Personal Analysis of All Along The Watch Tower

Bob Dylan's All Along The Watch Tower

All Along The Watchtower- Bob Dylan

This is my favorite song, and this is what it means to me. 

The harmonica tells you its a love story ;)

“There must be some way out of here.” said the joker to the thief.

“There must be away to escape the casual, mundane and obligated life” I feel it’s a man and woman talking to each other, in first meetings, perhaps early in their pursuits. The Joker is the man, of misleading character, one that can make you smile; convincing liar. The thief is the woman, I think that she is free, and grateful for her freedom. I think Bob Dylan called her a thief to demonstrate that, as a pun, a caught criminal would really miss freedom. 

“There’s too much confusion,” I Can’t get no relief.

He’s lost his connectedness to God.

“Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth. None of them along the line know what any of it is worth”

Businessmen, government of the same, taxes, what ever- they reap the benifits of your harder life. your hard work is their wine, they break you physically down, so they plow your earth. 

“No reason to get excited,” the thief he kindly spoke.

The voice of reason. 

“There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke.”

There are other’s that are free. 

“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.”

Why lie to each other, playing games of hope or talk of futures. Enjoy what’s happen before it ends.

“All along the watchtower, princes kept the view.”

All the people that justified the jokers ways.

“while all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too.”

All the women that he used and abused, all the ‘friends’ he used all that were pawns in his life.

Outside in the distance a wild cat did growl. Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.

you can’t escape the inevitable path of the time you are in.

I think if you can understand that interpretation then you should listen to this song as well, I think it is a modern response to All Along The Watch Tower, perhaps a deeper look into the Joker's mind.

Brian Jonestown Massacre_ When Jokers Attack.

love dies fast, now
whenever you’re uncertain how
this unsure that you love
dreams die fast, fast
whenever you dream they can last
take this pain when you go, yeah

life is fast, now
whenever you’re uncertain how
this unsure do you know
love dies faster, fast
when you think it can never last
take me please if you go, yeah

I am just a thief.