real events... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corp000085 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Peggy-O The needle and the damage done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Scenes From An Italian Restaurant - Billy Joel. This is an awesome song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Al Stewart - Year of the Cat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azalin Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Frank Zappa - Billy The Mountain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Frank Zappa - Billy The Mountain I am the Slime. Always played this song in my Survey of Mass Media classes on the first day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azalin Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 I am the Slime. Always played this song in my Survey of Mass Media classes on the first day. Very appropriate! Ever see the SNL version where Frank trades verses with Don Pardo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Very appropriate! Ever see the SNL version where Frank trades verses with Don Pardo? http://youtu.be/RWoxUvWHtB4 pretty sure i read some where that was his one and only SNL appearance, Lorne Michaels banned him for being to hard on the other actors who liked to partake in a toke or two...and he was so anti drug. I did not know that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 One I heard today - Same Auld Lang Syne by Dan Fogelberg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BackInDaDay Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 big joe and phantom 309 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gomper Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 (edited) interesting interpretation. There are many other deep lines. "They are selling postcards of the hanging" refers to a lynching in Minnesota, which they sold postcards of. Dylan states that all the characters are people he knows, but he changed the names. Lots of metaphors to decipher. Ophelia a people pleaser from Hamlet. Navy hits up a beauty parlor, and clock strikes midnight, and Cinderella needs to pick up mess. Romeo tries to pick up someone elses girl, and and a melee. The nurse, a local loser has both cynide pills and has cards that say "have mercy on their soul". Casanova- "kills him with self confidence, after poisoning him with words" Ezra Pound, TS Elliot, mermaids, monks, Nero, hunchback of Notre Dame, Noah, Einstein, Robin Hood, the Good Samaritan, etc- they all are characters Dylan knew Pete, thanks for the reply and happy holidays to you and yours. I honestly think that in this song, the emotional overrides the physical. The verses you quoted, while dripping with imagery. are just a long metaphor to convey the not only barren , but searing emptiness that life can deal you. Hence the line "I received your letter yesterday, about the time the doorknob broke" "When you asked how I was doing, was that some kind of joke?" Again, just one mans opinion. Maybe this version can provide a bit of clarification. https://www.youtube....h?v=TMz0iOTfjmM Edited December 25, 2014 by gomper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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