When reading the lyrics, the first question that I had was whether the "Desolation Row" described in the song was a good or bad place. "Desolate" means "uninhabited," and doesn't necessarily have any bad connotations. Everyone here seems to think it's a bad place to be, but I think the opposite. You look at the imagery and descriptions Dylan uses of places outside DR, and you might agree with me.
Verse 3:
The world is ending. Or at least people think it is. The stars and the moon are hiding, the fortune teller doesn't have any more fortunes to tell, and everyone is "making love/ Or else expecting rain." (Nuclear rain?) But inside DR, no one is frightened. There's a carnival going on.
Verses 6-8:
Everything in these verses happens outside of DR. And it all sucks. You have things like a "cyanide hole" and a "heart attack machine," which in my mind are symbols for the "rat race" of life. In these verses, people like Cassanova are trying to get to DR, a clear sign that it's better than wherever they are.
Verse 10:
I think that the first 9 verses were parts of the letter that the narrator received. The "people that you mention" were all the characters from the rest of the poem. The doorknob breaking refers to the question from the earlier verse "Which side are you on?" Basically, are you in DR or the outside world, because now the door between them doesn't work.
I'm not too clear on what the punchline might be, but I would guess that DR is a place where there is no oppression (e.g. no Dr. Filth, Phantom, or insurence men), so the song is a tirade against depression.
The doorknob breaking refers to her no longer being shut out of DR. He gets the letter at the same time the doorknob breaks. She is in La La land, while he is in reality (DR). He doesn't want to hear about all of these circus freaks, and their craziness from the fantasy (outside) world, he wants to hear them (why he rearranged their faces) from reality. He is in reality (DR--not a bad place), whereas she is in fantasy land, w/ her circus freaks, total non-reality. This must be what Dylan sees in the...
The doorknob breaking refers to her no longer being shut out of DR. He gets the letter at the same time the doorknob breaks. She is in La La land, while he is in reality (DR). He doesn't want to hear about all of these circus freaks, and their craziness from the fantasy (outside) world, he wants to hear them (why he rearranged their faces) from reality. He is in reality (DR--not a bad place), whereas she is in fantasy land, w/ her circus freaks, total non-reality. This must be what Dylan sees in the world of entertainment--a bunch of hangers-on, sycophants, suck-ups, narcissists, etc. who need to get to desolation row. For Dylan, desolation row is lonely, but safe, and real. He is healthy, they are frauds. Like many tunes, Dylan is throwing you w/ the imagery. Most listeners assume DR is a bad place filled w/ lonliness and despair...but if you assume DR is a good place, then reread the lyrics, it will make sense. I read the verses backwards, starting at the end w/ his letter he received. It makes more sense that way.
the first verse is about an actual incident that occurred near Dylan's home town in the 1920s where three black circus workers were hung unjustly and they printed postcards of their hanging corpses. alot of the other verses probably refer to other incident's like this; "doctor filth", "Einstein disguised as robin hood". i think the last verse reinforces your opinion. he only wants the letter if he knows that the person he cares about "mails it from desolation row". even though he can't "read too good" as long as he knows that the person is safe is DR, he is...
the first verse is about an actual incident that occurred near Dylan's home town in the 1920s where three black circus workers were hung unjustly and they printed postcards of their hanging corpses. alot of the other verses probably refer to other incident's like this; "doctor filth", "Einstein disguised as robin hood". i think the last verse reinforces your opinion. he only wants the letter if he knows that the person he cares about "mails it from desolation row". even though he can't "read too good" as long as he knows that the person is safe is DR, he is at peace
hmm. nice way to think of this. But what about the skinny girls mentioned by phantom, or Ophelia. I think that some of these refer to a prostitution home, as mentioned in an earlier replies. just think about it. I'm going to go comment on Ballad of a Thin Man now. wish me luck.
hmm. nice way to think of this. But what about the skinny girls mentioned by phantom, or Ophelia. I think that some of these refer to a prostitution home, as mentioned in an earlier replies. just think about it. I'm going to go comment on Ballad of a Thin Man now. wish me luck.
@McShark The Beats had the idea that, in order to be free, you had to live on the margins of society, a view later summarized in Leary's epigram "turn on, tune in, drop out" (also soon after, in an amusing song with that name by the Fugs). Dylan also expresses this view elsewhere: "to live outside the law you must be honest."
@McShark The Beats had the idea that, in order to be free, you had to live on the margins of society, a view later summarized in Leary's epigram "turn on, tune in, drop out" (also soon after, in an amusing song with that name by the Fugs). Dylan also expresses this view elsewhere: "to live outside the law you must be honest."
