About the song
“All Along the Watchtower” is a classic song by Bob Dylan, released in 1967 on his album John Wesley Harding. Here’s a breakdown of its background, lyrics, and themes:
Background:
- The song’s origins are a bit murky. Dylan has said it was inspired by a dream, while others speculate it was influenced by the news or other sources.
- The most famous version might not even be Dylan’s. Jimi Hendrix’s psychedelic rock interpretation on his 1968 album Electric Ladyland became a huge hit and arguably overshadowed Dylan’s original.
Lyrics:
The song is short, with only a few verses. It features a cryptic conversation between a joker and a thief, followed by a shift to a third-person perspective describing figures on a watchtower. The verses are open to interpretation, but touch on ideas of:
- Desire for escape and freedom
- Confusion and lack of meaning in the world
- Social hierarchy and class
Themes:
- Disillusionment: The lyrics express a sense of dissatisfaction with the status quo and a longing for something more.
- Isolation: The characters feel disconnected from the world around them.
- Observation: The watchtower imagery suggests a position of distance and a lack of engagement.
- Uncertainty: The song’s meaning is ambiguous, leaving listeners to ponder the characters’ experiences and the larger message.
Video
Lyrics
There must be some way out of hereSaid the joker to the thiefThere’s too much confusion, I can’t get no reliefBusinessmen, they drink my winePlowmen dig my earthNone of them along the line know what any of it is worth
No reason to get excited, the thief, he kindly spokeThere are many here among us who feel that life is but a jokeBut you and I, we’ve been through that, and this is not our fateSo let us not talk falsely, the hour is getting late
All along the watchtower, princes kept the viewWhile all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too
Outside in the distance a wildcat did growlTwo riders were approaching, the wind began to howl