Bob Dylan – All the Tired Horses

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Send "All the Tired Horses" Ringtone to Cell

All the tired horses in the sun, how am I supposed to get any ridin' done?
Mmm . . . .

Send "All the Tired Horses" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by knate15, edited by Mellow_Harsher

Track duration: 03:09


All the Tired Horses song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:All the tired horses in the sun, how 'mi 'sposed to get any ridin' done?
    mmmmm....
    -----------

    You're all nuts. It's about sweat and hard work (being ridden by the master), so with all the work how is a person supposed to find the time for fun and enjoyment. Mmmmmmmm. Again, you're all nuts writin' so much crap that's just plain incorrect:-) Simplify your minds...and breathe...
    Flag IllToast2Thaton January 12, 2013   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is all about Dylan getting as far away from the 'protest singer', 'voice of a generation' bullshit as he possibly could. At this time he was still being hassled and infuriated by the 'freaks' who would not leave him at peace in Woodstock. This song is an attempt to produce something as far away from those tags as possible. It is the opener to the album and hence a tone setter. Basically Bob's way of turning his back on his past and almost creating a new foundation on which to build from.
    Flag Balzo93on August 26, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Quarnphardtz, I do admire your imagination. How can you turn simple lines as "all tires horses in the sun..." into such a deep bull about society? Well, it never ceases to amaze me how society is always to blame for everything. Anyway, no need to make a big fuzz out of this one, it just means that: the horses are tired and because of that you can't ride them. See? Simple as that! hehehe
    Flag kady666on May 21, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Don't you see?

    The horses are society, which is tired.
    We are all part of that society, and we just need to play our parts... but so many feel oppressed.
    It's an analogy, and it's so amazingly simple... but brilliant!!! The lightbulb just came on over my head when I was listening to this. That's it! That's the answer! Because think of our society as a peice of unshaped clay... nobody has shaped it into a horse yet, but it somehow is seen that way! Hmmmm... interesting! And how are we (the horses) supposed to carry the load (our riders) into a progressive state to meet the potential we all so desperately seek, whereby the unfulfillment of the horses own duties and responsibilities, portray a constant reminder, or indicator to each horses rider OF that unmet potential, OF those unfulfilled duties. It's a constant reminder, and the longer they aren't moving, the more the sun is burning on them. People... you can't stay in the sun very long without getting burned. There's the meaning. KABAM!
    Flag Quarnphardtzon February 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Wow I have a complete opposite opinion of Self Portrait. I think its absolute dreck and I agree with Greil Marcus who famously wrote about Self Portratait, "What is this Shit?" Awful album.
    Flag boppypelton October 08, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I always thought this song was symbolically important given it's context. Self Portrait is my favorite Dylan album and in my opinion does a better job summing him up than any biography would later to prove to (including Biograph and Chronicles). To begin the album 'Self Portrait' he composes All The Tired Horses- a song he arranged and wrote yet does not have a voice in. One of a handful of songs on his albums where he does not sing, but the only one where someone else sings and he is absent.
    Given it's placement on the album and the album which it is on the implication is that this is either the backdrop of his life- or extending the metaphor- the blank canvas against which his likeness is composed. Fittingly the album is constructed of various standards he has re-tooled in his own fashion as well as a few of his classics performed live. All the Tired Horses is reminiscent of a hymn or work song- which ultimately were the birth parents of modern American folk and country music.
    All the Tired Horses seems to be Dylan reconstructing the birth of both him ad his music.
    Flag nigelmustaphaon December 17, 2007   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:self portrait is amazing. this song is sweet.
    Flag the scenic worldon November 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:self portrait is amazing. this song is sweet.
    Flag the scenic worldon November 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:man the lyrics don't say much ... but such a powerful song despite (because of?) the simplicity
    Flag suckmykisson March 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:its pretty self explanitory. great song.
    Flag Dark_Side_on February 25, 2007   Link

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