Desolation Row
For Annie Kapur's "Sing Us the Song of the Century" Challenge
Introduction
This is for Annie Kapur's "Sing Us the Song of the Century" Challenge, which you can find here:
I don't normally make more than one entry to a Challenge, but I will have two in this one. Even Bob Dylan has so many "story songs" that take you somewhere else, and Jimi Hendrix's cover of "All Along The Watchtower" would be my choice if I were limited to a 7" single and we have Hedrix's guitar and full on vocals (apparently, he was embarrassed about his own lyrics but he lets loose on Dylan's words) but that is not for this story.
Desolation Row
The song closes the second side of "Highway 61 Revisited", although I still refer to the vinyl form, but it is the album closer if you listen on CD or stream.
I am listening to the song as I write this piece, and from the very first line, you are in some otherworldly western town as unseen observers.
Almost every line, for me, is memorable, bringing to life scenes of what is happening in Desolation Row.
They're selling postcards of the hanging, they're painting the passports brown
The beauty parlor is filled with sailors, the circus is in town
I could quote so many lines from this that strike a chord in me. This is very much a movie for the ears, and Dylan is excellent at that.
I suppose this is a song critique, and I could listen to it several times (it clocks in at over eleven minutes), and it has provided me with lots of ideas for my Vocal stories.
I'll leave you with two couplets from the song that stay with me, though I could probably quote the whole song.
They are spoon feeding Casanova to get him to feel more assured
Then they'll kill him with self-confidence after poisoning him with words
Ophelia, she's 'neath the window for her I feel so afraid
On her twenty-second birthday she already is an old maid
To her, death is quite romantic she wears an iron vest
Her profession's her religion, her sin is her lifelessness
About the Creator
Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred
A Weaver of Tales and Poetry
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Comments (22)
As I messaged you: the same person has stoked this one, twice. It has been reported
I didn’t know selling postcards of the hanging could be a business. Congratulation on the Top Story! 🥳💫
Wow really well done!
Congratulations on the top story, Mike!!!
Congrats on the Top Story! ❤️
Very well written, congrats 👏
Wow, Mike, this song surely takes me back- A beauty of a song. Congratulations on your top story and for sharing Annie's challenge with us!
Looking interesting
Beautiful
congrats your top story
Nice I am from pakistani
Congratulations on Top Story, Mike, you deserve this and many more. Sorry, I missed it originally. I have been a bit out of sorts the last week or so.
Would you look at that. You always complain you never get a Top Story and then a few days later, you'll get one. It always happens and it happened again now, lol
Wow
Congratulations for the richly merited TS, Mikeydred!
Congratulations on your Top Story 🎉🥳
Back to say, well done on a Top Top Story, Mike! You could have written a five -page thesis on this song, but you managed to clearly show what makes it so magical in 500 words.
One of my all-time favourite songs. Such a gorgeous piece mate x
This song's a masterpiece. The way Dylan paints vivid pictures with words is amazing. It's like a movie for the ears. I can't wait to hear more of your vocal stories inspired by it.
Masterclass in storytelling, with lots of damned and notorious characters and figures. i lowe that album and Blonde on Blonde listened to them both again recently and was again mesmerised. you are usually left with more questions than answers! well done on a fine piece on one of my fave songs,will check out Annie's challenge!
I love how you describe it as “a movie for the ears.”
Oooo, I love how death is romantic to her hehehe