When reading the lyrics, the first question that I had was whether the "Desolation Row" described in the song was a good or bad place. "Desolate" means "uninhabited," and doesn't necessarily have any bad connotations. Everyone here seems to think it's a bad place to be, but I think the opposite. You look at the imagery and descriptions Dylan uses of places outside DR, and you might agree with me. Verse 3: The world is ending. Or at least people think it is. The stars and the moon are hiding, the fortune teller doesn't have any more fortunes to tell, and everyone is "making love/ Or else expecting rain." (Nuclear rain?) But inside DR, no one is frightened. There's a carnival going on. Verses 6-8: Everything in these verses happens outside of DR. And it all sucks. You have things like a "cyanide hole" and a "heart attack machine," which in my mind are symbols for the "rat race" of life. In these verses, people like Cassanova are trying to get to DR, a clear sign that it's better than wherever they are. Verse 10: I think that the first 9 verses were parts of the letter that the narrator received. The "people that you mention" were all the characters from the rest of the poem. The doorknob breaking refers to the question from the earlier verse "Which side are you on?" Basically, are you in DR or the outside world, because now the door between them doesn't work.
I'm not too clear on what the punchline might be, but I would guess that DR is a place where there is no oppression (e.g. no Dr. Filth, Phantom, or insurence men), so the song is a tirade against depression.
I think it's a state of mind, enlightenment, hipness itself - alternative culture and reality in the truest sense.
I think it's a state of mind, enlightenment, hipness itself - alternative culture and reality in the truest sense.
Awesome interpretetion. I wouldn't disagree with any of it. I think the song is brilliant in its poetic economy of words and evocativeness.
Awesome interpretetion. I wouldn't disagree with any of it. I think the song is brilliant in its poetic economy of words and evocativeness.
The doorknob breaking refers to her no longer being shut out of DR. He gets the letter at the same time the doorknob breaks. She is in La La land, while he is in reality (DR). He doesn't want to hear about all of these circus freaks, and their craziness from the fantasy (outside) world, he wants to hear them (why he rearranged their faces) from reality. He is in reality (DR--not a bad place), whereas she is in fantasy land, w/ her circus freaks, total non-reality. This must be what Dylan sees in the...
The doorknob breaking refers to her no longer being shut out of DR. He gets the letter at the same time the doorknob breaks. She is in La La land, while he is in reality (DR). He doesn't want to hear about all of these circus freaks, and their craziness from the fantasy (outside) world, he wants to hear them (why he rearranged their faces) from reality. He is in reality (DR--not a bad place), whereas she is in fantasy land, w/ her circus freaks, total non-reality. This must be what Dylan sees in the world of entertainment--a bunch of hangers-on, sycophants, suck-ups, narcissists, etc. who need to get to desolation row. For Dylan, desolation row is lonely, but safe, and real. He is healthy, they are frauds. Like many tunes, Dylan is throwing you w/ the imagery. Most listeners assume DR is a bad place filled w/ lonliness and despair...but if you assume DR is a good place, then reread the lyrics, it will make sense. I read the verses backwards, starting at the end w/ his letter he received. It makes more sense that way.
the first verse is about an actual incident that occurred near Dylan's home town in the 1920s where three black circus workers were hung unjustly and they printed postcards of their hanging corpses. alot of the other verses probably refer to other incident's like this; "doctor filth", "Einstein disguised as robin hood". i think the last verse reinforces your opinion. he only wants the letter if he knows that the person he cares about "mails it from desolation row". even though he can't "read too good" as long as he knows that the person is safe is DR, he is...
the first verse is about an actual incident that occurred near Dylan's home town in the 1920s where three black circus workers were hung unjustly and they printed postcards of their hanging corpses. alot of the other verses probably refer to other incident's like this; "doctor filth", "Einstein disguised as robin hood". i think the last verse reinforces your opinion. he only wants the letter if he knows that the person he cares about "mails it from desolation row". even though he can't "read too good" as long as he knows that the person is safe is DR, he is at peace
hmm. nice way to think of this. But what about the skinny girls mentioned by phantom, or Ophelia. I think that some of these refer to a prostitution home, as mentioned in an earlier replies. just think about it. I'm going to go comment on Ballad of a Thin Man now. wish me luck.
hmm. nice way to think of this. But what about the skinny girls mentioned by phantom, or Ophelia. I think that some of these refer to a prostitution home, as mentioned in an earlier replies. just think about it. I'm going to go comment on Ballad of a Thin Man now. wish me luck.
@McShark The Beats had the idea that, in order to be free, you had to live on the margins of society, a view later summarized in Leary's epigram "turn on, tune in, drop out" (also soon after, in an amusing song with that name by the Fugs). Dylan also expresses this view elsewhere: "to live outside the law you must be honest."
@McShark The Beats had the idea that, in order to be free, you had to live on the margins of society, a view later summarized in Leary's epigram "turn on, tune in, drop out" (also soon after, in an amusing song with that name by the Fugs). Dylan also expresses this view elsewhere: "to live outside the law you must be honest."