It was written shortly after Reagan became President in 1981 (released in 1983).
Reagan won the election largely because his predecessor, Jimmy Carter, was unable to free the American hostages in Iran. Curiously, the hostages were freed on the day Reagan was inaugurated, as if Reagan had illegally cut some deal with the Iranians. Iran, formerly known as Persia, is famously known as the land of the nightingale. Google it. Reagan is "dancing to nightingale tune". This line is heart of the chorus of the song. Why link the Jokerman to the nightingale and repeat it over an over? Dylan chooses his symbols for a reason. Espcecially a symbol in a chorus. It's not just some random imagery. If you can't explain why the Jokerman is dancing to the nightingale tune, you can't explain the song.
Reagan had a favorite, beloved, horse called "El Alemain". It was a white horse. This is a well-known fact about Reagan. Google it. You'll find pics of Reagan on the horse. This matches perfectly with one of the few clues in the song: "In the smoke of the twilight on a milk-white steed".
Reagan, in his prime, was a handsome, buff stud. Literally movie star good looks. Fits well with "Michelangelo indeed could have carved out your features", one of the other clues in the song. Take a look at Michelangeo's statue of David. The Jokerman is no pencil neck geek.
As mnonm points out, the climax of the music video is a picture of Reagan as the Jokerman!
That's an interesting theory, but I guarantee if you presented it to Dylan, he'd reply, "Why the hell would I ever write a song about Reagan, man?"
That's an interesting theory, but I guarantee if you presented it to Dylan, he'd reply, "Why the hell would I ever write a song about Reagan, man?"
No, no, no. There's a whole lot of other imagery in the video, including Batman's villain the Joker, the playing card, and - the most frequent image - younger Bob Dylan himself. Remember, there's little debate over who is "the jester" in Don McLean's song "American Pie," and "jester" is almost synonymous with "joker."
No, no, no. There's a whole lot of other imagery in the video, including Batman's villain the Joker, the playing card, and - the most frequent image - younger Bob Dylan himself. Remember, there's little debate over who is "the jester" in Don McLean's song "American Pie," and "jester" is almost synonymous with "joker."
The song isn't about Reagan or Jesus or even JFK (who is also in the video). It's about Dylan.
What is the Joker? He's an "agent of chaos," as he says in "The Dark Knight." He's the wild card. He's the unexpected game changer. He is neither good nor evil, right nor wrong, heroic nor villainous. He is the Fool in "King Lear" and in the Tarot. He is the child who says the emperor has no clothes.
You've done a good job of explaining the lyrics, "Jokerman, dance to the nightingale tune," and, "In the smoke of the twilight on a milk-white steed, Michelangelo indeed could've carved out your features," but there are other lyrics you're ignoring. How can you possibly say, "Friend to the martyr, a friend to the woman of shame," or, "A woman just gave birth to a prince today and dressed him in scarlet. Take the motherless children off the street and place them at the feet of a harlot. Oh, Jokerman, you know what he wants. Oh, Jokerman, you don't show any response," how do THEY relate to Reagan?
You have to remember that "Jokerman" is a song on Dylan's album "Infidel." It's true, in '83, Reagan was president, but also in '83, Dylan was still an avowed Christian. And yet he released an album - just a few years before disavowing himself of Christianity - with the title "Infidel." And it included "Jokerman."
El Alamein is a good catch, but a white horse means something else to a Christian, as Dylan was at this time. It means Revelation 6:2: "And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." It's a reference to the Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse - Death. The great equalizer. The one who shall one day visit us all. "And a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."
Death... conquers... ALL! And it is every bit as unpredictable, as random, as inevitable as the wild card in the deck. It is the Great Equalizer. It falls on just and unjust alike.
The meaning of this song is that Dylan and his music are NOT about Reagan or Carter or Ford or Nixon or Johnson or Kennedy. They are the infinite agents of chaos. They are as they have always been and will always be. The nightingale isn't Iran. The nightingale is the one small bird of flight who is nocturnal (compared to the other, diurnal ones). Hence the "birds fly high by the light of the moon."
This song is about Ronald Reagan.
That's an interesting theory, but I guarantee if you presented it to Dylan, he'd reply, "Why the hell would I ever write a song about Reagan, man?"
That's an interesting theory, but I guarantee if you presented it to Dylan, he'd reply, "Why the hell would I ever write a song about Reagan, man?"
No, no, no. There's a whole lot of other imagery in the video, including Batman's villain the Joker, the playing card, and - the most frequent image - younger Bob Dylan himself. Remember, there's little debate over who is "the jester" in Don McLean's song "American Pie," and "jester" is almost synonymous with "joker."
No, no, no. There's a whole lot of other imagery in the video, including Batman's villain the Joker, the playing card, and - the most frequent image - younger Bob Dylan himself. Remember, there's little debate over who is "the jester" in Don McLean's song "American Pie," and "jester" is almost synonymous with "joker."
The song isn't about Reagan or Jesus or even JFK (who is also in the video). It's about Dylan.
What is the Joker? He's an "agent of chaos," as he says in "The Dark Knight." He's the wild card. He's the unexpected game changer. He is neither good nor evil, right nor wrong, heroic nor villainous. He is the Fool in "King Lear" and in the Tarot. He is the child who says the emperor has no clothes.
You've done a good job of explaining the lyrics, "Jokerman, dance to the nightingale tune," and, "In the smoke of the twilight on a milk-white steed, Michelangelo indeed could've carved out your features," but there are other lyrics you're ignoring. How can you possibly say, "Friend to the martyr, a friend to the woman of shame," or, "A woman just gave birth to a prince today and dressed him in scarlet. Take the motherless children off the street and place them at the feet of a harlot. Oh, Jokerman, you know what he wants. Oh, Jokerman, you don't show any response," how do THEY relate to Reagan?
You have to remember that "Jokerman" is a song on Dylan's album "Infidel." It's true, in '83, Reagan was president, but also in '83, Dylan was still an avowed Christian. And yet he released an album - just a few years before disavowing himself of Christianity - with the title "Infidel." And it included "Jokerman."
El Alamein is a good catch, but a white horse means something else to a Christian, as Dylan was at this time. It means Revelation 6:2: "And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." It's a reference to the Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse - Death. The great equalizer. The one who shall one day visit us all. "And a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."
Death... conquers... ALL! And it is every bit as unpredictable, as random, as inevitable as the wild card in the deck. It is the Great Equalizer. It falls on just and unjust alike.
The meaning of this song is that Dylan and his music are NOT about Reagan or Carter or Ford or Nixon or Johnson or Kennedy. They are the infinite agents of chaos. They are as they have always been and will always be. The nightingale isn't Iran. The nightingale is the one small bird of flight who is nocturnal (compared to the other, diurnal ones). Hence the "birds fly high by the light of the moon."
Hence the avowed Christian who is an infidel.
Hence the Jokerman.
@laboo Most of Bob Dylan's songs are about Ronald Reagan.
@laboo Most of Bob Dylan's songs are about Ronald Reagan.