Grateful Dead – Franklin's Tower

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In another times forgotten space
Your eyes looked from your mother's face
Wallflower seed on the sand and stone
May the four winds blow you safely home.
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
I'll tell you where the four winds dwell
In Franklin's tower there hangs a bell
It can ring, turn night to day
It can ring like fire when you loose your way.
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
God save the child that rings that bell
It may have one good ring, baby, you can't tell
One watch by night, one watch by day
If you get confused listen to the music play.
(instrumental)
Some come to laugh their past away
Some come to make it just one more day
Whichever way your pleasure tends
If you plant ice you're gonna harvest the wind.
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
In Franklin's tower the four winds sleep
Like four lean hounds the lighthouse keep
Wildflower seed on the sand and wind
May the four winds blow you home again.
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
You'd better roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
You'd better roll away the dew - roll away.

Send "Franklin's Tower" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by itsmyownmind

Track duration: 04:32


Franklin's Tower song meanings
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  • +2
    General Comment:i feel like this song's about puttin the past away. "rollin away the dew." its about us travelin folk lookin for a place to call home. it's about remembering that freedom is song to be sung day after day. and if "you ever get confused, all you need to do is listen to that music play." this song is about finding your way when you get lost. "some come to laugh their past away, some come to make it just one more day." some of us gather at the shows or wherever just to forget about the past, and some of us are here just get by one more fuckin day. this song is about gettin on with it and keepin it goin. just keep movin on and roll away that fuckin dew. :)
    Flag maxd1993on March 28, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Ok for real people, Im so tired of people finding fault with how people find meanings to lyrics. this is obviously an open discussion, but there is no need for people to openly tell someone they are wrong in their findings. Get real, everyone has their own ideas and own feelings.
    Flag JimmyJAY123on March 15, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:C'mon kids-- A magical roaming child of destiny is coming in this unfertile time of sand and stone and will "Ring the Bell". It is a wild flower child that is blessed and we know it, and those aware are watching night and day because of what he means and what light he will surely bring. Wishes for the safe return home are there to the child. But most important- when the sunrise does FINALLY come from the dark time-- the light and heat evaporates the morning dew, and it "Rolls Away" and we will celebrate BIG TIME. There is more but when a destiny flower child finally comes and rings a bell for freedom we so yearn for, we will see- THIS SONG IS A PROPHECY.
    Flag daddyojon February 23, 2011   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:C'mon kids-- A magical roaming child of destiny is coming in this unfertile time of sand and stone and will "Ring the Bell". It is a wild flower child that is blessed and we know it, and those aware are watching night and day because of what he means and what light he will surely bring. Wishes for the safe return home are there to the child. But most important- when the sunrise does FINALLY come from the dark time-- the light and heat evaporates the morning dew, and it "Rolls Away" and we will celebrate BIG TIME. There is more but when a destiny flower child finally comes and rings a bell for freedom we so yearn for, we will see- THIS SONG IS A PROPHECY.
    Flag daddyojon February 23, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:C'mon kids-- A magical roaming child of destiny is coming in this unfertile time of sand and stone and will "Ring the Bell". It is a wild flower child that is blessed and we know it, and those aware are watching night and day because of what he means and what light he will surely bring. Wishes for the safe return home are there to the child. But most important- when the sunrise does FINALLY come from the dark time-- the light and heat evaporates the morning dew, and it "Rolls Away" and we will celebrate BIG TIME. There is more but when a destiny flower child finally comes and rings a bell for freedom we so yearn for, we will see- THIS SONG IS A PROPHECY.
    Flag daddyojon February 23, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:C'mon kids-- A magical roaming child of destiny is coming in this unfertile time of sand and stone and will "Ring the Bell". It is a wild flower child that is blessed and we know it, and those aware are watching night and day because of what he means and what light he will surely bring. Wishes for the safe return home are there to the child. But most important- when the sunrise does FINALLY come from the dark time-- the light and heat evaporates the morning dew, and it "Rolls Away" and we will celebrate BIG TIME. There is more but when a destiny flower child finally comes and rings a bell for freedom we so yearn for, we will see- THIS SONG IS A PROPHECY.
    Flag daddyojon February 23, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:In general, I think if you over analyze lyrics you are missing what Grateful Dead was about. They created a feeling with their songs, not precise meanings. Backup a little and feel the song. It's about a wallflower becoming a wildflower. It's about birth, life, freedom. It's about people emigrating to America to laugh their past away or just make it for one more day. Ben Franklin's Liberty Bell up in that tower is like a beacon for those looking for freedom. It can ring, turn night to day
    It can ring like fire when you loose your way. Roll away, the dew. Get up, keep going, seek freedom, survive.
    Flag croppcircleon August 29, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me, as for so many Dead tunes, this one is about inspiration and music. What your spirit had, has, could have... Little bits of spiritual wisdom: roll away the dew = shake it off, if you plant ice your gonna harvest wind = do things that are meaningful, and wildflowers can't grow in sand and wind... but they can grow if planted and nurtured.

    What is Franklin's Tower? Inspiration? Freedom? I always like to think so.
    Flag SHtROon May 27, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:The Dead often present their lyrics the way a jazzman presents a standard. The listener is given the freedom to fill in the gaps within his/her imagination.

    From what I've read, every song ever written is about drugs, or you're all jones-ing.

    Personally I always favored the interpretation of "roll away the dew" as akin to dusting yourself off.
    It also reminds me of "Morning Dew"
    I think I can reconcile that with the clarification above that the lyrics were referring to the forging of the liberty bell.

    And I find that makes a more interesting song than the drug reference.
    Besides that, if you do the Dew, that's Pepsi not Coke.
    Flag Birdsheadon March 13, 2010   Link
  • +1
    My Opinion:Ok. This entire discussion is completely invalid. How can any of you truly claim to appreciate and claim to understand the Grateful Dead when none have you even noticed at the beginning of these "lyrics" that when it says "Wallflower seed..." it is not "wallflower" but is "wildflower" in the same fashion as the end? I do realize that this is one word, however it can change the entire meaning of the song because a transition from a wallflower to a wildflower is very significant of time, growth and development. It signifies that the subject at the beginning has transformed greatly when in fact this is not the case at all. So perhaps all you fake deadheads out there could at least download a couple of live concerts so you can try to understand the dead?
    Flag urallrongiknowon May 18, 2009   Link

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